I said freeze!

Now’s the time to prepare for the winter and cook for the freezer, says Rachel Allen, who promises that you’ll be glad you did. Photography by Tony Gavin

As the evenings start to draw in at this time of the year, our suppers at home tend to be slightly less spontaneous than those of summer. Gone, but not forgotten, are the big salads and impromptu barbecues — unless an Indian summer kicks in suddenly — and in comes food that is warming and generally comforting.

Soups, stews and curries will all feature this month, but seeing as it’s still only September, I’m not yet craving the rib-sticking big dishes of winter, but slightly lighter versions that are still warming, nonetheless.

Now’s a great time of the year to clear out the freezer (I just found four half-eaten ice creams from the summer in ours!) and free up a bit of space for soups and stews that will be very welcome for those evenings when we are all trying to be in a few places at the one time.

The pizza squares, pictured above, are an ideal snack for hungry children just home from school. Using a white soda bread base that’s a cinch to throw together, they’re comforting and nicely filling too, and they’ll sit happily in the freezer until needed.

Tomatoes are at their plentiful best right now (see In Season, above right) and they are great to turn into a soup, such as the roasted tomato, coconut and coriander recipe featured far right, which by the way, also happens to be dairy free — and vegetarian too, if you use vegetable stock. I love the silky richness that the coconut milk brings, and if you want it to deliver a kick, too, then just add a bit of chopped chilli to the tomatoes at the start.

Freeze it in lots of small pots or one large one — then, you can just remove it from its container and defrost the slab of frozen soup in a saucepan over a low heat.

The chicken vindaloo, far right, is a winner, and a very welcome meal to come home to after a long day, with a big steaming-hot bowl of rice.

Feel free to replace the chicken legs with pork leg or shoulder, but make sure to increase the cooking time.

PIZZA SQUARES

(Pictured) If you would like to make your pizza dairy-free, see my Tip, above. Serves 8-12.

For the tomato and basil sauce, you will need:

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for the baking tray 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 450g (1lb) ripe tomatoes A good pinch of sugar 8-10 large basil leaves A few drops of balsamic vinegar, or red wine vinegar

For the white soda pizza base, you will need:

450g (1lb) plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting 1 level teaspoon bread soda (bicarbonate of soda) 1 teaspoon salt 400ml (14fl oz) buttermilk

For the pizza topping, you will need any or some of the following:

Grated cheese, balls of mozzarella, salami, ham or chorizo, a few basil leaves First, make the tomato and basil sauce. Put a saucepan over a medium heat, add the extra-virgin olive oil, and allow it to get warm. Tip in the chopped onion and the finely chopped garlic, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then turn the heat down slightly, cover with a lid, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, until the onion and garlic are completely soft.

While the onion and garlic are cooking, peel the tomatoes by placing them in boiling water for about 10-15 seconds. Drain them, then slide off the skins. Next, chop the tomatoes, and add them into the onion and garlic mixture with another pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and a nice pinch of sugar.

Slice or tear half of the basil leaves and stir them into the tomato, onion and garlic mixture, then cover the pot and cook everything for 10 minutes. Next, remove the lid and cook the sauce for a further 15 or 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced to a thicker sauce. Add in a few drops of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar, whichever you’re using, and the remaining sliced or torn basil leaves. Taste for seasoning, adding some more sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if necessary.

This sauce can be made a few days in advance and kept in the fridge, or it can be frozen. If you wish, you can liquidise the sauce to make it smooth. If the sauce isn’t thick enough to spread evenly over the pizza base, then you’ll need to cook it more, uncovered, stirring regularly until you’re happy with the consistency.

When you’re almost ready to start making the pizza, preheat the oven to 230°C, 425°F, Gas 8. Depending on what toppings you’re using, you’ll need to grate the cheese, or break up the balls of mozzarella or slice the salami, chorizo or ham. Brush a baking or roasting tray with olive oil.

When the oven is fully preheated, make the pizza base by sifting the plain flour and the bread soda into a large bowl. Mix in the salt and make a well in the centre of the mixture.

Pour in most of the buttermilk, but leave about 50ml (2fl oz) in the measuring

jug. Using one hand, with your fingers outstretched like a claw, bring the flour and liquid together, adding more of the buttermilk in the jug if necessary. Do not knead the mixture or it will become heavy. The dough should be softish, but not too wet and sticky. When it comes together, turn it on to a floured work surface and bring it together a little more. Using a dusting of flour, roll the dough into a rectangle the same size as your baking or roasting tray.

Transfer the dough to the oiled tray. Spread the tomato and basil sauce over the dough, followed by your choice of toppings. Bake the pizza close to the bottom of the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes until it is golden on top and underneath.

Allow it to sit for 1 minute then cut it into squares. Serve, or allow the squares to cool, then wrap them and freeze them.

ROASTED TOMATO, COCONUT AND CORIANDER SOUP Serves 4-6. You will need:

900g (2lb) ripe tomatoes (about 8), halved 1 red onion, peeled and cut in thick slices 4 large cloves of garlic, peeled, left whole 1 teaspoon caster sugar 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 x 400ml (14fl oz) tin of coconut milk 250ml (9fl oz) chicken stock or vegetable stock 4 large sprigs of fresh coriander, tender stalks included, coarsely chopped, plus few extra coriander leaves, to serve Preheat the oven to 200°C, 400°F, Gas 5. Arrange the tomato halves, cut-side up, in a single layer on a baking tray and scatter over the onion slices, the whole garlic cloves, and the caster sugar. Drizzle over the extra-virgin olive oil and the balsamic vinegar and season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast the vegetables in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until they have softened.

Once the vegetables are cooked, tip the entire contents of the baking tray, including any juices, into a blender. Add the tinned coconut milk, the chicken stock or the vegetable stock, whichever you’re using, and the chopped fresh coriander, and blend until smooth, then pour into a saucepan. Reheat to serve.

Ladle the soup into warm bowls and sprinkle it with the extra coriander leaves.

CHICKEN VINDALOO Serves 4. You will need:

200g (7oz) tomatoes ½ teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon ground coriander ½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon garam masala 3 tablespoons sunflower oil 4 chicken legs, divided into drumsticks and thighs, skin still attached ½ teaspoon mustard seeds 2 medium onions, finely sliced 5 cloves garlic, crushed or finely grated 2 tablespoons finely grated ginger 110ml (4fl oz) cider vinegar 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons caster sugar 225ml (8fl oz) water Rice, to serve Peel the tomatoes by placing them in boiling water for about 10-15 seconds. Drain them, then slide off the skins. Chop the tomatoes and set them aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the ground turmeric, the ground cumin, the ground paprika, the ground coriander, the cayenne pepper and the garam masala.

Put a large saucepan or casserole dish on a medium heat.

Add the sunflower oil and when it is hot, add the chicken legs — in batches, if necessary — and cook them for 3-4 minutes on each side to brown the meat. Remove the chicken legs to a bowl and set it aside, leaving any oil in the pot.

Add the mustard seeds to the oil in the pot, then the finely sliced onions.

Stir and fry the onions for 4-6 minutes until they begin to colour. Now add the crushed or finely grated garlic, whichever you’re using, and the finely grated fresh ginger. Stir and fry for a minute, then add the turmeric, cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper and garam masala mixture and cook for a further 30 seconds.

Next, stir in the chopped tomatoes, and cook them for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the browned chicken legs, along with any juices, the cider vinegar, the salt, the caster sugar and the water.

Stir everything together and bring the pot to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the lid and cook the vindaloo for a further 20-30 minutes, stirring more frequently until the chicken is completely cooked (it should be almost coming away from the bone) and the sauce has thickened.

Serve with rice.