Happy September, folks! The heatwaves are behind us. My favorite season is finally here! There’s something about the combination of crisp air, orange leaves, and harvest activities that give fall a special place in my heart. And when it comes to books, nothing captures the essence of autumn like the Redwall series. Cozy, hearty, homemade dishes are the norm there, so I knew a Redwall menu would be the perfect way to kick off fall.

This week, we’re starting our menu with a favorite of the Redwall otters: Hotroot Soup! It’s a bit of a misnomer, since the root in question is actually hotroot pepper. The dish itself is seafood based, with shrimp, leeks, onions, and LOTS of hot sauce. Using my own variation of a Taste of Home recipe, I’ve recreated it here. Light but lively, it’s the perfect appetizer for our new menu! 🙂

Hotroot Soup

“Thrugg crept up from the kitchens. Sleep did not come easily to the burly otter, particularly with the knowledge that there was a huge pot of shrimp and bulrush soup, flavored with watercress and hotroot pepper, simmering gently on the embers of the kitchen fire. Thrugg could not resist until he had sampled it.”
— Salamandastron, a Redwall book

INGREDIENTS:

 

• 3 tbsp canola oil (plus 1 tbsp for vegetables)
• 3 tbsp flour
• 3 celery stalks
• half an onion
• half a green pepper
• 1 leek (white portion only)
• 1 large clove of garlic
• 3 shakes of Tabasco
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp parsley flakes
• 1 can of corn (you’ll want half the corn and all the liquid)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup cooked shrimp (thawed, if originally frozen)

 

Makes 4-6 cups

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. First, chop up all your vegetables. I left the leek as rings, but you can cut them however you like.
   
2. Pour the 3 tbsp of canola oil in a soup pot set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the flour one tablespoon at a time, stirring after each addition until completely incorporated.
3. Cook the oil-flour mixture for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Be sure to stir continuously to prevent the flour from clumping!

   

4. Set the burner on low and add your celery, onion, green pepper, and leek. Add another tablespoon of oil. Stir it all up and let it cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions just start to become translucent. Then add your garlic and stir for 1 more minute.

   

5. Time for spices! Add your Tabasco, black pepper, red pepper flakes, bay leaf, and parsley to the mix. Give it a quick stir.
6. Now open your can of corn and dump in half the corn, plus all the liquid. Add your half cup of water as well.
7. Cover the soup pot, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes.

   

8. Pour in your shrimp and let it cook for just a few more minutes, until it’s heated through.

   

9. Garnish with cubes of mild Cheddar cheese and red pepper flakes.
10. Serve while lunching with the Redwall otters! 🙂

    

 

 

 

 

Here’s the Yummly printable!

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