Cooking with Denise, at Riverstone Bishops Avenue

Life at Riverstone is shaped by experiences that bring people together – our recent cooking class led by the talented Denise Phillips at Riverstone Bishops Avenue allowed guests to connect, expand their culinary confidence and enjoy exceptional food in excellent company.

“There is something uniquely fulfilling about preparing a meal together. Laughter over chopping boards and conversation flowing while dishes simmer” – Riverstone Resident.

A Hands-On Approach to Cooking:
Denise guided residents through two recipes designed with a focus on seasonal ingredients: a warming parsnip & sweet potato soup with parsnip crisps followed by a nostalgic toffee apple crumble. Residents were encouraged to observe, ask questions and take part in each stage. Denise’s reassuring presence and practical demonstrations ensured everyone, whether a seasoned or novice cook, felt inspired.

Parsnip & Sweet Potato Soup with Parsnip Crisps
Our culinary journey began with a nourishing silky soup: the sweet potato and parsnip brought natural creaminess while chickpeas offered plant-based protein, all without the need for dairy cream.

Attendees particularly enjoyed the clever techniques shared: “I’d spent my whole life using the peeler in one direction, it hadn’t ever crossed my mind to use it both ways to peel the vegetables. And not removing the onion tip while chopping to avoid teary eyes – genius! I was delighted to learn something new, and this is when you realise, in these small moments, how Riverstone makes all the difference.” – Riverstone Guest.

Guests we’re shown how to garnish the bowls with parsnip crisps from scratch and it was an instant favourite.

Toffee Apple Crumble
The second recipe brought joy and nostalgia to the table. Crisp apples layered with decadent toffee sauce all crowned with a cinnamon-spiced crumble. Denise and the guests prepared the apples together, while sharing their own family recipes and traditions.

“Helping with the crumble with friends was the perfect touch to my week. It reminds you that hobbies and social fun can be experienced at any age” – Riverstone Resident.

Butter, dark muscovado sugar and golden syrup melted together until we got a deep, glossy toffee sauce, mixing this into the apples before topping off with the earlier prepared crumble and into the oven for baking. The result: a timeless treat reimagined with a little extra indulgence.

Try These Recipes at Home
See the recipes and methods, and recreate the recipes at home!

Parsnip & Sweet Potato Soup with Parsnip Crisps
Serves 6–8

 Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp fresh grated ginger
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 medium carrots (approx. 300g) peeled and chopped
1 medium sweet potato (approx. 500g) peeled and cubed
2 parsnips (approx. 250g) scrubbed and cubed
1 × 400g tin chickpeas rinsed and drained
1 × 400g tin coconut milk
200ml almond milk (or other plant-based milk)
2 litres vegetable stock
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
2 extra parsnips for crisps
Fresh parsley to garnish

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pot then sauté the onion for 4–5 minutes
2. Add garlic and ginger then cook for 1 minute
3. Add cumin ground coriander and smoked paprika
4. Stir in carrots sweet potato parsnips and chickpeas
5. Pour in stock and milks then bring to the boil
6. Reduce to a simmer cover and cook for 20–25 minutes
7. Blend until smooth then stir in lemon juice and season
8. For parsnip crisps peel ribbons and then roast at 200°C for 15 minutes until crisp
9. Serve with parsley and parsnip crisps

Toffee Apple Crumble
Serves 8–10

Ingredients
For the Toffee
45g unsalted butter
55g dark muscovado sugar
6 tbsp golden syrup
250ml double cream or soya cream

3 Granny Smith apples peeled and thinly sliced

For the Crumble
75g wholemeal flour
75g plain flour
55g rolled oats
75g butter
75g soft brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas 4)
2. Make the toffee by melting butter, sugar and syrup then boil for 3 minutes and stir in cream
3. Pulse all crumble ingredients to a breadcrumb texture
4. Place sliced apples into a baking dish
5. Pour over toffee sauce and top with crumble
6. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling

Whether cooking for one or a table full of guests these dishes are designed to warm delight and be shared. We hope you enjoy making them at home!