With the heatwave upon us, cosy autumn nights in front of the fire may seem a million years away, but they’ll be here before you know it!
We are preparing for crisp autumn days, with rust-coloured leaves everywhere and cosy weekends in pyjamas and fluffy slippers. We’ve pulled together a roundup of warming, comforting recipes to really get you in the autumnal mood.
A Warm Radish, Halloumi, Potato, and Cherry Tomato Salad with a Mustard and Dill Dressing – served with ham
Colourful and deliciously warming, this salad has a beautiful balance of flavours across the potatoes, the salty Halloumi and the little bite of the radish and mustard. This dish is not only healthy, thanks to the vitamins, iron and potassium of the low-GI radish, but it also will look fantastic on any supper table.
Adding a slice or two of ham turns this into a more substantial dish that will satisfy those carnivores among your friends and family!
Serves 4. Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes
You’ll need:
- 200g new potatoes, sliced
- 150g mixed radishes, cut in half
- 100g cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 200g Halloumi sliced
- A slice or two of ham per person
For the dressing:
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- Small bunch of dill chopped
- Salt and pepper
What to do:
Place the new potatoes in a medium sized pan, cover with cold water, and lightly salt. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked. Drain and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl mix together the olive oil and vinegar, then add the Dijon mustard and dill.
Add the new potatoes, radishes and cherry tomatoes to the dressing, mix and season well.
Heat the olive oil in a medium sized non-stick frying pan and cook the Halloumi on both sides for 1 minute until golden brown.
Add the Halloumi to the salad and mix gently, then divide between 4 plates and serve immediately, with a slice or two of ham.
Early Autumn Recipes We Love – Tyty Asparagus Chicken and Spinach Orzo
Serves: 4. Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes
You’ll need:
- 4 tsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 banana shallots, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 200g orzo
- 100ml chicken stock
- 1 bunch asparagus, washed and trimmed and cut into pieces
- Zest and juice of a lemon
- 115g bag baby spinach
- 3 tbsp grated parmesan plus extra for serving
What to do:
Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Season the chicken and add to the pan, frying until golden all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set to one side.
Add another 2 tsp olive oil to the pan and sauté the shallots and garlic for a couple of minutes, until starting to soften. Add the orzo, give it a good stir and then add the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for five minutes.
Add the asparagus, put the lid back on and simmer for another five minutes.
Add the lemon juice and zest, cooked chicken and the spinach and cook for a further few minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the spinach is just wilted.
Stir through the parmesan and serve with extra on the side.
Early Autumn Recipes We Love – Baked Spinach and Ricotta Shells with Isle of Wight Tomato Sauce
Serves: 2. Preparation time: 30 minutes. Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
You’ll need:
- 175g giant pasta shells
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- A pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
- 200g spinach, Chopped
- 125g ricotta
- Zest of ½ Lemon
- 250ml Isle of Wight Tomatoes passata
- 25g Parmesan (or veggie alternative), finely grated
What to do:
Heat the oven to 180°c.Cook the pasta shells following pack instructions but drain when they are still a little al dente as they will cook more in the oven.
Heat the olive oil in a pan and gently cook the garlic (and chilli, if using) for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Stir in the ricotta and lemon zest, then season well.
Spoon the passata evenly across the bottom of a baking dish. Use a teaspoon to pack each shell with the spinach and ricotta mixture, then put into the dish, making sure the shells are evenly spaced apart.
Sprinkle with Parmesan if using, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling and golden.
Early Autumn Recipes We Love – Spicy Beetroot & Goats Cheese Tart
Serves 4. Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes
You’ll need:
- 1 packet ready rolled puff pastry
- 180g sweetfire/chilli marinaded beetroot
- 150g cream cheese (we like Paysan Breton)
- 100g firm goats cheese (or any cheese you fancy!)
- 3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed
- Salt and pepper
- A little beaten egg
What to do:
Preheat the oven to 200⁰c
Unroll the pastry and place it on a baking sheet. Score a border around the edge of about 1cm and prick the base with a fork
Cut the beetroot into halves or quarters, so that the pieces are roughly the same size
Mix the cream cheese and the goats’ cheese and spread the mixture on the pastry base
Top with the pieces of beetroot and sprinkle with thyme leaves and salt & pepper. Brush the edge of the tart with a little beaten egg.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes
Early Autumn Recipes We Love – Slow Cooked Brisket of Beef with Beer, Celery, Shallots and Herbs
Melt in the mouth beef that you have let cook slowly all afternoon? What could be easier. Here celery, shallots and carrots form the basis of a rich, flavourful gravy
Serves 4-6. Preparation time: 10 minutes plus overnight marinating. Cooking time: 3.5 hours
You’ll need:
- 1.5kg beef brisket (flat not rolled)
- 400ml beer, IPA is perfect
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp oil
- 4 sticks of celery, trimmed and cut into 7cm pieces, split lengthways if too thick
- 8 shallots, peeled
- 2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- ½ – 1 tsp chilli flakes (to taste)
What to do:
Marinade the beef in the beer, bay leaves, thyme and garlic overnight, turning once or twice. The next day remove the beef and reserve the marinade for later.
Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish and brown the beef well on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside, Add the vegetables to the pan.
Stir to coat with the beef fat, turn the heat down and cook for 5-8 minutes with the lid on.
Stir the veg well, then stir in the sugar, Dijon mustard, tomato puree and chilli flakes.
Pour the reserved marinade into the pan, including the garlic and herbs, stir well and season.
Return the beef to the pan, if it’s not completely submerged, baste meat with the liquid and turn it halfway through the cooking.
Cook in the oven for 4 hours with the lid on or until tender and the meat pulls apart.
Once cooked, the meat should be very tender and falling apart. Shred and pull the meat apart and stir into the sauce. Serve with root veg mash.
Note: Ask for the nug end of the Brisket, it’s thicker and usually has better marbling so will be more tender when slow cooked.
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