Autumn is a beautiful season bursting with colour. Leaves turn crimson and gold, while orchards are filled with ripe fruits plump for the picking as the summer sun fades.
Embrace the cosiness of the season and relish the abundance of autumnal foods available. From flavoursome fruits like damsons, plums, blackberries, gooseberries, apples and pears, to hearty root vegetables such as beets, leeks, and squash, there’s plenty to tempt your tastebuds. Traditionally, autumn is a time of feasting and celebration rooted in the history of villagers coming together to celebrate the harvest bounty with music and song. Gather your friends and family for your own autumn feast and merrymaking.
Slow-cooker beef ragu
This satisfying Italian dish is easy to prepare and delicious to eat. The slow cooker brings out the deep flavours of the beef and herbs, resulting in tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat that makes for a comforting mid-week dinner.
Details
6
15 mins
7 hours
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Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
1kg beef brisket or stewing steak
175ml red wine
2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp of tomato puree
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp rosemary
Salt and pepper to season
Papardelle pasta to serve
Directions
- Add the chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the slow cooker.
- Add the oil to a large, non-stick frying pan, add the beef and fry over a medium-high heat to lightly brown and seal the meat. Then add it to the slow cooker.
- Add the red wine into the frying pan and stir to loosen any remaining meat and flavour, before pouring into the slow cooker.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and herbs to the slow cooker and season to taste.
- Stir and combine all the ingredients well.
- Cook on high setting for 7 hours or until the sauce looks thickened and the meat is tender.
- In the last hour of cooking, shred the beef with two forks. Add a splash of wine or beef stock if the mixture is starting to look dry. Cover and cook for the remaining time.
- Before serving, cook your pasta as instructed. You can serve into individual dishes or add the cooked and drained pasta into the ragu and combine well.
Butternut squash tagine
Chunky butternut squash combines with sweet apricot and bold spices to create a delightful, warming dish that is big on flavour. A tagine is traditionally cooked in a clay, Moroccan pot but you can simply use a large, solid saucepan instead.
Details
6
10 mins
40 mins
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large butternut squash, peeled and deseeded and chopped into 1-2cm cubes
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced
1/2 tsp of paprika
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cinnamon stick
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
600ml vegetable stock
75g dried apricots, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Add the oil to the tagine or saucepan and bring to a medium heat on a hob.
- Add the onion and garlic, stirring regularly until softened.
- Add in the apricots, herbs and spices and stir well for a minute.
- Stir in the squash, tomatoes, puree and stock. Season to taste.
- Simmer on a low heat for approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until the squash is soft throughout.
- Serve with couscous or flatbread.
Cherry Pavlova
Details
6
15 mins
2 hours
Ingredients
4 large egg whites
22g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1tpsp cornflour
- For the cherry topping
150ml water
300g cherries, washed and stalks removed
30g caster sugar
- To serve
300ml whipping cream
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 140°C (Fan 120°C).
- Using an upturned bowl, draw a circle (approximately 20-25cm) onto baking parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet.
- Whisk the egg white until peaks form.
- Gradually whisk in the sugar until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
- Add the vanilla essence and fold in the cornflour, then whisk briefly to combine.
- Spoon or pipe the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, following the marked circle and leaving the mixture a little thicker at the edges.
- Bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes or until the outside of the meringue crisps. Turn the oven off and allow the meringue to cool completely.
- In the meantime, dissolve the sugar in the water in a saucepan over a low heat. Then add the cherries and simmer until they become syrupy. Pour the mixture through a sieve to remove pulp and stones, resulting in a glossy syrup. Set this aside to cool.
- Once you’re ready to put the pavlova together, whip the cream to soft peaks and add to the meringue base. Slowly drizzle over the cooled cherry syrup and add a few cherries for decoration.
Discover more fun recipe ideas on our blog, or head over to our Instagram and take a look at our dedicated recipe highlight.
Happy cooking!
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