Recipes for Autumn
Hello there!
My favourite season by far is autumn, mainly because I was born then, but also because I love the fruits and vegetables that are in season around that time of year. The leaves changing colour make it a beautiful time of year with seasonal produce making some great food. These are three autumn-inspired recipes including a light starter, warming main and a sweet dessert. Enjoy!
Starter: Butternut Squash, Pomegranate and Feta Salad
Serves 4 as a starter
Small butternut squash
Sunflower or olive oil
Salt and pepper
Mixed herbs
100g couscous
150ml boiling water or stock
3 spring onions
200g feta cheese
3 handfuls beetroot salad mix
80g pomegranate seeds
Preheat an oven to 200C/Gas mark 6 and place non-stick foil on a baking tray. Chop the butternut squash into small chunks and place on the tray in one layer. Sprinkle with a little oil, salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until soft and cooked through.
While the butternut squash is in the oven make the couscous. You can use instant couscous or make up your own with vegetable stock. Leave for 5 minutes then fluff up with a fork. Cut the spring onions into slices and add to the couscous. Crumble the feta then add with the beetroot salad mix and pomegranate seeds. Add the butternut squash when cooked and mix together.
For an optional dressing you can add a mixture of tahini, lemon and water in whatever ratios you like.
Main: Thai Green Laksa Noodle Soup
Serves 4
Drizzle oil
3 spring onions, sliced
1cm fresh ginger, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed and diced
1 tbsp Thai green paste
400ml coconut milk
250g babycorn, cut into chunks
3 pak choi, roughly chopped
100g sugar snap peas
Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Half lime, juiced
400ml boiling water
225g dried noodles (4 dried noodle sheets)
50g cashew nuts
3 hard boiled eggs (boil in water for 8 minutes then peel)
Heat a large wok with a drizzle of oil or spray oil. Fry the spring onions, ginger and garlic together until soft. Add the Thai green curry paste and cook until there is an aroma released. Add the coconut milk, babycorn, pak choi and sugar snap peas.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables soften.
Add a handful of coriander and lime juice. Add more Thai paste if you want it to have more of a kick. Pour in 400ml boiling water and add the noodles.
Ensure there is enough water to cover the noodles. Sprinkle with the cashew nuts and simmer for 5 minutes until the noodles are cooked. Pour into four bowls and top with more fresh coriander and a hard boiled egg.
Dessert: Apple and Berry Crumble Slice
Makes 12 slices
For the shortbread base:
300g plain flour
200g butter
100g caster sugar
For the fruit filling:
100g blackberries
100g blackburrants
215g/ 3 Granny Smith apples
50g caster sugar
For the crumble topping:
120g plain flour
60g butter
Preheat an oven to 180C/ Gas Mark 4 and line a 24cm x 24cm square tin with grease-proof paper.
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the shortbread base and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Bring the mixture together to form a dough and press it into the base of the tin. Bake for 10-12 minutes until it starts to go firmer on the top. Set aside to cool.
Place the berries and apple in a saucepan with the sugar and heat until most of the water comes out of the berries. You may have to add more sugar if the fruit is very sour then set aside.
Make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into the flour. Place the fruit mix on top of the shortbread base and sprinkle with the crumble topping.
Put it back into the oven for 35-40 minutes until it starts to go golden. Once cooled, cut into 12 and serve cold or hot with custard.
Starter: Butternut Squash, Pomegranate and Feta Salad
Serves 4 as a starter
Small butternut squash
Sunflower or olive oil
Salt and pepper Mixed herbs
100g couscous
150ml boiling water or stock
3 spring onions
200g feta cheese
3 handfuls beetroot salad mix
80g pomegranate seeds
Preheat an oven to 200C/Gas mark 6 and place non-stick foil on a baking tray. Chop the butternut squash into small chunks and place on the tray in one layer. Sprinkle with a little oil, salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes until soft and cooked through.While the butternut squash is in the oven make the couscous. You can use instant couscous or make up your own with vegetable stock. Leave for 5 minutes then fluff up with a fork. Cut the spring onions into slices and add to the couscous. Crumble the feta then add with the beetroot salad mix and pomegranate seeds. Add the butternut squash when cooked and mix together.
For an optional dressing you can add a mixture of tahini, lemon and water in whatever ratios you like.
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| Butternut Squash, Pomegranate and Feta Salad...Ta dah!! |
Main: Thai Green Laksa Noodle Soup
Serves 4
Drizzle oil
3 spring onions, sliced
1cm fresh ginger, diced
1 garlic clove, crushed and diced
1 tbsp Thai green paste
400ml coconut milk
250g babycorn, cut into chunks
3 pak choi, roughly chopped
100g sugar snap peasHandful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Half lime, juiced
400ml boiling water
225g dried noodles (4 dried noodle sheets)
50g cashew nuts
3 hard boiled eggs (boil in water for 8 minutes then peel)
Heat a large wok with a drizzle of oil or spray oil. Fry the spring onions, ginger and garlic together until soft. Add the Thai green curry paste and cook until there is an aroma released. Add the coconut milk, babycorn, pak choi and sugar snap peas.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the vegetables soften.
Add a handful of coriander and lime juice. Add more Thai paste if you want it to have more of a kick. Pour in 400ml boiling water and add the noodles.Ensure there is enough water to cover the noodles. Sprinkle with the cashew nuts and simmer for 5 minutes until the noodles are cooked. Pour into four bowls and top with more fresh coriander and a hard boiled egg.
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| Thai Green Laska...Ta dah!! |
Dessert: Apple and Berry Crumble Slice
Makes 12 slices
For the shortbread base:
300g plain flour
200g butter
100g caster sugar
For the fruit filling:
100g blackberries
100g blackburrants
215g/ 3 Granny Smith apples
50g caster sugar
For the crumble topping:
120g plain flour
60g butter
Preheat an oven to 180C/ Gas Mark 4 and line a 24cm x 24cm square tin with grease-proof paper.In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the shortbread base and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Bring the mixture together to form a dough and press it into the base of the tin. Bake for 10-12 minutes until it starts to go firmer on the top. Set aside to cool.
Place the berries and apple in a saucepan with the sugar and heat until most of the water comes out of the berries. You may have to add more sugar if the fruit is very sour then set aside.
Make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into the flour. Place the fruit mix on top of the shortbread base and sprinkle with the crumble topping.Put it back into the oven for 35-40 minutes until it starts to go golden. Once cooled, cut into 12 and serve cold or hot with custard.
 |
| Apple and Berry Crumble Slice...Ta dah!! |
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