Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness…

[everydayupsanddowns]

The trees are starting to turn around here, the mornings are getting crisper, and our fortnightly veg box is starting to get some familiar, but long-absent, occupants back. Squashes, celeriac, swede, leeks…Most of it is grown locally, so the veg box has become a pretty good marker of the changes in seasons for us.

Last night we had our first slow-cooked veg stew of the autumn. 100g of those mixed soup grains along with onions, garlic, stock, herbs, and a load of diced celeriac and various other root veg. So hearty and filling! Didn’t really need anything with it, though my oldest had made a pretty nifty ciabatta-type bread that I had a slice of.

Any autumn meals you are looking forward to reconnecting with?

 

[rebrascora]

I like a bit of apple in an autumn casserole with all the other veg, especially nice with pork, although I appreciate your household is mostly vegetarian Mike, so maybe not pork for you.

 

[Jenny65]

I like a bit of apple in an autumn casserole with all the other veg, especially nice with pork, although I appreciate your household is mostly vegetarian Mike, so maybe not pork for you.

Yes, I often add apple to savoury food, I have it in stir fry, with vegan sausage caserole and off course roast pork, its a lovely taste and compliments many meat dishes.

I am enjoying the change in seasons too. Is it too early for fairy lights, I really love it when the house is lifted with sparkle and lights. My daughter persuaded me to do out christmas food shop last night, I realised there is so much off my list this time (although bought for others, I am not a killjoy), no mince pies with brandy butter, no after eights, or quality street, No christmas eve hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, no christmas cake or pudding.....but, I will feel so much happier being able to dress up for the christmas partys rather than appearing as the christmas pudding!

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Yes, I often add apple to savoury food, I have it in stir fry, with vegan sausage caserole and off course roast pork, its a lovely taste and compliments many meat dishes.

I am enjoying the change in seasons too. Is it too early for fairy lights, I really love it when the house is lifted with sparkle and lights. My daughter persuaded me to do out christmas food shop last night, I realised there is so much off my list this time (although bought for others, I am not a killjoy), no mince pies with brandy butter, no after eights, or quality street, No christmas eve hot chocolate with marshmallows and whipped cream, no christmas cake or pudding.....but, I will feel so much happier being able to dress up for the christmas partys rather than appearing as the christmas pudding!

I'm afraid I never stopped the mince pie!
(I did stop the box of mince pies though!)

 

[Robin]

Mmm. Baked apples. I stew and freeze a lot of Bramleys from our tree for all year round use, but in the autumn, for as long as they will store whole, I use them for baked apples, with a bit of dried fruit, mixed spice and a dab of butter in the middle.

 

[Jenny65]

I'm afraid I never stopped the mince pie!
(I did stop the box of mince pies though!)

Although I like mince pies, I only really eat them as its Christmas, used to be the same with sprouts, but I now have sprouts a lot! I think if I was going to choose one naughty thing to have at Christmas it would be the cheese board, but with high cholesterol I dont think thats a good idea either. On Christmas day I will have a normal christmas lunch, even a bit of stuffing etc but Its basically meat and veg with slightly richer ways to cook etc. Its really about spending the day with loved ones isnt it, although I tend to get excited by the food appearing in the shops too

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Although I like mince pies, I only really eat them as its Christmas, used to be the same with sprouts, but I now have sprouts a lot! I think if I was going to choose one naughty thing to have at Christmas it would be the cheese board, but with high cholesterol I dont think thats a good idea either. On Christmas day I will have a normal christmas lunch, even a bit of stuffing etc but Its basically meat and veg with slightly richer ways to cook etc. Its really about spending the day with loved ones isnt it, although I tend to get excited by the food appearing in the shops too

I cook sprouts with beetroot, it gives them a bit of colour and a different taste.
(Ideally with a rather or two of streaky bacon, but I try to avoid saturated fats as well)
I couldn't do without the stuffing either, I tend to bulk up with more fresh sage and minced onion.
And of course all smothered in gravy.

 

[Jenny65]

I cook sprouts with beetroot, it gives them a bit of colour and a different taste.
(Ideally with a rather or two of streaky bacon, but I try to avoid saturated fats as well)
I couldn't do without the stuffing either, I tend to bulk up with more fresh sage and minced onion.
And of course all smothered in gravy.

Oh I love sprouts as they come, I dont even add salt, I am a bit strange, I do love all my vegetables. I could eat a plate of cabbage ! My dad was the same, we would snack on the veg when others wanted to scoff the meat or potatoes. I have never added salt to anything, which is possibly why my blood pressure is always low (one good health point at least)

 

[Jenny65]

Todays meal was odd, I had some lean mince with a stir fry, odd combination but tasted nice, I wanted spaghetti Bolognese but without the pasta and the stir fry veg was all I had in.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

Todays meal was odd, I had some lean mince with a stir fry, odd combination but tasted nice, I wanted spaghetti Bolognese but without the pasta and the stir fry veg was all I had in.

I used spiralised marrow, or courgette, but bean sprouts work as well.
The look is enough to fool my taste buds.

 

[nonethewiser]

I like a bit of apple in an autumn casserole with all the other veg, especially nice with pork, although I appreciate your household is mostly vegetarian Mike, so maybe not pork for you.

Second that about using apple rebrassco.

Funny enough we were shopping earlier & bought some pork veg casserole mix bottle of English cider, already have apples brother dropped some off from his tree, going to do it in slow cooker tomorrow as we're away for day so will be ready for when we get back.

In winter we also like home made soups with some tasty crusty bread smothered in butter, what a combination.

 

[helli]

I like a sharp crisp apple like a Granny Smith's grated into parsnip soup. It balances the sweetness from the veg and adds texture to what would otherwise be baby food (I like my soup thick).

 

[rebrascora]

I also use cider instead of stock with an autumn pork casserole and then some oat bran, psyllium or chia seeds to thicken it at the end if need be.

 

[42istheanswer]

I like a sharp crisp apple like a Granny Smith's grated into parsnip soup. It balances the sweetness from the veg and adds texture to what would otherwise be baby food (I like my soup thick).

Babies are fine with mashed texture if not weaned until 6 months which has been the recommended age for the past 20 years or so 😉. And used to be the norm in the UK until the 50s when doctors got involved

 

[Bloden]

Babies are fine with mashed

I wasn’t sure which direction this sentence was going in...you EAT babies?!! 😱

Goulash, lentil shepherd’s pie (I just can’t stomach red meat anymore, too greasy), chick pea curry...this thread is making hungry.

 

[Deleted member 21371]

I wasn’t sure which direction this sentence was going in...you EAT babies?!! 😱

Goulash, lentil shepherd’s pie (I just can’t stomach red meat anymore, too greasy), chick pea curry...this thread is making hungry.

Mmm, that's not something you see written everyday.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I like a bit of apple in an autumn casserole with all the other veg, especially nice with pork, although I appreciate your household is mostly vegetarian Mike, so maybe not pork for you.

We discovered a Hugh FW recipe a few years ago that has quickly become a firm favourite. A tray of mixed cubed veg (roots, potatoes, but other things like squash and even broccoli/cauli work well. Onions and garlic, fresh thyme and a bay leaf or two, plus one or two apples cut into 6-8 slices each. Whack in the oven for an hour at 180.

10 minutes before the end you stir in chopped Cavalo Nero or curly kale that you’ve smushed in a little oil and salt. Then back in the oven.

By the time it’s done the cabbage is half crispy on the top, and half chewy where it’s buried, the roots are soft and unctuous with a few corners that have crisped, and the apple gives a glorious sweetness.

It basically cooks itself and we’ll have it with sausages and gravy.

Yum!

 

[Leadinglights]

We discovered a Hugh FW recipe a few years ago that has quickly become a firm favourite. A tray of mixed cubed veg (roots, potatoes, but other things like squash and even broccoli/cauli work well. Onions and garlic, fresh thyme and a bay leaf or two, plus one or two apples cut into 6-8 slices each. Whack in the oven for an hour at 180.

10 minutes before the end you stir in chopped Cavalo Nero or curly kale that you’ve smushed in a little oil and salt. Then back in the oven.

By the time it’s done the cabbage is half crispy on the top, and half chewy where it’s buried, the roots are soft and unctuous with a few corners that have crisped, and the apple gives a glorious sweetness.

It basically cooks itself and we’ll have it with sausages and gravy.

Yum!

I make a similar thing but crumble Feta cheese over for the last 15mins of cooking.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I make a similar thing but crumble Feta cheese over for the last 15mins of cooking.

Oof! That sounds goooooood!

 

[Inka]

I’ve got some blackberries in the freezer and I’m looking forward to making a blackberry and apple crumble with them. We have it with custard or vanilla ice cream. I prefer custard.

I’m also hoping to make a veggie crumble (savoury) if I find the recipe. It’s from a very old booklet that Diabetes U.K. published. It has a normal crumble topping with oats and no sugar, and under that are root veg and butter beans. It’s really tasty and warming.