Spotlight on Autumn

Cheer up a dark, chilly evening with our hearty array of the season’s best veg – from terrific turnips to smashing pumpkins.

These veggies may seem humble, but they’re afordable, plentiful, a fresh source of nutrients during winter – and also deliciously versatile. The group includes carrots and parsnips, which taste good boiled and even better roasted, when they take on a caramelised sweetness.

Swedes originated as a cross between turnips and cabbages, giving them their unique favour. Added to casseroles, curries or soups, they bulk out more expensive ingredients, such as meat, and absorb the favours of herbs, spices and other seasonings. Swedes and turnips can be cooked in your microwave – prick the skin with a fork (or they may burst!) then heat whole, at full power, for 10-12mins. Leave in the microwave to cool for 2mins then, wearing oven gloves, cut open, spoon out the fesh and serve with butter. You can also boil, or steam, then mash them.

Sweet potatoes can be treated in a similar way to standard potatoes but they will overcook more easily. Cut into wedges, toss in a little oil and oven-bake.

Bringing favour to dishes all around the world, alliums include onions, garlic, leeks, chives and spring onions. While many people love the strong, fresh taste of them raw, others prefer the more subtle, sweeter favours they take on when cooked. When used in soups, stews, sauces and other dishes, most tend to be added to the pan at the start of cooking. Chives, however, should go in at the end, so they retain their delicate favour and green colour. Garlic, with its strong favour and aroma, is surprisingly versatile.

Halloween just wouldn’t be the same without pumpkins carved into Jack-o’-Lanterns. They are part of the squash family. Squashes are usually interchangeable in recipes, but the cooking times may vary – keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t under- or overcook. Their dense, creamy flesh works well with smoky flavours in soups or as a pasta filling. Pumpkins aren’t just for carving – roast them, then blend into a smooth soup. Or make them into a delicious dessert.

As the name suggests, butternut squash has a melt-in-the-mouth texture when cooked, and a sweet, nutty favour. To prepare a squash, use a sharp knife to peel and halve. Scoop the seeds and fbres from the middle, then roast in the oven or steam.

Perfect for Halloween, our green swede takes on the favours of the spices as the dish simmers

SERVES 2 | READY IN 30 MINS | V

Peel green swede and cut into small chunks. Peel and dice a carrot and put in a pan along with the swede. Pour over a 400ml can coconut milk. Half-fill the empty can with water, then pour into the pan. Crumble in vegetable stock cube and 1-2tbsp Chosen by you Green Thai Curry Paste. Simmer, with the pan uncovered, for 20mins or until the swede is tender. Add some sliced red pepper and a few pak choi leaves. Finish with a squeeze of lime juice. Serve with rice.

Swede, with its sweet, earthy favour, works wonderfully in all kinds of winter dishes, such as stews and mashes. However, it’s easy to overcook, which makes it mushy and watery, so keep a close eye on it. Swedes can be boiled, steamed or roasted – serve with a knob of butter and a pinch of salt.

This Indian takeaway favourite is great to serve as a side dish, or as finger food in a party buffet.

SERVES 8 | READY IN 15MINS | PRICE PER SERVING 38p | V

• 2 large red onions, sliced

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 125g plain flour

• 1tsp cumin

• 1tsp turmeric

• 2tbsp fresh coriander, chopped, plus a few leaves, to garnish

• 2tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 ripe mango, peeled and stoned

• 1tsp cider vinegar

• 2tbsp apple juice

1) Mix the onions and eggs in a bowl. Sift in the four and spices, add the coriander and stir to combine.

2) Heat 1tbsp oil in a frying pan. Cook spoonfuls of the mixture for 1min on each side. Repeat steps 1-2, adding more oil as you go.

3) Blitz the mango in a food processor with the vinegar and apple juice. Top the bhajis with coriander leaves and serve with the mango.

Sweet red onions go well with the light heat from the spices in these bhajis. They’re also delicious with Cheddar in sandwiches!

Fragrant cardamom works beautifully in this dish, complementing the delicate sweetness of the squash

SERVES 2 | READY IN 1HR 50 MINS | V

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Halve a butternut squash lengthways and use a spoon to remove the seeds and pulp. Put in a roasting dish, cut side up, then make diagonal scores into the flesh. Rub in some crushed cardamom seeds, chilli flakes and crushed garlic, then drizzle over a little olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 1hr 15 mins until tender. Scoop out the squash and put in a ovenproof dish with a few handfuls of baby spinach, washed. In a separate bowl, mix a few tablespoons of ricotta with a beaten egg and a good handful of Cheddar. Pour the ricotta mixture over the squash. Top with a little more Cheddar, some dried breadcrumbs and a sage leaf (optional). Bake for a further 15mins until it turns golden on top.

You can bake squash unpeeled as the skin is edible. Or, if you need to peel it for mashing or pureeing, this is easier to do after the squash has been cooked.