Eight delicious recipes for a comforting autumn dinner

As the leaves begin to fall and the evenings draw in, there’s something deeply comforting about slow-cooked meals and heartwarming bakes.

This season calls for rich, savoury dishes that take their time, filling your home with the smell of slow-roasted meats, fragrant herbs, and bubbling fruit crumbles.

Whether it’s a brisket slow-cooked in beer, a shepherd’s pie elevated with lamb shank or a quince and cobnut crumble to round off the meal, these recipes will help you embrace the best of autumn cooking.

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Serves: 4-6

Prep time: 10 mins, plus overnight marinating | Cooking time: 3.5 hrs

Ingredients:

1.5kg beef brisket

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 to 1 tsp chilli flakes (to taste)

Method:

1. Marinate 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 around 150C. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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 3 hours with the lid on.

4. 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.

Recipe from lovethecrunch.com

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Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

For the filling:

3 large quince

125g caster sugar

2 bay leaves

½ stick of cinnamon

1 bramley apple

For the crumble:

200g butter

300g plain flour

A good handful of rolled oats

150g light brown sugar

75g shelled, broken cobnuts

Method:

1. Peel the quince and cut them into 8. Remove the core and put the wedges in an oven-ready dish that just fits them. Scatter over the caster sugar, bay leaves, cinnamon and 250ml water. Cover with tin foil and bake for 1 hour at 170C.

2. Meanwhile, make the topping. Rub the butter and flour together between your hands until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the oats, light brown sugar and cobnuts and mix well.

3. When the quince has had 1 hour, remove the tin foil (be careful of the steam). Peel and grate the bramley apple and stir into the quince.

4. Heat the oven to 190C. Sprinkle the crumble on the fruit and bake for about 20-25 mins until the top has browned, and the mixture cooked.

5. Allow to rest for 10 mins or so, as the sticky fruity juices are red hot and have a habit of burning the roof of your mouth (as I have found out all too often in my haste for a spoonful).

6. Eat with a big dollop of very thick cream or your favourite custard – or hey, why not both!

Recipe from boroughmarket.org.uk

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When I think of autumn and winter food, this is one of the dishes that springs to mind straight away, but when it’s this good, don’t wait for when the clocks go back. This is the perfect family dinner for any day of the year. What’s not to love? Golden brown crispy mash with a beautiful lamb filling in a rich sauce… is there anything more comforting and warming than a good shepherd’s pie? It’s a true British classic.

Now we have all had a bad shepherd’s pie, most probably in school (must try harder). But when made with love, care and attention, it becomes a thing of beauty. And what makes this my ultimate shepherd’s pie is that I don’t only use lamb mince but I also add slow-cooked lamb shank, which takes it to another level. But please don’t feel you have to use lamb shank – you can just add extra lamb mince and it will still be an ultimate winner.

Ingredients:

For the lamb shank:

2 lamb shanks

1 red onion, skin on and roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 stick of celery, roughly chopped

2 garlic cloves, skin on and lightly crushed

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

3 springs of fresh thyme

350ml red wine

500ml lamb stock

For the filling:

500g minced lamb

2 carrots, diced

2 onions, diced

2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, roughly chopped

2 tbsp of tomato puree

2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp of plain flour

350ml red wine

350ml lamb stock

For the mash:

1kg potatoes

25g butter

50ml milk

Method:

1. Place a large ovenproof deep dish over a high heat and get it hot. Add a splash of oil and fry the lamb shanks for around 7-10 minutes or until nice and golden on all sides. Then add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, herbs and season. Pour in the red wine and reduce for a couple of minutes. Add the stock. You want enough to cover the lamb, so top up with water if needs be, and bring to a boil. Pop a lid on leaving a small gap and place on the middle shelf of a preheated oven set at 160C for 2-3 hrs until super tender and falling off the bone. Once done, leave to one side.

2. In another large ovenproof deep dish over a high heat add a splash of oil and fry the minced lamb for 10 minutes. You want to get it nice and golden, then remove and pop to one side.

3. In the same dish, add a little more oil then add the carrots, onions, rosemary and cook over a low heat for 15 minutes, giving it a stir every so often.

4. Return the mince and any juices back to the dish, add the tomato puree and cook out for a minute.

5. Next, add the Worcestershire sauce and the flour and give it all a good mix. Turn up the heat right up. Add the wine and reduce the heat by three-quarters. This should take around 5 minutes and you’ll see it get nice and thick.

6. Add the stock, bring to the boil then put a lid on. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

7. While the meat cooks, make your mash. Peel your potatoes and chop into large chunks. Place into a pan of boiling water for around 15 minutes until cooked through and soft. Drain and place into a pan with the milk and butter and mash until smooth. Set aside.

8. Once the hour is up turn off the heat and allow to rest while you take the lamb shanks and remove the meat off the bone then add to the dish. Give everything a good stir and check for seasoning. Top the filling with mash and pop into a preheated oven set at 200C for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a mounting of peas and lots of beetroot or pickled red cabbage.

Recipe from ‘The Food Fighters: Celebrating the Power of Food’

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This recipe is from Monika Linton’s book Brindisa: A True Taste of Spain and has been adapted by Sophie Rushton-Smith. For the best taste and results, Rushton-Smith recommends using the best quality shellfish you can find.

Serves: 4

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

800g of shellfish, for example, clams or cockles

A jar of sofrito sauce (or homemade)

A jar of chickpeas

200ml fish stock

½ tsp of sugar

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Method:

1. Prepare the shellfish you have chosen for the stew well, wash and discard any shells that have broken etc.

2. Heat the sofrito sauce in a pan and add a jar of chickpeas. Heat together for 2 minutes, until the mixture comes to a simmer.

3. Add the fumet rojo, there should be enough liquid for the chickpeas to begin to float. Taste the liquid and add the sugar if the sofrito tastes a little too acidic.

4. Add the shellfish (clams, cockles etc), bring to a vigorous boil, and put the lid on the pan for 1-2 minutes, just long enough for the shellfish to cook and release their juices.

5. Take the pan from the heat, stir in the parsley, and add a twist of black pepper.

6. To serve, lift out the chickpeas and shellfish with a slotted spoon and put into small bowls, then cover them with a ladleful of the cooking liquid. Garnish with a sprinkling of parsley.

Recipe from boroughmarket.org.uk

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With wild mushrooms and red wine, this beef pie is perfect as the days get shorter and colder.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1kg braising beef, cut into large chunks

30g dried wild mushrooms

Groundnut oil

350g baby onions, or small round shallots, peeled but left whole

50g butter

1 celery stick, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

30g plain flour

300ml red wine

Leaves from 3 thyme sprigs

3 bay leaves

300g fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

320g puff pastry for 1 big pie, 600g for 6 small pies

1 egg, lightly beaten

Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Dry the meat well with kitchen paper (if it’s wet it won’t brown properly). Put the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour enough boiling water over to just cover. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.

2. Heat 2tbsp of oil in a heavy-based casserole and brown the beef in batches: it is very important to cook it in batches otherwise the meat will not colour well. Remove each batch as it’s done. Add the baby onions or shallots to the pan and lightly brown them, adding a little more oil if you need it. Reduce the heat, add 20g of the butter and all the celery and garlic, and sweat for 10 minutes. Return the meat, with any juices, to the casserole. Season well and, over a low heat, add the flour. Stir everything round until it is well coated. Cut up the mushrooms and add to the pot with their soaking liquid (strain the liquid through muslin, as it can be gritty). Add the red wine, thyme and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Immediately reduce the heat, cover and cook over a very gentle heat for one-and-a-half hours, stirring every so often. Take the lid off for the last 15-20 minutes to reduce the liquid. You need thick juices for a pie, so, if they’re too thin, remove the meat and mushrooms and boil to reduce the sauce.

3. Melt half a tablespoon of oil and the remaining butter in a saute pan and cook the fresh mushrooms briskly over a high heat so that they get well-coloured. Season and let the mushrooms cook until they exude their liquid and it evaporates. Stir the parsley and the cooked fresh mushrooms into the meat and check the seasoning. Leave to cool completely.

4. Put the meat in one large or six small pie dishes and roll out the pastry to fit the dish(es). Cut a strip or strips large enough to go around the edge or edges. Brush the edge(s) with water and press the strip on. Dampen this with water and cover the pie or pies with their lids, pressing the pastry down. Trim off the excess, knock up the edges and crimp them, if you like, or just press with a fork. Use the remaining pastry to decorate, making little holes in the top for steam to escape. Brush with the beaten egg and chill for half an hour. Preheat the oven to 190C fan, Gas 6.

5. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes for one large pie, or 25-30 minutes for smaller pies. Serve immediately.

Recipe from ‘Roast Figs, Sugar Snow’ by Diana Henry (Aster, £22).

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Serves: 4

Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 large red onion, diced

4 cloves

1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

3 large garlic cloves, grated

1 cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed

750g lamb shoulder, cut into large chunks

3 large vine tomatoes, diced

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp fenugreek

2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp of Himalayan pink salt

1 litre lamb stock or water

Chopped coriander, to serve

Method:

1. Start by heating the vegetable oil in a large casserole dish. Add the red onion and fry until softened, then add the cloves, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, bay and cardamon pods and fry for another few minutes until smelling fragrant.

2. Next add the lamb pieces and cook in the spices and onion until it browns on all sides – the longer you brown it the more caramelisation you will get on the meat and the deeper the flavour.

3. Once the meat is nicely browned all over, add the diced tomatoes followed by the garam masala, fenugreek, turmeric, chilli flakes and Himalayan Pink Salt. Stir everything together so it is all well coated and allow it to sizzle and fry for 5 minutes, so the tomato breaks down.

4. Add the lamb stock or water and bring to the boil. Then reduce to a low simmer and allow it to bubble away for 1 hour. Keep an eye on it and if it needs some more liquid then top it up.

5. After an hour the sauce should be thickened and the lamb tender. Serve the curry topped with chopped coriander and alongside some steamed turmeric rice and warm roti flatbreads.

Recipe from maldonsalt.com

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Umami really comes out to play in this quick but rich stew, with coconut milk, tomatoes, and soy and fish sauces all providing savoury synergy.

Thai basil is a favourite of mine and here it brings vibrancy, while the spices add a darting lift. This is a 30-minute midweek meal that doesn’t hold back when it comes to a warming, satisfying flavour explosion.

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

6 boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

4 tbsp garlic paste

4 tbsp ginger paste

1 tsp ground coriander

¼ tsp white pepper, plus extra to season

½ tsp salt, plus extra to season

1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 long red (Thai) chillies, finely chopped with seeds (keep back a few slices to garnish)

100g Thai basil leaves, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish

1 × 400g tin of full-fat coconut milk

300ml chicken stock

10 mixed-colour cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 tsp light brown soft sugar

Steamed vegetables and boiled jasmine rice, to serve

Method:

1. Place the diced chicken into a bowl and add the garlic, ginger, ground coriander, white pepper and salt and mix well. Leave to marinate overnight if you have time, but for at least 10 minutes.

2. When you’re ready to cook, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add in the marinated chicken and fry it for five to six minutes, turning, until the chicken begins to brown. Add the chillies and half of the basil, followed by the coconut milk and chicken stock. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the cherry tomatoes, fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar, and simmer for a further five minutes, until the tomatoes are just softened and the chicken is cooked through. Remove the stew from the heat, season with salt and extra white pepper, and stir through the remainder of the basil. Scatter over the extra basil leaves and the chilli slices to garnish.

3. Serve with steamed vegetables and cooked jasmine rice.

Recipe from ‘Small Pleasures: Joyful Recipes For Difficult Times’ by Ryan Riley (Bloomsbury, £22).

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Ingredients:

1 whole mid/large-sized pumpkin

300g of grated mixed cheeses (traditionally gruyere, Emmental and cheddar)

2 tsp cornflour

A peeled garlic clove

A few glugs of white wine

Method:

1. Cut the top off the pumpkin and scrape out the fibrous strands and seeds, then replace the lid and bake in the oven at 180C/160C fan for 1 hr to 1hr 30 minutes, or until the pumpkin flesh is cooked.

2. Meanwhile, mix the cornflour with the grated cheese until it has fully coated the gratings.

3. When the pumpkin has mostly cooked, remove from the oven, take off the lid and place the grated cheese, white wine and garlic clove inside, giving it a mix to combine.

4. Increase the oven temperature a little higher and bake for a further 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling away.

5. When cooked, remove from the oven and serve with bread or crudites for dipping.

Recipe from gousto.co.uk