Autumn is well and truly upon us, bringing changes not only to the weather but to our menus.
I love to keep nourished but we also need to keep warm and satisfied with our food.
I looked through my limited garden and scoured the farmers market to get cheap cuts of meat like ham hocks and oxtail and essential versatile ingredients such as carrots, celery and potatoes.
Apples always fill our fruit bowls and not only become a great snack but are perfect for a warming pudding.
Autumnal salad
Serves 5
Salads need not be overlooked at this time of the year as the combination of ingredients will add new life to your diet.
Ingredients
4 apples, mixed variety
3 sticks of celery, cut into 2cm pieces
Celery leaves, only the light-coloured ones from the inside (these are not bitter)
100g kale, cavolo nero or spinach, stalks removed and finely sliced
1 red onion, sliced thinly
30g walnuts, lightly toasted
60g cheddar cheese, cubed
Dressing
¼ cup natural unsweetened yoghurt
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
sea salt flakes and freshly ground pepper
Method
Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper.
Mix the dressing ingredients together and pour over the salad, tossing lightly together so all the ingredients are well coated in the dressing.
Serve and enjoy. Makes a wonderful lunchbox salad.
My version of a boil-up
Serves 5
This type of hearty meal has many variations throughout the world and the options are endless. I put this together hunting out cheap cuts and using up veges I had at hand. Feel free to use ingredients that you and your family enjoy.
Ingredients
1 ham hock
2 oxtail bones
2 bay leaves
5 peppercorns
2 sprigs of thyme
1 lamb neck fillet or mutton chops
3 carrots, peeled
1 leek (remove outer layers and cut the white into 1cm rounds, leaving the green tops for later)
2 onions, peeled and cut into wedges so they stay together
3 sticks of celery
500g potatoes
½ white cabbage
Freshly ground pepper and salt
Method
Place the hock, oxtail and chops in a large pot or crockpot and cover with plenty of cold water, add the herbs and peppercorns. Bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for at least 1-1½ hours. Remove any scum that may rise to the surface. While the meat is cooking, prepare the vegetables.
Cut all the vegetables into even-sized pieces so they will cook evenly. I like to keep them larger so I can cook them longer in the stock. Add all the vegetables except the potatoes and the green of the leek. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the meat and allow to cool enough so you can pick the meat from around the bones (discard the bones).
Add the potatoes, return the meat and continue cooking until the potatoes are tender (20 minutes). Finish by adding the finely sliced green of the leeks.
Check for seasoning. You may not need to add any salt, taste before you go crazy. Adjust if necessary and serve in large bowls. It will be great the next day as well.
Simple apple pie
Serves 5-6
Apple pies are always a crowd-pleaser as they bring back memories, and who doesn't like apple?And don't worry if you haven't the time to whip up your own pastry. I won't tell!
Pastry
250g sweet pastry, rolled 4mm thick or 250g plain flour
50g icing sugar
125g cold butter, cut into cubes
1 egg
splash water
egg yolk for glazing and sprinkle of sugar
Filling
600g apples, Granny Smith, braeburn, etc
3 Tbsp raw cane sugar
¼ cup sultanas or raisins
½ tsp ground cinnamon or ginger
25g butter
1 Tbsp water
1 lemon, zest
Method
Begin by making the pastry. I add the dry ingredients into a food processor or into a large bowl, add the butter and process until just combined enough to resemble fine breadcrumbs.
Add the egg and mix until the dough comes together. If it looks dry, add the water and this should hold it together. Bring the dough together so it forms a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 20-30 minutes.
While the pastry is chilling, make the filling.
Preheat oven to 170degC.
Place all the ingredients for the filling together in a saucepan and cook gently for about 5 minutes so the apples cook halfway through to get the juices going.
Place the apples into a 20cm pie dish. Set aside.
Roll the pastry so that it will cover the pie dish with about 1cm overlap.
Brush the rim of the pie dish with a little of the egg yolk. Place the pastry loosely over the apples and press down around the edge. Trim off any excess. Brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Cut a few slits in the pastry and, if feeling decorative, you can make a few leaves to place on the top. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the apples are tender and juicy.
Serve warm with plenty of cream and ice cream.
