October. Autumn. Finally. Yes, I know autumn starts at the end of September, but October is the first month that fully feels like autumn in the UK. All of the delicious vegetables typically associated with autumn are finally in season, like parsnips and squash, and people often start veering more towards cosy comfort foods and ditching the summer salads. The dishes this month are all quite starch heavy, and that’s fully intentional.
If anyone doesn’t know, I’m a potato girly and couldn’t resist the opportunity to include them two months in a row.
Ingredients of the Month:
- Pumpkin
- Butternut Squash
- Potato
- Parsnips
- Truffles*
*Truffles are in season right now, and as much as I would have loved to use some fresh truffles in a few of these recipes, that’s just not practical. Even in season, they’re extremely expensive, and the whole concept of this series is to promote eating in season to both be more sustainable and save money. Truffles don’t exactly do that. In their place, a couple of these recipes include truffle oil.
Recipes of the Month
Truffle Maple Potatoes
When I went to Athens last month, I got some truffle maple potatoes as a side when I went to Winner’s, and they were absolutely incredible. I had to attempt my own recreation. The maple makes them crisp up wonderfully and the sweetness pairs brilliantly with the truffle oil.
Truffle Parsnip Soup
Again, the truffle component just felt right here. It’s a very simple soup to make, perfect for autumn and the upcoming colder weather.
Pumpkin Pasta
I couldn’t post Halloween month recipes without showing you how to use up your leftover pumpkin. This dish only takes about half an hour and creates a creamy, filling pasta dish with a hint of autumn.
Caramelised Squash Toast
I love the versatility of this dish, it can be a lunch, an appetiser, or make a larger batch as a main. The squash itself is insanely easy to prep and any leftovers can be added to a pasta dish or salad. I used to make this a lot before I became gluten intolerant, but couldn’t find a good gluten free bread to use in this dish for a while after regular bread became a no-go. The Genius Ciabattas are the one for this now.
Pumpkin Cupcakes
There had to be a sweet dish in here somewhere, and I’m assuming you had a lot of pumpkin to use up. If not, I finally found some canned pumpkin in the UK (if you’re reading this in the US, canned pumpkin is not a thing here) and I was desperate to try it.
Are there any ingredients in season this month that you’re looking forward to cooking with?
Until next time,
Sophie
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