As with any change in season, there are foods to miss and foods to look forward to. Autumn brings delicious vegetables that won't have been tasted for a while, which makes it easier to say goodbye to summer and ready ourselves for the cosy evenings that lie ahead.
Today I'm using produce at its peak, in terms of taste and cost. Some ingredients used are not loved by all but perhaps can be appreciated in a new light when cooked in a different way. The much-maligned brussels sprout is a case in point. They're deliciously buttery in this recipe when roasted and paired with Dutch apple sauce - not the overcooked sulphurous offerings which may have caused childhood nightmares.
Silverbeet is also one considered boring but can be very tasty when given a makeover. Slice and briefly cook it in good quality oil with seasoning and you have a very nutritious, tasty and juicy vegetable that also grows amazingly well in the vege patch.
Parsnips are a personal favourite for their versatility and distinctively nutty flavour. Brilliant roasted in strips until crispy on the ends and chewy in the middle or added to a mash, they are also a good source of fibre and potassium.
Chef's tip
Young parsnips don't need peeling at all and the older ones can be scraped instead to preserve some of the goodness in the skin.
Autumn's embrace (+recipes)
Photo / Babiche Martens
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