Autumn is the best time to enjoy hearty vegetables, fruit and herbs and here in Australia, we are pretty spoiled for choice when it comes to seasonal produce.
There are plenty of root veggies in season, which make fantastic bases for a plethora of dishes to warm you as the evenings start to chill off.
Here is a guide to Autumn fruit and vegetables plus four recipes to turn family dinners into winners:
Vegetables:
Beans, beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chillies, corn, cucumber, eggplant, kale, leeks, lettuce, onions, pak choy, parsley, peas, pumpkin, spinach, spring onion and tomatoes.
Also still in season are Brussels sprouts, parsnips, potatoes, silverbeet, sweet potato and zucchini.
There are plenty of ways to jazz up these Autumnal vegetables – think dishes like delicious lentil, cumin and pumpkin soup, served with crusty bread. Yellow and orange vegetables are high in nutrients, which help support our immune system; adding in some protein-packed red lentils and you have the perfect nourishing Autumn soup.
Instead of making fried actual rice for your next curry, try this recipe for cauliflower fried rice from Health + Wellbeing Queensland – swap out the frozen vegetables for fresh options you have in the fridge.
Fruit:
Many fruit thrive in the cooler weather that we typically experience in March, April and May with some leaning towards the end of their harvest season, so they are ready to go.
Think avocado, apples, blackberries, banana, cumquat, custard apple, feijoa, figs, grapefruit, grapes, guava, kiwi fruit, lemon, lime, mandarins, oranges, pears, plums, pomegranates, rhubarb, strawberry and watermelon.
Why not experiment with these fruit in sweet and savoury dishes – another great option is to make homemade jam with rhubarb or figs to channel the deep earthy flavours of Autumn?
For a magical Autumn dessert full of spice, ginger and cinnamon, whip up this crumble with poached rhubarb from Celebrity Chef Colin Fassnidge; or try Coya Chef, Ashraf Saleh’s crispy pork belly and spiced plum sauce for your next dinner party.
