Natalie's weekly menu packed with autumn vegetables
It's going to be a wonderfully warm autumn, with fragrant roasted pumpkin, braised leeks, and crispy fried mushrooms. Natalie incorporates her favorite autumn vegetables into these quick and easy dishes.
Natalie: “Welcome autumn! I love the season of pumpkins, mushrooms, heartwarming curries, and soups. Finally, I can make full use of the oven again, I no longer have to come up with salads because it’s too hot, and there is time for Sunday pie once more.”
Crispy party
Nuts, kernels, and seeds can really make a difference in a dish. Just think of delicious roasted pine nuts as a topping for pasta with pesto, or finely chopped peanuts with pad thai. When there are promotions at the supermarket, I always buy multiple packages and flavors at once to try them out.
- Roasted cashews are my children's favorite; they sometimes call them 'banana nuts'. Delicious on pasta, with curry, and in granola. And unexpectedly tasty with banana, in case you are allergic to peanuts.
- Almonds can be used in both sweet and savory dishes. They are deliciously sweet in combination with apple, pear, figs, and nectarines. They are also tasty as a savory finishing touch to a tagine. I serve roasted or salted almonds with a subtle smoky flavor with an aperitif or a cheese board.
- I recently discovered seaweed, and it adds an extra touch of saltiness to every dish. I buy ready-made salty seaweed crackers and crispy seaweed balls at the supermarket and crumble them. It makes a tasty and nutritious snack with an aperitif, for dipping in guacamole or hummus, or for finishing off a curry or poke bowl.
Monday: curry with Savoy cabbage and chicken
Natalie suggests: “Want some extra heat in your wok? Add extra gochuang – a Korean chili paste – or a chopped chili and a spoonful of sriracha.”
Wednesday: pumpkin orzo with spinach and bacon
Natalie: “The best one can paste…
- prepare it in a thick-bottomed pan, such as a cast-iron one.
- you make with dried instead of fresh pasta
- has the ideal ratio of pasta to liquid (such as broth, water, cream…). Count on 1 part pasta to 2 parts liquid.”
Thursday: potato and chickpea casserole with smoked almonds and dill dressing
Natalie: “Make your dressing immediately in the jar of sweet and sour pickles, screw on the lid, and shake well. You can keep the rest in the fridge for up to 5 days.”
Sunday: tempura plaice strips with green beans and mashed potatoes
Natalie suggests: “Leftover crispy fish strips? Use them in your lunch salad for the next day or as a garnish for fennel or leek soup.”
Dessert: frangipane tart with pear
Natalie: “Use perfectly ripe pears for this pie. Unripe pears don't have much flavor, and overripe ones give a soggy result.”
