As the nights draw in and the temperature drops, our thoughts turn to hearty, comforting food to warm and nourish us... and during autumn and winter, soups, stews and pasta dishes come into their own. But they need not be boring.
A Mediterranean diet isn’t just for summer – it provides a much-needed wellbeing boost later in the year. Getting your fix of fresh fruit and vegetables has numerous health benefits, and provides a rich source of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants.
So, if you’re looking to add a touch of colour to your autumn/winter rotation, this huge package of recipes – which use fruit and vegetables from Italy and other EU countries – showcase the very best seasonal produce.
With main dishes perfect for any time of day, try the Mexican chilli baked eggs, creamy pasta with lots of basil or spring onion-miso relish on silken tofu.
Or, for a lighter bite, lunchtime snack or breakfast inspiration, choose from bacon and chilli scones, cabbage, bean and pancetta soup or the NYC deli-style salad. Or perhaps a side of overnight Japanese sweet-tart pickles?
And who can resist a pudding packed full of scumptious fruit? The individual orange and amaretti trifles or delicious warm pear and chocolate sponge traybake are sure to be crowd pleasers with friends and family too.
Mexican chilli baked eggs
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, sliced (190g)
2 green chillies, 1 finely chopped, 1 sliced
1 tsp mild chilli powder
½ tsp ground cumin
400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
400g can chopped tomatoes
4 medium eggs
Sliced avocado, soured cream and coriander to serve
Method:
Preheat oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan and fry the onion and chopped chillies for 5 minutes. Stir in the spices and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the beans and chopped tomatoes with 100ml water and simmer for 5 minutes. Make 4 hollows and crack an egg into each. Scatter over the sliced chilli and bake for 8-10 minutes until the egg white has just set.
Serve topped with avocado, soured cream and coriander.
Cooks tip: Serve with crusty bread to mop up all the sauce.
Tagliatelle with basil cream and gorgonzola
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
150g basil, plus a little extra for garnish
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
500g fresh tagliatelle
300ml whipping cream
150g gorgonzola
4 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
Method:
Trim the end of the basil stalks then coarsely chop or tear up the leaves and stems, and place in blender, along with the garlic and olive oil. Whizz it up, until the mixture forms a thick green paste. Add more olive oil as needed. Season to taste and set aside.
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on pack.
While it is heating up, pour the cream into a large frying pan and heat it over medium heat until bubbles form along the edges, and it is hot. Remove from heat.
Crumble the gorgonzola into small chunks and add to the cream; no need to stir, just let it grow soft in the hot cream. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking water.
Add the pasta to the hot cream and toss together over a medium low heat until all the pasta is covered in sauce. Add a little bit of the cooking water if the sauce is too thick.
Add the reserved basil paste into the hot pasta, toss together and mix well, season to taste, then serve right away, scattered generously with pine nuts and extra basil.
Cooks tip: Try using green fettucine, to enhance the green colour and pureed basil.
Artichoke, tuna and olive pasta
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients:
4 globe artichokes (1.3kg)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Zest and juice 1 lemon
250g wholewheat penne pasta
200g can tuna steak in olive oil
50g pitted black olives, sliced
½ x 25g pack parsley, roughly chopped
Method:
Remove the tough leaves from the base of the artichokes and cut off the stems. Cook in a large pan of boiling water for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size. If a leaf from the centre comes away easily, they are cooked. Remove from the water and drain upside down.
Remove the leaves and scrap off the flesh from the leaves. Remove and discard the ‘hair’, or choke with a teaspoon to reveal the artichoke heart. Slice the hearts and marinate in the oil and lemon zest and juice.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to pack instructions, drain, reserving a little cooking water. Toss the tuna with the tuna oil, olives, parsley, artichoke flesh and marinated hearts plus the marinade into the pasta along with a little cooking water. Season to taste and serve.
Cooks tip: Swap the can of tuna for fresh salmon or tofu.
Spring onion-miso topped silken tofu
Serves: 4
Total time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
1½ tbsp white miso
1 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra for drizzling at end
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 bunches spring onions
½ fresh red chilli, chopped
½ red pepper, cut into strips
Juice of ½ lime
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 x 300g packs Silken (soft) tofu
Method:
Stir the miso to loosen it up, then mix it with the soy sauce and sesame oil. Set aside while you prepare the spring onions.
Trim off the root end and the uneven cut ends of the spring onions, then cut on a diagonal, as thinly as you can. Stir this into the miso mixture, along with the red chilli, red pepper, lime juice and sesame seeds.
Carefully open each box of tofu, using a scissors to keep it from falling apart as it is quite delicate in texture. Cut each rectangle into two halves, each one square shaped. Place each square on a small plate.
Spoon the spring onion miso mixture onto each square of tofu, drizzling a little bit of soy sauce over the top. Leave to stand for an hour in the fridge to allow the flavours to develop before serving with a leafy salad.
Cooks tip: Instead of tofu, the spring onion/miso mixture is delicious as a dressing mixed in with cold diced cooked chicken and rice noodles.
Pickled radish and steak tacos
Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tsp caster sugar (10g)
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
200g radishes, sliced
230g asparagus, trimmed
1 tbsp olive oil
3 x 200g sirloin steaks, trimmed of excess fat
326g pack 8 soft flour tortillas
Coriander leaves, sliced avocado and soured cream to serve
Method:
Place the sugar and vinegar in a bowl and stir to dissolve, stir in the radishes and set aside.
Meanwhile, rub ½ tbsp oil over the asparagus and griddle for 5-6 minutes until slightly charred, cut in half. Rub the steaks in the remaining oil, season and add to the griddle for 2 minutes each side for medium. Allow to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
Warm the tortillas according to the pack and serve with some asparagus, sliced steak and pickled radishes topped with sliced avocado, coriander leaves and a spoonful of soured cream.
Cooks tip: Replace the steak with salmon or lamb steaks.
Bacon and chilli breakfast scones
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
6 rashers smoked back bacon (175g)
½ tbsp olive oil
225g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
50g butter, diced
2 green chillies, 1 finely chopped, 1 sliced
2 tbsp chopped parsley
100ml milk plus 1 tbsp
4 medium eggs
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
Finely chop 2 rashers bacon, heat the oil in a frying pan and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden.
Meanwhile, place the flour, a pinch salt and baking powder in a large bowl, add the butter and rub into the flour with fingertips to give breadcrumbs. Stir in the chopped chilli, parsley and fried bacon. Gradually add 100ml milk and stir with a round bladed knife to give a soft dough.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 16cm square, cut into 4 squares and place on a baking tray, brush with a little milk and add the sliced chillies on top. Bake for 20 minutes until golden.
Meanwhile grill the remaining bacon for 5-6 minutes. Poach the eggs in boiling water for 3-4 minutes.
Half the scones, fill with bacon and poached egg and serve.
Cooks tip: For a substantial brunch add some round lettuce and tomatoes.
Cabbage, pancetta and bean soup
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 8-10 minutes
Ingredients:
½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
150g diced pancetta
400g can chopped tomatoes
800ml chicken stock
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
½ savoy cabbage, shredded (300g)
½ x 25g pack basil, shredded
Method:
Heat ½ tbsp oil in a large saucepan and fry the pancetta for 2-3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock and beans and bring to the boil. Stir in the cabbage and cook, covered for 5 minutes. Add the basil and season with black pepper.
Drizzle with a little oil and serve with crusty bread.
Cooks tip: Swap the cannellini beans for butter or kidney beans.
New York City “salad”
Serves: 4
Prep time: 5-10 minutes, plus 10 minutes standing time
Ingredients:
2 medium large kohlrabi (about 300g each)
1 medium sized carrot, peeled and cut into julienne or thin strips
1 large red romano pepper or red sweet (bell) pepper, coarsely chopped or cut into thin short strips
1 leek, very thinly sliced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
3-5 tbsp white wine vinegar
Method:
Trim the kohlrabi: cut off the top and bottom of the kohlrabi (you will need a sharp knife), then peel the rest of the kohlrabi using either a vegetable peeler, or, sharp vegetable knife. When peeled, cut into halves, then slice, and cut into thin strips.
Combine the kohlrabi strips with the carrot, red pepper, leek and red onion. Add the salt, and mix well. Set aside for about ten minutes.
Add the sugar, cider vinegar and white wine vinegar and mix well.
Chill until ready to serve.
Cooks tip: You can keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week. The vegetables wilt, and get slightly pickle-y as they sit, which makes them a delicious antipasto, or tapa, or side to a deli sandwich.
Spring onion toasted cheese sandwich
Serves: 4
Prep time:10 minutes | Cook time: 6 minutes
Ingredients:
180g cream cheese
3-4 medium-large spring onions, thinly sliced
200g emmenthal cheese, thinly sliced
8 slices brown bread (or 4 small rolls, cut into halves)
25g butter
Method:
With a fork or spoon lightly beat the cream cheese then mix in the spring onions and season to taste.
Spread the mixture onto the four slices of bread and top with the sliced emmental.
Spread the top of the sandwiches with half the butter then place under a preheated grill until the cheese is melted and lightly browned in places. Turn over, spread with remaining butter and toast as before.
Cut the sandwiches into halves, sprinkle with a little more spring onion, and serve.
Cooks tip: The spring onion cream cheese is super spooned onto a toasted bagel. Eat as is, or top with smoked salmon, or diced cucumber, tomatoes and peppers.
Savoy cabbage stir fry with carrots and shiitakes in tortilla wraps
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 savoy cabbage
100g fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 medium carrot, trimmed and cut into short strips
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp sugar
1-2 tbsp soy sauce to taste
1 x 160 pack marinated tofu pieces
4 large flour tortillas
1-2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
3-4 spring onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
Method:
Remove the core of the savoy cabbage, then slice it fairly thinly (about 12-15 mm). Remove stems from shiitakes and slice the caps into strips. Set aside the cabbage and the mushrooms.
In a heavy pan or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil; when pan is hot but not smoking, add the carrot and ginger, stir fry a minute or two then add the shiitakes. Continue to stir fry another minute or two then remove from pan/wok and set aside.
Add the cabbage with the remaining sesame oil to the pan then stir fry for about 5 minutes or until the cabbage begins to wilt. Sprinkle with sugar and soy sauce to taste.
Toss together then add the reserved carrot/shiitake mixture to the cabbage with the tofu and toss it all together, cooking over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Season with soy sauce to taste if needed, and pile onto a platter to serve.
Heat the tortillas according to the instructions on pack, then place each on a plate, spooning the cabbage mixture down of the centre, with a dash of hoisin and a sprinkling of spring onions on the side. Working lengthwise, so that the cabbage mixture will be enclosed in the wrap, fold over the end with the hoisin and spring onion, then work your way around the filling wrapping it as tightly as you can.
Serve right away, drizzled or dotted with extra hoisin, and sprinkled with spring onions.
Cooks tip: The filling is mild, which makes it a great accompaniment to other dishes such as roasted meats and steamed rice, with either a dash of hoisin or spicy red chili oil.
Griddled pear and gorgonzola salad
Serves: 4
Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook tip: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
150g day old bread, torn into bite sized pieces
3½ tbsp olive oil
3 ripe pears (450g)
100g rocket
100g walnuts, toasted
250g radishes, sliced
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
150g gorgonzola, diced
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6.
Toss the bread in 1 tbsp oil and place on a baking tray, bake for 10 minutes until golden.
Meanwhile, halve the pears lengthways and remove the core, then slice and toss in ½ tbsp oil and griddle in batches for 2-3 minutes each side until golden bar marks appear, set aside.
Mix together the rocket, walnuts, croutons and radishes. Whisk the remaining oil with the vinegar, season and toss into the rocket. Divide between 4 large plates and top with the griddled pears and Gorgonzola.
Cooks tip: Use another blue cheese of your choice.
Japanese lightly pickled kohlrabi
Total time: 10-15 minutes, plus 1 hour overnight marinating
Ingredients:
1 kohlrabi (abut 400g)
¼-½ tsp salt or as needed
2 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar
⅛ tsp turmeric
Optional: thinly sliced red chili
Method:
Remove the leaves and stems of the kohlrabi, then peel away its tough skin. Cut the round vegetable into quarters, then each quarter into thin slices.
Place in a bowl, toss with the salt, and leave for at least an hour.
Taste the kohlrabi; if it seems too salty, rinse with water; if it seems just salty enough for a pickle, then leave it as is.
Add the sugar, vinegar, turmeric, and chilli if using and mix well, and leave for several hours or overnight.
Cooks tip: Delicious as a pickle-accompaniment to steamed rice and grilled meat/fish/tofu, and wonderful with burgers or fried chicken sandwiches.
Orange and amaretti trifles
Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes plus setting | Cook time: 1-2 minutes
Ingredients:
5-6 blood oranges
4 sheets leaf gelatine (7g)
75g caster sugar
400g can custard
50g amaretti biscuits
100g mascarpone
100ml double cream
Method:
Zest 3 oranges and set aside. Juice all the oranges to give approx. 300ml, top up to 400ml with water. Soak the gelatine in cold water for 5 minutes. Place orange juice in a small saucepan with the sugar and bring to just below boiling, remove the gelatine from the water and add to the pan, stir until dissolved, stir in ⅔ of the zest. Pour into 4 glasses and allow to cool, chill in the fridge until set.
Crumble all but 3 amaretti biscuits into the custard and spoon over the jelly.
Whisk the mascarpone, cream and half the remaining zest until soft peaks and spoon on top of the custard. Garnish with remaining zest and crumbled amaretti biscuits.
Cooks tip: Replace the Amaretti biscuits with crushed ginger nuts.
Pear and chocolate sponge traybake
Serves: 6-8
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 35-40 minutes
Ingredients:
200g butter, softened
200g caster sugar
3 medium eggs
175g self raising flour
50g cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 ripe pears, halved lengthways, core removed (450g)
2 tbsp salted caramel sauce, warmed (40g)
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20 x 24cm tin with baking parchment.
Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Mix together the flour, cocoa and baking powder and fold into the butter mixture with the milk and vanilla. Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.
Slice the pear halves and place gently on top of the cake mixture, still keeping the pear shape but fanning out the slices slightly. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool then drizzle with caramel sauce.
Cooks tip: Scatter with flaked almonds before cooking.
The I Love Fruit and Veg from Europe campaign is led by five organisations based in Italy - AOA, Asso Fruit Italia, La Deliziosa, Meridia and Terra Orti. Discover more seasonal recipes at ilovefruitandvegfromeurope.co.uk
