As autumn sets in, we start preparing more warm and hearty meals. A new season means that the ingredients we use change. Sweet apple desserts, aromatic roasted pumpkins, and other autumn delights appear on our plates. This time, we offer some more challenging and exotic recipes to try on cold autumn days.
BAKED TOMATOES AND EGGS WITH SPINACH
Ingredients:
- Spinach – 2 handfuls
- Canned tomatoes – 200 g
- Chilli flakes – 1 tablespoon
- Eggs – 2 pcs
- Chives
Preparation:
- Place spinach in a colander and blanch the leaves with boiling water. Drain the water, divide into two parts, and place in 2 baking dishes.
- Place tomatoes in a bowl and gently mash. Add chilli flakes and mix. Divide into two parts and fill into 2 baking dishes.
- Preheat oven to 200°C. Make a well in the middle of each baking dish filling and place a raw egg. Place the baking dishes in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes. Decorate with freshly chopped chives.
MOROCCAN VEGETABLE TAGINE
Ingredients:
- Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
- White onion – 1 pc
- Sweet potatoes – 2 pcs
- Pumpkin – 500 g
- Ground cumin – 2 teaspoons
- Ground coriander – 2 teaspoons
- Garlic – 2 cloves
- Ground cinnamon – 1 teaspoon
- Red chili pepper – 1 pc
- Dried mint – 1 tablespoon
- Salt – 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper – 1/2 teaspoon
- Tomatoes – 400 g
- Vegetable broth – 400 ml
- Chickpeas – 400 g
- Preserved lemon – 1 pc
- Dried plums – 100 g
- Mint – 1 handful
- Coconut yogurt – 4 tablespoons
- Sesame seeds – 2 teaspoons
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 160°C, cut pumpkin into quarters, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until tender. When the pumpkin is ready, remove from the oven, let it cool, and remove the skin. Finely chop the red chili and remove the seeds, cut the tomatoes into cubes.
- In a large oven-safe pan, pour olive oil and add chopped onion, sweet potatoes cut into small cubes, cumin, coriander, and crushed cinnamon. Add red chili pepper, dried mint, and cook on the stovetop over medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, add tomatoes and vegetable broth. Cover the pan and place in the oven for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, remove from the oven and add chickpeas, preserved lemon, dried plums, and pumpkin. Return to the oven for 5 minutes. When ready, sprinkle with fresh mint, coriander, sesame seeds, and add coconut yogurt.
KOREAN CHILI AND SESAME MEATBALLS WITH STEAMED RICE AND CHINESE LETTUCE
Ingredients:
- Sausage – 400 g
- Garlic – 2 cloves
- Ginger – 1 thumb-sized piece
- Coriander – 1 bunch
- Chili paste – 1 tablespoon
- Soy sauce – 4 tablespoons
- Honey – 2 tablespoons
- Lime – 1
- Sesame seeds – 2 tablespoons
- Chinese lettuce
Preparation:
- Remove sausage from casing and place in a bowl. Add minced garlic, minced ginger, chili paste, and chopped coriander stems. Mix by hand and form 16 balls.
- Fry the balls in a pan for 5 minutes until golden brown. Add soy sauce, honey, and lime juice to create a sauce. Cook the meatballs for 10 minutes until fully cooked and the sauce has almost evaporated from the pan.
- Sprinkle the balls with sesame seeds and serve with sliced Chinese cabbage, cooked rice, and decorate with coriander leaves.
APPLE TARTS
Ingredients:
For the dough
- Flour – 300 g
- Butter – 120 g (or 95ml olive oil)
- Sugar – 100 g
- Baking powder – 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt – 1 pinch
- Egg – 1 pc
For the filling
- Apples – 3 pcs
- Sugar – 60g
- Fresh lemon juice – 1/2
- Ground cinnamon – 1 pinch
Preparation:
- Prepare the filling – peel the apples, remove cores and seeds, and grate. Place in a pan, add sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of cinnamon. Cook for approximately 20 minutes over medium-low heat. Let cool.
- Prepare the dough – in a bowl, mix sugar with egg and add cold butter cut into small pieces. Add 250 g flour, baking powder, a pinch of salt, and mix everything. While continuing to mix, add the remaining 50 g flour. Once a homogeneous mass is formed, knead by hand until the mass becomes soft.
- Roll out the dough to 4 mm thickness and cut circles for the base of the baking molds, approximately 12 cm in diameter. Place in the mold and cut off excess dough. Fill the mold with the filling. Cover with a layer of dough and make three perpendicular cuts with a knife.
- Preheat oven to 180°C and bake for 20-25 minutes. When ready, let cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
