My mum and I were in York today, on a wet, wintry day, one of the first of the season. The feeling of the year drawing to a close has certainly descended recently, and with it, the motivation to cook using the amazing seasonal ingredients of Autumn is here.

I am such a butternut squash apologist, and one of my absolute favourite recipes I have made recently was a hasselback squash with crispy honeyed bacon bits and a sprinkle of feta. I made sure to cook the butternut so that it had just a very slight bite left in it. This keeps the structural integrity of the squash and means it is still able to take on all the lovely moisture from my honey marinade.

In contrast with the sticky sweetness of the spiced honey, the bacon adds that crunchy saltiness, finally cut through by the fatty tang of the feta over the top. It really combines all my favourite flavours and I’m so so pleased that I have a new recipe which focuses on such an underrated vegetable!

When I made this, I paired it with a charred lemon cabbage salad. This is a recipe I got from @georgieeats, one of my favourite influencers; her series Aperitivo Time is my absolute fav, can’t wait to do some of the pairings at Christmastime!!

Things I’ve made this autumn:

– Moussaka
– Chicken and Chorizo Stew (ULTIMATE AUTUMNAL COMFORT FOOD)
– Baba Ganoush
– Spiced Beef Meatballs on a Tahini Dill Yoghurt

This year, I’m trying to capitalise on Autumnal flavours like Cinnamon and Nutmeg in my savoury meals. As is pretty obvious, I am not really a baker, which is where I would normally use these spices, but I think with beef and lamb, particularly in Middle Eastern/ North African cuisine, they are absolutely perfect for Autumn. In meatballs or with a roast leg of some kind, paired with a fresh yoghurt side, they are the perfect centrepieces for a Sunday dinner.

Moving through November and turning towards Christmas now, I went to a really lovely talk with Rick Stein, whose new book, ‘Rick Stein’s Christmas’, melds memory and recipes in a really comforting account of the festive period and has made me look forward to Christmas an awful lot. I can’t wait to start experimenting with Canapés and Party food, which is absolutely my favourite part.

– Koré