If there is a time of year that inspires us to get creative in the kitchen - it’s Autumn. Warm cozy meals are enticing and rich flavours are beckoning. We’ve created a meal that is designed for you to share around a table with those you love. We are finding this particularly special after an unusual couple of years.
Our top six tips for creating a space that is vibrant, warm and welcoming!
1. Pick a colour to base your tablescape on and build from that.
2. Flowers or even foliage from your garden are an easy way to bring life to the table.
3. Candles are a beautiful way to create ambience and a height dimension to your table.
4. A nice dinner set will bring you joy for years - it’s worth the investment, we love Ecology!
5. Make your own napkins/table cloth out of a piece of good quality linen.
6. Include your food in your planning, think about how you tie it in with the table setting.
*On all our tablescapes we’ve used our ‘Ultimate Table Bundle’ which includes a Mezze Mat and 4 x Piccolo Mats, which can also be purchased in the combination of just 4 x Piccolo Mats or 6 x Piccolo Mats - we love them because it takes the mess out of cleaning up, just simply wipe down and pack away.
Autumn Potato Salad
Ingredients
Range of potatoes, purple sweet potato (1), orange sweet potato (1) and white potatoes (4)
Small bunch of rosemary
Small bunch of thyme
Bunch of spring onion
Olive oil
Feta
Lemon
Salt
Method
1. Roughly chop all potatoes into roasting size pieces
2. Place in a pot with water and boil for 20-30 mins - until the skins are starting to peel away a little.
3. While the potatoes are boiling, finely chop the herbs.
4. When the potatoes are ready, drain them and place in a bowl.
5. Pour a generous serving of olive oil over the top, place the herbs and approximately 1 tsp of salt over the top and stir through so the potatoes are evenly covered.
6. Place on a baking tray and pop in the fridge (or freezer if you are short on time) to allow to completely cool.
7. Preheat the oven to 220C and place in the oven for 30-45 mins, taking out once to flip and give the potatoes a mix up.
8. While the potatoes are cooking, slice spring onion slice the lemon into quarters ready to squeeze.
9. Remove the potatoes from the oven and place on a tray, sprinkle salt on top and followed by crumbled feta.
10. Place spring onion on top and squeeze with lemon and enjoy!
Slow Cooked Roast Lamb
Ingredients
1 x lamb shoulder (roughly 1.8-2.2kgs)
6 cloves of garlic, squashed
1 x lemon, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
8 pitted dates
1 tsp of mustard
1 tsp of salt
2 tbspn olive oil
1 x oven bag
Method
1. Prepare ingredients as listed in the ingredients list.
2. Place the lamb in the oven bag then rub a tsp of salt into the lamb skin, followed by mustard seeds with the back of the spoon.
3. Roughly place garlic, lemon and onion over the top and pour in the wine, seal and place to marinate in the fridge for 12-24 hours (overnight works really well).
4. Preheat oven to 150-160C and cook 4-5 hours depending on lamb size - you will know the lamb is ready when meat starts to fully retract from the bone.
5. Remove the lamb from the oven and turn the oven up to 220C.
6. Remove the lamb from the oven bag and place juices aside.
7. Place lamb back in the oven for 15-20 mins to allow to crisp the top.
8. Remove lamb from oven and with a fork slowly pull lamb away from the bone.
9. Pour juices over the top and enjoy!
Crisp Fig and Halloumi Salad
Ingredients
Salad
2 x cos lettuce
12 x figs
225g Cypriot Halloumi
Mint
Dressing
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 olive oil
1 x tbsp honey
Method
Salad
1. Rinse the lettuce, pull apart and place on a platter
2. Slice halloumi roughly 5cm thick and pan fry either side until golden brown, place aside until salad is ready to assemble.
3. Slice figs into quarters and tear mint and place aside.
4. Layer salad with halloumi, figs and mint.
Dressing
1. Pour apple cider vinegar, olive oil and honey into a dish and stir vigorously.
We hope these recipes inspire you this season - to embrace the slow, simple and joyful things in life and a glass of good red too!
