Welcome back to our autumn harvest celebration! In Part 1, we explored the wonderful variety of seasonal produce that makes autumn such a special time in the kitchen. Today, I'm taking you deeper into my recent autumn cooking adventures, focusing on three ingredients that have been gracing my table and filling my kitchen with the most wonderful aromas.
Life has been beautifully busy lately, and these recipes reflect that reality—some freshly made, others pulled from my collection of tried-and-true favourites (yes, I'm using some older photos this time, because sometimes that's just how life works!). What matters is that each dish celebrates the season's bounty in delicious, accessible ways.
Seasonal Favorites Collection
The Three P's of Autumn Cooking
While Part 1 celebrated the full spectrum of autumn's harvest, today we're diving deep into three ingredients that perfectly capture the season's essence: pumpkin, plum, and pear. These three beauties have been starring in my kitchen lately, and I'm excited to share what makes them so special—and so versatile.
Pumpkin Soup - Autumn's classic
There's something almost magical about pumpkin soup. Its vibrant orange colour alone brightens the gloomiest autumn day, but it's the flavour—sweet, earthy, with that characteristic pumpkin richness—that makes it unforgettable. The beauty of pumpkin soup is its simplicity: roasted pumpkin blended with stock, perhaps a touch of cream, and warming spices like nutmeg or ginger. It's comfort food that feels both indulgent and wholesome.
Prep Time
10minutes mins
Cook Time
25minutes
Total Time
35minutes
Ingredients
- 30 g butter (or 2 tbsp olive oil for dairy-free)
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, sliced
- 700 g pumpkin purée (tinned or made from roasted pumpkin)
- 950 ml low-salt chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegan)
- 240 ml double cream or coconut milk
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
- Toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas), for topping
METHOD
1. Heat butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion, garlic, and carrot. Cook for 5–6 minutes until the onion is soft and fragrant.
3. Stir in pumpkin purée and cook for 1 minute to blend flavours.
4. Pour in broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
5. Remove from heat. Use a blender to puree the soup until smooth.
6. Return soup to pot and stir in cream or coconut.
7. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
8. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with cream swirl and pumpkin seeds.
Pumpkin Risotto
If soup showcases pumpkin's sweetness, risotto reveals its ability to create luxurious, creamy textures. Pumpkin risotto is one of those dishes that tastes like you've spent hours in the kitchen, but the reality is far more forgiving. The pumpkin breaks down as you stir, helping to create that signature risotto creaminess while adding its subtle, sweet flavour.
The key is to roast your pumpkin first—this concentrates the flavour and adds a hint of caramelisation, elevating the entire dish. Add sage for an earthy note, finish with parmesan, and you have a dish that's both elegant and deeply comforting. It's autumn on a plate.
Prep Time
10minutes mins
Cook Time
30minutes
Total Time
40minutes
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin, peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 5 cups vegetable stock, warmed, divided
- ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ tablespoon fresh sage, chopped (optional, for garnish)
METHOD
1. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until sizzling, about 1 minute. Add onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the diced pumpkin, Italian seasoning, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the pumpkin starts to soften.
3. Add arborio rice and stir well to coat each grain in oil and butter. Toast for 1-2 minutes until the edges look translucent and the rice smells nutty.
4. Pour in the white wine and stir constantly until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 3-4 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to low and add the warm vegetable stock a ladleful at a time, just enough to cover the rice (about 1 cup). Stir frequently and allow each addition to absorb before adding more. Continue this process for about 20 minutes, using 4-5 cups of stock total, until the rice is creamy and tender but still slightly al dente.
6. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the Parmesan cheese until melted and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt and pepper if needed.
7. Garnish individual servings with crispy sage and freshly grated Parmesan, and serve immediately while warm and creamy.
Plum Cake
Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest ones. A plum cake—where halved plums are pressed into a tender, buttery batter—is exactly that kind of recipe. It comes together quickly, uses ingredients you likely have on hand, and delivers spectacular results with minimal fuss.
What makes plum cake particularly brilliant is its staying power. Unlike many cakes that dry out after a day, plum cake actually improves over the next few days. The fruit keeps the cake moist, and the flavours have time to meld and deepen. It's perfect with your morning coffee, as an afternoon treat, or served slightly warm with a dollop of cream for dessert.
The beauty is in its versatility too—add a hint of cinnamon or cardamom to the batter, scatter some almonds on top, or keep it beautifully simple. However you make it, you'll have something delicious ready to slice and enjoy all week long.
Prep Time
10minutes mins
Cook Time
5minutes
Total Time
15minutes
Ingredients
- ½ stick of butter or margarine for baking
- 3 eggs
- 10 tablespoons of sugar
- 10 tablespoons of flour
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- A spoon of cinnamon
- Vanilla flavouring
- ½ kg (about 1 lb) of damson plums
METHOD
1. Wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the pits.
2. Cut the butter into pieces and cream it with the sugar. Add the salt and then mix in the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth and fluffy.
3. Add the flour mixed with baking powder and cinnamon, and blend well.
4. Pour the batter into a cake pan (lined with baking paper), arrange the plums on top (cut side up), and bake for about 40 minutes at 180°C (350°F).
Pear Fizz
Not all autumn recipes need to be heavy and warming. A pear fizz captures the season's fruit at its finest while offering something light and refreshing—a lovely counterpoint to all those hearty stews and roasted vegetables.
The gentle sweetness of ripe pears pairs beautifully with sparkling water or prosecco, a squeeze of lemon, and perhaps a hint of ginger or a sprig of rosemary. It's sophisticated without being fussy, festive without being complicated. Whether you're hosting friends or want
Prep Time
5minutes mins
Cook Time
5minutes
Total Time
10minutes
Ingredients
- Prosecco (or 0% sparkling alternative)
- 25 ml pear purée or pear juice
- 5 ml of honey
- Fresh lime juice (½ lime)
- Splash of soda water
- Garnish: thin pear slice
METHOD
1. In a shaker or mixing glass, combine 25 ml pear purée (or juice), honey, and fresh lime juice (about ½ lime). Add ice and stir or shake gently to blend and chill.
2. Strain the mixture into a coupe glass filled with fresh ice.
3. Top with Prosecco (or a 0% sparkling wine for a mocktail) and a splash of soda water.
4. Garnish with a thin pear slice on the rim or float in the glass.
Bringing It All Together
What these three ingredients share is their ability to make autumn cooking feel both special and accessible. They don't require advanced techniques or speciality equipment. They're happy in simple preparations, forgiving when life gets busy, and generous with their flavours.
So whether you're starting with a perfectly cubed pumpkin or working from what's already in your fridge, whether you're baking a fresh plum cake or enjoying slices from yesterday's, whether you're carefully styling a pear fizz or simply pouring it into whatever clean glass you can find—you're cooking with the season, and that's what matters.