As we move into autumn, Granny Mouse Country House & Spa share some great recipe ideas for the season.

The telltale signs of autumn are here: the mornings are becoming slightly darker and colder and our sunsets are shorter. Even though we’re saying goodbye to summer, there’s plenty to look forward to in the kitchen with bountiful autumn seasonal fruit and vegetables.

Find more recipes and ideas for meals here.

mussels cooked in beer with bacon and olives

This dish makes an excellent start to your autumn braai or festivities when entertaining guests.

Ingredients:

• 1 lager-style beer (some for sipping and some for your food)
• 300g mussels
• 1 medium red onion
• 50ml olive oil
• 5g crushed garlic
• 3g thyme
• 5g parsley, chopped
• 50g bacon
• 35g olives
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lemon.

Method:

1. To a large pan, add your olive oil and bring to a high heat. Once the pan is smoking, add in the bacon, onions and garlic and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
2. Once the onions start to brown, add in the thyme and mussels and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Now, grab your beer and splash the pan with a generous amount to form the sauce for your dish.
4. Season to your taste and if you are happy, throw in the olives and toss the pan a few more times before serving.
5. Once done, serve in a bowl with some bread rolls or cheesy puff pastry straws or enjoy on its own with a spoon. Garnish with a lemon wedge and some fresh chopped parsley.

caramelised butternut and lentil curry

Serves two

Made with coconut milk, lemongrass and fresh basil and served with lemon jasmine rice, this is the perfect autumn meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut, peeled, seeded and chopped into rough chunky bits
• 70ml olive oil (you can also use normal vegetable oil)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 stick of curry leaves
• 50g lentils, brown or black
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 10g lemongrass
• 20g ginger
• 1 tin coconut milk
• 45g garam masala
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste (you can use whole grated or peeled tomatoes too)
• Salt to taste
• 2 red chillies, pipped
• Lemon juice and zest
• 10g fresh basil
• 5g fresh coriander
• 1 cup of jasmine rice
• Lemon zest, for rice finishing
• Salt to taste, for rice boiling
• 50g butter, for rice finishing.

Method:

1. In a small pot, add the jasmine rice, salt and about double the amount of water. Bring to the boil on a medium to high heat for about 12 minutes. Once done, strain the rice and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Make sure to do this step as jasmine rice may overcook fast and you can end up with a sticky mushy mess.
2. Add oil, butternut and onions into a medium-sized pot, on a medium heat. Add the bay leaf and curry leaves and cook until the onions are fully caramelised.
3. In a separate pot, boil your lentils until half done so you do not have starchy lentils in your curry. Once done, strain and set aside for finishing off the curry. Blend your ginger, lemongrass and coconut milk until the flavours are fully bonded and then strain to remove any stringy bits.
4. By now the onions should be ready, so add in the garam masala, tomato paste and chillies. Cook on medium for about 5 minutes. After some time has passed and the spices are fully cooked in, add in the coconut milk mixture and let the mixture cook on a low heat for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to make sure the food does not burn. At this stage you can also season the curry.
5. After 30 minutes, add in the lentils and cook for a further 10 minutes on medium heat. Once done, add in the fresh bruised basil and stir through.
6. Plate up by warming the rice in a pan with the butter and fresh lemon zest. Portion out into two bowls or deep-dish serving plates. Spoon on the curry and garnish with fresh coriander and a lemon wedge.

Bon appetit!

Disclaimer: Drink Responsibly. Alcohol is not for consumption by or sale to under-18s.