With the arrival of true autumn – the one in which we no longer wear short sleeves every day, due to climate change – and the approach of winter, seasonal vegetables become protagonists in the kitchen. Brassicas in the form of cauliflower or broccoli, leaves such as spinach or chard or beets; Delicious fresh but very convenient in cooked format, they fill the markets and offer varied, economical and tasty options for everyday life.
In The gourmet We’ve put together some of our best recipes with these ingredients: easy dishes, updated classics or revisited techniques like asparagus. They are all designed to make the most of the moment, and have ideas to transform them into unique dishes, delicious accompaniments or dinners that are proof of existential tiredness.
Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings”: An air fryer appetizer
THE Buffalo wings They are a classic American snack born in the sixties in the city of Buffalo (New York). Our version deviates greatly from the usual formula, changing the main ingredient. Where there was chicken we used cauliflower, a vegetable that works surprisingly well in this preparation. I am not happy with such vegan-communist heresy woke upwe prepare them in an air fryer so you don’t leave the kitchen a mess. If you don’t have all this, don’t worry: you can also make it fried or in the traditional oven.
Grated carrot salad
Essential French cafes and bistros, the chopped carrots They are so classic that they are also sold as a ready meal in delicatessens and even in supermarkets. This is a minimalist salad of grated raw carrots with herbs and a very light lemon and olive oil dressing. Optionally, it can have a crunchy touch of walnuts and a little mustard. The latter depends on the taste, but if the carrots are sweet and rich the result is excellent.
Feta and yogurt cream with red beetroot, sweet onion and aromatic herbs
Even if there are those who find beets bland, with this play of textures, contrasts and flavors they are really good: the feta and Greek yogurt cream is the ideal base to create this invention halfway between a spreadable cream and a salad. It’s perfect for using those herbs you buy for other recipes, and since we can buy beets already cooked and peeled – a healthy procedure that can be very useful – it can be prepared without turning on the heat.
Autumn salad: beetroot, apple and carrot with raisin vinaigrette
It’s not the prettiest salad you’ll ever prepare, but it’s probably one of the freshest and juiciest you can prepare with the vegetables that autumn offers. The trio of beetroot, carrot and apple achieves a perfect combination of textures and flavors to accompany lean and fatty cuts of meat, fish, roast chicken and even quiches like a quiche. You can also transform it into a more complete dish by adding chickpeas, beans, hello grilled or boiled egg.
gratinated chard
If the beets are not saints of your return, it’s time to make peace with them, because the béchamel sauce and the gratin with cheese and breadcrumbs transform anything into a tasty dish: to prepare this gratin we separate the leaves from the stems, we blanch the first one quickly to soften them a little – in the oven they finish cooking completely – and the second we chop them up and fry them together with the onion.
Broccoli with walnut cream
The author of this recipe, Alfonso D. Martín, used broccolini or bimi because they were the ones he had at home, but they can be perfectly replaced with broccoli. normal without losing anything along the way. Dried fruit is completely free, but it is true that each has its own: the fat content of cashews and peanuts improves the consistency of the cream much more than if we used walnuts or almonds, for example, and pistachios are excellent but cost a couple of kidneys, so adapt it to your needs and tastes.
Classic and modern spinach with asparagus
In this dish, spinach is tossed with mashed garlic, fried chorizo and bread, cumin and vinegar, and then optionally topped with eggs. Here they are in two versions: the traditional one, cooked by Ángela León Gómez, of the La Alcuza restaurant in Pegalajar, and the more modern one, the work of her son, Juanjo Mesa León, chef of the Radis restaurant in Jaén-Jaén.
Roasted cabbage with apple sauce
The oven is an excellent ally for preparing cabbage quickly and easily, and at the same time eliminating the reputation of a soft vegetable with a sad color and a sulphurous smell. By cutting it into large wedges or thick slices, and adding oil, salt and pepper – or other spices – the cabbage softens slightly but remains crunchy, browns and enhances its sweetness. We serve it with a creamy, spicy apple sauce and a mustard sauce that contrasts with its powerful, spicy flavor.
Spiced cauliflower with yogurt and pomegranate
Marinating the cauliflower and then roasting it provides a base of flavor and texture that is enhanced by a creamy dressing, the freshness of the parsley and the crunch of the pomegranate. Can this be done in an air fryer? YES. The spices are absolutely interchangeable with your favorite mix: just with paprika it will be delicious, also with za’atar and curry powder or paste will give it a great flavor. If you want it spicy you can add chipotle or whatever sauce you have on hand.
Sauteed chickpeas with chard, sweet potatoes and poached egg
In this recipe we use chickpeas, accompanying them with chard and sweet potatoes, taking advantage of the fact that autumn and winter are their season. We choose to prepare the sweet potato first, cut into cubes so that it becomes golden and a little crunchy, and we add it again at the end, to prevent it from becoming mashed. We cook the chard in two parts: first the stems cut into julienne strips together with the onion and garlic because they are harder and more fibrous and require more cooking time, and then the green part, which only needs a few minutes to soften.
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