’Tis the season for the traybake, for the vegetables that are the colour of autumn leaves, for the carbs we need to coat and sustain us. And I’m here and ready for all of it. At the same time, don’t forget to keep reaching for the citrus and fresh herbs, and for the dressings and pastes that have a little kick to them. After all, ’tis also the season that goes on and on (and on), so we need to pace ourselves and keep things fun and fresh.
Roast butternut squash with lime and dill dressing (pictured top)
Have the dressing ready for the moment the squash comes out of the oven. Coating it straight away will help it take in all that flavour, and the result is sweet and sour and fragrant, with a touch of heat, too. This a great side dish for all sorts: simply cooked meat or fish, say, or even a big bowl of just-cooked rice.
Prep 20 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 6
1 medium butternut squash (1kg), cut in half lengthways, pith and seeds removed and discarded, then cut into 16 unpeeled wedges
1½ tsp caraway seeds, crushed in a mortar
60ml olive oil
Fine sea salt and black pepper
10g fresh dill, finely chopped
10g chives, finely chopped
1 fresh jalapeño chilli, stem discarded, flesh finely chopped seeds and all
35ml lime juice
¼ tsp ground cumin
Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9, and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Put the squash, caraway, two tablespoons of the oil, a half-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper on the tray, toss to coat, then spread out evenly. Roast, stirring occasionally, for 35-40 minutes, until lightly charred and cooked through.
Put the remaining two tablespoons of oil in a very large bowl, add the dill, chives, jalapeño, lime juice, cumin, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and mix to combine.
Once the squash is ready, tip it into the dressing bowl and toss gently to coat. Transfer everything to a large platter, drizzle any remaining dressing on top and serve.
Chicken and chips with pilpelchuma mayonnaise
Traybake chicken and chips – what’s not to love? The pilpelchuma paste, which is an intense Libyan condiment flavoured with chilli and garlic, works brilliantly here, and dials up the aïoli immensely. It’s well worth making more of the paste than you need here, because it keeps well in the fridge for up to a month and is lovely as a marinade for root vegetables before they are roasted. Alternatively, use shop-bought harissa.
Prep 20 min
Soak 30 min
Marinate 30 min+
Cook 1 hr
Serves 4
For the pilpelchuma paste (optional)
5-6 dried mild red chillies, or mild chilli flakes (6g), soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes
1 tbsp ground cayenne pepper
1½ tbsp paprika
1½ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp caraway seeds, ground in a mortar
10 garlic cloves, peeled (about 40g)
3 tbsp vegetable oil
Fine sea salt and black pepper
For the chicken and mayo
150g mayonnaise
4 tbsp pilpelchuma paste (see above and method), or use rose or regular harissa instead
2 tsp lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve
2 tsp maple syrup
6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and/or legs (950g)
800g baking potatoes, skin on, cut into 2½-3cm wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
To serve
4 spring onions, trimmed, cut in half lengthways and thinly sliced
If making the paste, drain the chillies (discard any seeds), then put them in a small food processor with all the other paste ingredients and a half-teaspoon of salt. Blitz to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the processor bowl as you go, then transfer to a medium bowl.
Put half a tablespoon of the pilpelchuma in a bowl with the mayo, stir well to combine, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
In another bowl, stir the lime juice and maple syrup into the remaining paste in the bowl. Add the chicken, then massage the paste all over the chicken, cover and leave to marinate at a cool room temperature for at least 30 minutes (or refrigerate overnight).
Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9 and line a large, 30cm x 40cm rimmed oven tray with greaseproof paper. Put the chicken, potatoes, oil, a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper on the tray, then toss to coat. Spread out the potatoes evenly, so they sit in a single layer, and nestle the chicken pieces skin side up among them.
Cover the tray tightly with foil, then bake for 30 minutes. Lift off the foil, bake for another 20 minutes, then take out of the oven and turn down the heat to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Turn the potatoes over and baste the chicken with some of the oily tray juices, then return to the oven for a final 10 minutes, until the chicken is well browned and cooked through and some of the potatoes are starting to catch at the edges. Remove and leave to rest for five to 10 minutes.
Scatter the spring onions all over the chicken and chips, dot with a few dollops of the spiced aïoli here and there, and serve with the rest of the spiced mayo and the lime wedges on the side.
