Get warm and hearty as winter looms

Roasted Beet & Autumn Fruit Salad

Roasted Beets, Feta, Strawberries, Figs, with Balsamic Reduction & Walnuts. A vibrant, earthy dish that brings a burst of sunshine to your autumn table. The tangy, creamy feta cheese perfectly complements the deep, sweet flavours of the roasted beets. Drizzled with a rich balsamic reduction and premium olive oil, it delivers a fantastic pop of acidity and sweetness, all topped with toasted walnuts for the perfect crunch.

4 medium beets, trimmed and peeled
1-2 tbsp olive oil for tossing the beets
4 large strawberries, thickly, sliced
2-3 figs, quarter
100g Greek feta cheese, crumbled
½ cup walnuts, lightly toasted
2 tbsp balsamic reduction (thick and syrupy)
Virgin olive oil to drizzle
A little salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Fresh pea shoots or rocket leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 190°C.
Prep the beets by peeling them and cutting them into 2 inch wedges. Toss the beet pieces with olive oil, salt, and black pepper to coat them.
Roast on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 40 to 45 minutes, turning halfway through, until fork-tender and slightly caramelised. Allow them to cool slightly
Toast the walnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for few minutes until fragrant, then roughly chop them into big pieces.
Arrange the warm or room-temperature roasted beets on a serving platter or individually plates with sliced strawberries, and figs. Scatter the crumbled feta and walnuts.
Drizzle the balsamic reduction generously across the top and virgin olive oil and garnish
Garnish with pea-shoots or rocket leaves and serve immediately.

Kritharaki/Orzo with Chicken Meatballs

Juicy chicken meatballs nestled into kritharaki (orzo). The pasta soaks up all the pan juices, creating a rich, flavourful one-pan dish. Finished with a scattering of grated halloumi or anari, it’s simple, wholesome, and deeply satisfying, and the whole family will enjoy!

For the Meatballs
1 lb (454 g) ground chicken
2–3 slices white bread, pulsed into breadcrumbs
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour (for dusting)
2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)

For the Orzo (Kritharaki)
2 tbsp olive oil
250 g kritharaki (orzo)
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 large leek (white and light-green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
3 ½ cups (850 ml to 1 litre) warm water
1 chicken stock cube
Zest of 1 large lemon
Juice of ½ lemon
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

For Serving
Extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
Grated halloumi, Anari or Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh parsley

Make the meatball mixture in a food processor, pulse the onion, garlic, parsley and mint until finely minced.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground chicken, the herb mixture, breadcrumbs, beaten egg, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Mix thoroughly with your hands. If the mixture feels too wet or loose, add a few extra breadcrumbs.
Cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm.

Scoop the mixture and roll it into bite-sized meatballs, then lightly dust them with plain flour.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat.
Gently fry the meatballs on all sides until golden brown and lightly sealed.
Alternative cooking option: transfer the seared meatballs to a small baking tray and bake at 190°C (375°F) for 20 minutes, or cook them in an air fryer at 190°C for 10-15 minutes.

Cook the Orzo: In the same large frying pan used for the meatballs, add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.
Add the chopped shallot, sliced leeks, and minced garlic and sauté until soft and translucent.
Stir in the uncooked orzo and tomato paste, toasting them together for 1–2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour in the dry white wine and let it bubble up and reduce slightly.
Dissolve the chicken stock cube in the warm water, then pour it into the pan along with the lemon zest and lemon juice.
Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently so the orzo doesn’t stick. (Keep a little extra warm water on hand; the orzo should stay slightly saucy as it thickens off the heat).

Combine and Rest: stir the chopped parsley and a small handful of grated cheese into the orzo. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
Nestle the cooked meatballs on top of the orzo, pushing them down gently into the pasta.
Cover the pan with a lid, turn off the heat, and let it rest undisturbed for 10 minutes.

To serve
Drizzle with a little olive oil, top with extra grated Parmesan and fresh parsley, and serve warm.

Kythonia sto Fourno me Commandria
Baked Quinces in Cypriot Sweet Wine

Quinces in Greece and Cyprus they are known as the “Golden Apples”, the fruit of love, marriage and fertility are related to the apples and pears. They appear in the shops from October and when buying them, select ones that are fragrant, heavy and ripe with a yellow deep gold skin.
Commandaria, traces back to ancient Cypriot sweet wines documented around 800 BC. It is made from indigenous local grapes, the white Xynisteri and the red Mavro.

2 large ripe quinces, washed and wiped (do not peel)
250g soft brown sugar
1 ½ glasses of Commandaria or port
Grated zest & juice of 1 orange
4 tbsp honey
1 glass water
2 cinnamon sticks
4-star aniseed
4 cloves
Topping
Chopped pistachios

Preheat the oven to 190c/375f gas 5. Place sugar, wine, water, orange zest and juice, cinnamon sticks, star aniseed and cloves in a pan and bring to the boil until sugar dissolves.
Halve and core quinces and place them in a small ovenproof dish that is just large enough to contain them. Pour the wine syrup over the quinces, drizzle with honey, cover them with a scrunched cartouche and with a lid or foil and bake for 1 hour, basting a couple of times with the juices.
Uncover them after 1 hour and bake them for another 30 minutes or until fork tender and the syrup has thickened slightly, if too thick mix a little hot water.

To serve
Serve at room temperature with syrup, topped with pistachio nuts accompanied by vanilla ice-cream, cream or Greek yoghurt.

Loulla’s book My Kosmos My Kitchen can be ordered from www.amazon.com or www.austinmacauley.com/book/my-kosmos-my-kitchen. For more traditional Greek and Cypriot recipes and inspiration, join Loulla’s Facebook group Loulla’s Recipe Share