Squash salad and chocolate mousse: Dean Parker’s recipes for early autumn

5 hours ago 13

As the days start to shorten and the temperature drops (finally!), the produce becomes richer, sweeter and more comforting, and the onset of autumn is a time of year that naturally brings people together around the table, which is something I’ve always loved about food. At the restaurant, we try to let the ingredients do the talking, and we work closely with growers and producers to make the most of whatever’s in season. Today’s recipes celebrate some of my favourite seasonal flavours: the salad is simple but deeply satisfying, balancing sweet roast squash with bitter greens and a punchy black olive tapenade. For dessert, meanwhile, chocolate mousse with poached fruit is my idea of autumn in a bowl, not least because quince has a beautiful, floral character that develops as it cooks, and pairs perfectly with dark chocolate and the nutty richness of browned butter. The creme fraiche adds freshness and balance, and brings everything together. Both dishes are rooted in the philosophy that guides my cooking: celebrate the season, respect great ingredients and create food that encourages people to slow down and enjoy each other’s company.

Roast squash and cavolo nero salad with black olive tapenade

This is the sort of dish that works just as well as a light lunch or as part of a larger feast shared with friends. If you like, top the finished salad with some crumbled feta, shaved pecorino or a spoonful of thick yoghurt.

Prep 15 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4-6

For the salad
1 medium butternut squash, halved, deseeded, peeled and cut into wedges
2 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for the cavolo nero
1 pinch dried chilli flakes
Sea salt and black pepper
1 roughly 250g bunch cavolo nero
Juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds, or walnuts

For the tapenade
100g black olives, pitted
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1 tsp capers, drained
1 small handful flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp red-wine vinegar
Black pepper

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Put the squash in a large roasting tray with the olive oil and chilli flakes, season generously and toss to coat. Spread out the squash into a single layer, then roast for 30-35 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden and tender.

Meanwhile, strip off and discard the thick stalks from the cavolo nero and tear the leaves into large pieces. Blanch these in salted boiling water for two minutes, then drain and refresh briefly under cold running water. Squeeze dry, put in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice and a little olive oil.

Now make the tapenade. Finely chop the olives, garlic, capers and parsley, either by hand or by pulsing in a food processor, then put them in a medium bowl. Stir in the olive oil and vinegar to form a rough paste, then season lightly with black pepper to taste.

Arrange the cavolo nero on a serving plate and top with the warm roast squash. Spoon over the tapenade, finish with a scattering of toasted pumpkin seeds and serve warm or at room temperature.

Chocolate mousse with poached quince and brown butter milk crumb

All the various elements of this dish can be made ahead, ready for assembly on the day. Quince season proper is a few weeks off still, so if you can’t wait, try making this with firm apples or pears instead, until the real thing appears on grocers’ shelves.

Prep 10 min
Cook 2 hr
Chill 4 hr+
Serves 6

For the mousse
200g 70% cocoa dark chocolate
3 eggs, separated
40g caster sugar
300ml double cream
Creme fraiche, to serve

For the poached quince
55ml clear honey
375ml apple juice, or kombucha
20ml apple cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
3 black peppercorns
¼ cinnamon stick
¼ lemon
250g quince

For the brown butter milk crumb
60g butter
100g milk powder
50g plain flour
40g caster sugar
1 pinch flaky sea salt

To make the mousse, melt the chocolate over a bain-marie, until smooth, then leave to cool slightly. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually work in the sugar until glossy. Lightly whip the cream to soft peaks.

Beat the egg yolks, stir into the melted chocolate, then fold in the whipped cream. Gently fold through the whisked egg whites until everything’s well incorporated, then spoon the mix into a container, and chill for at least four hours.

Now for the quince. Pour the honey in a medium-sized pan on medium heat and leave to cook until it starts to caramelise. Add all the remaining quince ingredients except the quince itself, and bring to a simmer.

Peel and quarter the quince(s), then cut out and discard the core(s). Add the quince to the honey pan, cover, turn down the heat to very low and leave to simmer gently for an hour and a half. Take the pan off the heat, leave to cool, then lift out the quince and cut into 2cm x 2cm dice.

For the milk crumb, heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, then cook until it turns nut-brown and smells toasty. Mix the milk powder, flour, sugar and salt in a small bowl, pour in the melted brown butter and stir until the mix turns into small crumbs. Spread these out on a greased and lined oven tray, then bake for 12-15 minutes, stirring once halfway, until golden. Remove and leave to cool completely.

To assemble the dish, put a quenelle or spoonful of chocolate mousse on each plate, then dip a spoon in hot water and use the back of it to create a well in the centre of each portion of mousse. Spoon about 10 cubes of quince around one side of each serving of mousse, then generously scatter some brown butter milk crumb on the opposite side. Spoon a generous dollop of creme fraiche on top of the mousse and serve at once.