What Chefs are Cooking this Season: Read On

We asked a few of our local chefs to share with us their current go-to fall favourites. We saw roasted squashes, creamy beets, wild mushrooms, spices like sage and cinnamon, toasted walnuts, sweet apples, earthy potatoes and fresh pasta.

Here are three hearty, autumn-inspired dishes to enjoy this fall. Compliments of our chefs.

Il Covo

Chef Corey MacDonald

Agnolotti Di Ottono – Fresh saffron ravioli stuffed with steamed beets and parmesan, topped with brown sugar butternut squash and sage toasted walnuts.

“The flavours are sweet like the autumn air”, says MacDonald. “The colours are bright, contrasting and appealing too. It’s earthy, [a dish for] going back to the roots.”

The Agnolotti is also served (as a regular feature) on the menu with a creamy, garlic and walnut truffle sauce for the colder winter months. It’s hearty and rich, says MacDonald. Try pairing this pasta with Covert Farms Amicitta with its earthy aromas and flavours of nutmeg and dark fruits.

Caffe Tre Fantastico

Chef Kerry Park

Autum Spaetzle with Side Harvest Vegetables – House made spaetzle with organic peas, manchego sheep cheese and The Whole Beast bacon, paired with Madrona Farms red kuri squash, swiss chard and wild chanterelle mushrooms with maple syrup.

“I’m all about comfort food”, says Park. “This spaetzle recipe is heavy, rich and creamy. It’s what you call guilty pleasure food – It’s not your everyday food but it is something decadent; it’s almost obscene” Park says. “Kids love it too. It goes well with a side of our fall vegetables for a counter balance.”

Part and Parcel

Chef Grant Gard

Gnocchi with Kohlrabi and Apples – house made pan fried gnocchi with pureed Gala apples, Square Root Farm  kohlrabi,walnuts and blackened bread.

“I love kohlrabi”, says Gard. “It’s not often used and most often people aren’t sure about it. It’s a great, weird little vegetable – it’s kind of apple-y, turnip-ey and a little potatoe-y but not starchy. I think of it as it’s own beast that you can do a lot with. Plus, it’s a quintessential fall vegetable.

Part and Parcel has gnocchi on the menu year round, shifting the ingredients and sauce with the seasons. This version is light, slightly sweet from the apples and creamy but not heavy. “It’s a cool weather comfort food”, Gard says. “There’s a starkness to it while still being elevated.”

The addition of house-made horseradish oil and blackened bread dust creates a slight bitterness with just a hint of a kick.