Overview
As the weather continues to cool down, our appetites naturally move toward comfort food that'll keep us warm from the inside out. Autumn menus are all about seasonality and flavours that prepare you for the blustery days ahead. This means restaurants are starting to turn out dishes using earthier produce and specific cooking methods that put the taste of autumn on a plate.
Neighbouring restaurants Balla and BLACK Bar and Grill have done just that by curating their seasonal menus specifically for autumn. We've chatted with executive chefs Gabriele Taddeucci from Balla and Dany Karam from BLACK Bar and Grill on which ingredients make a menu distinctly autumnal and what's inspiring them in the kitchen this season.
IT'S ALL ABOUT SEASONAL PRODUCE
At the core of any good seasonal menu is the produce, giving a dish the distinct flavour of the time of year. In autumn, that means sourcing what's available for harvest — think wild mushrooms, pumpkin and apples, ingredients which both chefs are apt to use during the season.
"Autumn and its fabulous fall harvest provides us with a variety of sensational fruit and vegetables whose nutrients will sustain us through the colder months ahead," says Taddeucci. "The cooler temperatures bring a whole slew of seasonal goodies to cook with, from apples and pears to healthy greens such as cavolo nero or silverbeet, as well as root vegetables and wild mushrooms."
Karam is also a big fan of wild mushrooms and feels seasonality is at the heart of any good autumnal recipe. "Our philosophy is to use the best seasonal produce and to treat it simply," says Karam. "Some of my other favourite autumn ingredients include cauliflower, horseradish, fig, kohlrabi, walnuts and finger lime."
For Taddeucci, pumpkin is a specific standout as well. "One of my favourite things about autumn is pumpkin — this ingredient holds beautiful memories for me; you can create so many fantastic dishes with it. But the star of the season, in my opinion, is definitely the truffle."
SOURCE FROM LOCAL SUPPLIERS
The key to seasonal fruit and veg is to keep it fresh, and the best way to do so is to source from local suppliers. This is essential to the menus at both Balla and BLACK. "As chefs, all we can do is work closely with our trusted local suppliers whose passion and dedication to growing and rearing high-quality produce gives us the opportunity to work with the best seasonal ingredients," says Taddeucci.
For Taddeucci, the terms seasonal and fresh are codependent. "Seasonal most definitely means fresh," he says. "Sticking to these rules always reinforces the credibility of our menu and, of course, allows passion and quality to shine through."
COOK WITH FIRE AND BRIMSTONE
Part of what makes autumn dishes so comforting is the way that they're cooked. This often means using woodfire and charcoal cooking techniques to add a bit of heat to a dish, warming you up and enhancing the autumnal flavours of the produce.
"In autumn, we use two different types of wood — cherry wood for smoking and ironbark for high heat — as well as charcoal for our rotisserie," says Karam.
"At Balla, we tend to use traditional Italian cooking methods such as poaching, deep frying or grilling on firewood," says Taddeucci.
Whichever the method, the warmth of the food is sure to keep you going when you step out into the cold.
DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THE PAST
The autumn menus at Balla and BLACK may change each season, but they draw on deep inspiration from the chefs' pasts. "There is something really special about my memories during the autumn in Italy," says Taddeucci. "The air, the colours and the produce are just magic. Autumn is the time to harvest food and celebrate that harvest. I remember the time spent on my grandpa's farm, where all the family would gather together, spending the days harvesting grapes and olives. I will always bring those memories with me, and I will always try to give this sense of family to the food that I make."
Karam similarly draws on his upbringing to inspire his seasonal cooking. "I grew up in a family that ate organic and seasonal food, and food still plays a big part in our lives."
CREATE STANDOUT DISHES
So how does all of this translate into the dishes at each restaurant? We asked the chefs to tell us about a few standout dishes that they're most excited to share with guests.
"I would say our roasted pumpkin ravioli, which is served with burnt butter, parmesan and sage," says Taddeucci. "This is without a doubt a warm pasta dish that is perfect for this season."
"At BLACK, our standout dishes include a fig and rocket salad, served with house-made duck ham and burrata, then topped with candied walnuts and a white balsamic dressing," says Karam. "My other favourite at the moment is the crab remoulade with apple, kohlrabi and avocado, dressed with finger lime mayonnaise, mint and puffed wild rice."