The cream of the crop

How do you go from a cosy afternoon on the mat straight to a snug evening tucked under the duvet without losing too many feathers in the dreaded witching hour — and the unavoidable trip to the kitchen? At Mezamé, autumn vegetables are our best friends, making for quick, comforting dinners after a long day. So grab your butternuts and squashes — follow the Mezateam into the kitchen!

To start, treat yourself to Pauline's butternut soup — ultra-simple and quick, especially if you have a Thermomix (though the hob version works brilliantly too): peel and dice a squash, cover with water, add a pinch of salt… then head back to the mat ☺ We told you it was easy!

Right, let's turn up the heat a little and tackle a heartier dish that will delight children, partners and friends alike. If you're the type who seasons with chorizo or lardons, follow Charlotte, Claire and Bertille as they get their ovens fired up!

We kick things off with a gratin against the clock: in a dish, arrange 300g of macaroni (uncooked — yes, team easy, remember), 700ml of vegetable stock, 115g of chorizo, 200g of mushrooms, a handful of spinach, and 250g of Boursin. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil, then pop it in the oven for 20 minutes at 180°C.

Enjoyed that? Now for spaghetti carbonara. No vegetables? Oh, but there are: a spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthways with the seeds removed. Brush the flesh with a neutral oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 50 minutes. Ten minutes before the squash is done, fry some lardons in a pan and add crème fraîche. Take the squash out of the oven and scrape the flesh with a fork — surprise, it comes out just like spaghetti, which you then toss with the lardons. And of course, you can always add some real pasta to win over the sceptics!

Finally, for the lasagne option, it takes a little longer but it's well worth it: wash a large red kuri squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and cut it into cubes — no need to peel it. Cook in simmering milk for about 15 minutes with a little salt and pepper. Once tender, blend everything into a smooth purée, adding a generous handful of grated cheese. Next, finely chop an onion and a garlic clove and sauté in a little olive oil for 5 minutes, then add two beef mince patties. Once the meat is cooked through, add a tomato sauce, season and let it simmer gently for 10 minutes. For the assembly? In a buttered dish, layer lasagne sheets, then the squash purée, and repeat. Then spoon the meat sauce over everything and finish with a final layer of lasagne sheets and a generous blanket of grated cheese. Bake for 35 minutes at 200°C and serve straight away (with a good green salad, of course)!

For baby-led weaning friendly recipes, we pop into the kitchens of Julia and Louise, who share their autumnal takes on crêpes and waffles (sugar-free, obviously).

With 500g of pumpkin flesh, start by making a purée and leave it to cool completely. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, prepare a crêpe batter with 300g of flour, 4 eggs and a pinch of salt, then stir in the pumpkin purée followed by 600ml of milk, 2 tablespoons of rapeseed oil, a pinch of nutmeg and a little pepper. Leave the batter to rest for 30 minutes — then it's time for a crêpe party!

For the Belgian-style version, we go with the sweet potato waffle recipe: same idea — start by making a purée with 350g of sweet potato. Then add 50g of grated cheese, 100g of flour, a teaspoon of baking powder, 2 whole eggs, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and your spices of choice (here we use Espelette pepper). The batter should be nice and smooth before cooking in a waffle iron, just like classic waffles. Serve plain for the little ones, and give them an avocado toast twist for the grown-ups: with avocado, feta, pickled red onions, fresh herbs, a drizzle of tahini and crispy bacon.

And if after all that you're still short on ideas, the Meza' community has shared their favourite recipes: red kuri squash crumble (using the same base as Claire's lasagne) or red kuri squash gratin with carrots and potatoes; a brilliant series of soups (orange soup with butternut-carrot-sweet potato, or mushroom-chestnut soup), and of course butternut variations with lardon risotto or curried velouté. Enjoy!