Comfort food that's perfect for autumn

With the haphazard weather patterns - warm and colder days - it's ideal to prepare meals suited for autumn. Try these quick but deliciously heart-warming dishes.

Seafood paella

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

Red pepper

2 cloves of crushed garlic

2 tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped

1 tsp curry powder

350g long-grain rice

1kg mixed seafood (fish, prawns, calamari and mussels)

2-3 tbsp fresh coriander or parsley, chopped

Some fresh limes or lemons, cut into wedges

1 chorizo sausage, sliced

Method

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.

Add onion and garlic and fry in curry over low heat for two minutes.

Add sausage and tomatoes and fry for three minutes.

Add the rice and stir well to make sure the rice is well coated.

Add about 800ml water and bring to the boil.

Simmer for 10 minutes.

Add seafood, coriander and stew mix and stir well.

Cover and simmer for a further 10 -15 minutes.

Add a little water if it gets too dry.

The dish is ready once the mussels open and the rice is tender. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, coriander and lemon wedges.

Umngqusho samp and beans

2 cups samp

2 cups sugar beans

1 onion

2 potatoes

1 large tomato

salt, to taste

1 beef stock cube

2 -3 tsp curry powder

Method

Soak samp and beans overnight.

Mix and wash the samp and beans together.

Place them in a large pot with 5-6 cups water and cook samp and beans until they start getting soft.

Check the pot every 30 minutes or so to see if the samp and beans need more water.

Once the samp and beans are slightly soft, drain some of the water. Add the rest of the ingredients (tomato, oil, salt, spices and seasoning).

Cook the remainder of time it takes until the beans are very soft (usually 20-30 minutes more).