TGBBO finalist Crystelle Pereira is known for using unique spice combinations and seasonal ingredients to create her colourful dishes. So, we spoke to her to find out the best hearty and healthy recipes to try this autumn.
“I want every dish I make to slap people round the face with flavour.”
For Crystelle Pereira, passion and cooking go hand in hand, and if she’s going to make something, she’s doing it in a way that hasn’t been done before.
From being a finalist on The Great British Bake Off in 2021 to releasing her own cookbook last year, the Portuguese-Goan chef has made her mark by combining contrasting flavours to create dishes that sit outside of the ordinary.
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As we ease slowly out of summer, Crystelle cautions people against returning to those traditional hearty meals that provide comfort, but lack flavour. “I want everyone to cook and bake with a desire to create something that their family and friends have never tried before,” she says. “It’s all about having the confidence to include ingredients you haven’t previously used.”
How can I create autumn dishes that are still healthy?
An inkling of cold weather is usually all we need to return to our tried-and-tested recipes, but Crystelle suggests opting for seasonal ingredients instead, combining vegetables that are at their best when paired with distinctive flavours.
“My Thai-inspired carrot and coconut soup is great for autumn — you simply combine garlic, ginger, coconut milk and carrots for a tasty and warming meal.”
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Meanwhile, the chef singles out pumpkin as being hugely underrated and underused in kitchens across the UK, despite its showstopping versatility. “I think it’s the best ingredient to use in autumn,” she exclaims.
Her pumpkin curry recipe uses minimal spices to provide maximum flavour. “Just chop up some pumpkin, onion and red chillies and fry them in a pan with coconut oil before adding in some desiccated coconut, turmeric, cumin seeds and sugar and you’ve got a perfect autumnal meal.”
Crystelle suggests pairing the curry with chapati — perfect for soaking up the flavours.
What are some healthy sweet treats for autumn?
Having made it all the way to the final in the infamous Bake Off tent, Crystelle knows her way around a dessert, but points out that overly sweet treats aren’t really her style. “I try not to go too over the top with the sugar in my desserts, instead replacing that sweetness with other flavours and spices.
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“I make my carrot cake with olive oil rather than butter, which makes it a lot lighter. The carrots are great for fibre, and I like to add pistachios, cardamom and orange to cut through the sweetness of the cake.” While many wouldn’t think to pair these flavours, Crystelle says that this is what makes cooking exciting.
“You don’t need to be a professional to mix flavours and combine recipes,” she says. “You just need to be a little bit inventive and think ‘what would make this dish better?’
Crystelle’s Thai-inspired carrot and coconut soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
1 large white onion, finely diced
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 inch of ginger, grated
1/4 tsp chilli flakes
1 stick of lemongrass
1kg carrots, peeled and chopped
2 chicken (or veg) stock cubes,
dissolved in a litre of hot water
1 x 400ml tin of full fat coconut milk
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil, plus extra
for garnish
1/2 tsp salt
Juice of half a lime
Method
- • In a large saucepan, add 1 tbsp coconut oil and place on a low-to-medium heat. Add diced onions, garlic, ginger, chilli flakes and lemongrass and fry until softened.
- • Then, add the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Add in the carrots, place the lid on the pan and cook on a low heat.
- • After 30 minutes, remove the lid and add the coconut milk and simmer uncovered for a further 15 minutes until the carrots are soft.
- • Add in the fish sauce, sesame oil and salt and stir to combine. Remove the lemongrass and blitz the whole mixture until it’s smooth.
- • Add the juice of half a lime and give the soup a final stir.
- • Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of sesame oil and serve.
