Harvest Like a Pro with James Strawbridge
24th Sep 2025
As the days grow cooler and the boots and coats pile up by the door, it is the small comforts that make your house feel like home again. The hum of routine returning, the soft glow of a well-set table, and the promise of meals that warm from the inside out. The dip in temperature calls for comforting dinners that linger, full of flavours that soothe, and living spaces that invite you to pause, breathe, and savour the simple pleasures of the season.
For a touch of inspiration, chef, food photographer, and writer James Strawbridge shares a taste of autumn from his coastal garden:
“It’s harvest time here in Cornwall – the dogs insisted on a walk up to the field, so I grabbed my foraging basket and came back with a proper bounty: corn, beans, and homegrown squash from my three sisters garden, ready for a hearty family chilli. The boot rack kept the mud at the door (essential when the dogs try to steal the show), and back in the kitchen I roasted wedges of squash with cumin, smoked paprika, and a drizzle of oil – skin and all, for that rustic sweetness.
Paired with a classic beef and bean chilli, fresh parsley snipped straight in with my trusty scissors, fluffy rice, and a grating of cheddar, it’s the kind of seasonal comfort food that makes the shift into autumn feel just right. A proper harvest feast – best enjoyed after a muddy dog walk and a trip to the veg plot.”
Harvest Chilli with Roasted Squash
Serves 4
You'll Need
- 500g beef mince
- 2 small squash (or 1 large), deseeded and cut into wedges
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cobs of corn, kernels removed
- 1 × 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
- 200g cooked borlotti beans (or extra black beans if preferred)
- 2–3 fresh chillies, chopped (to taste)
- 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 2–4 tbsp olive oil
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Sea salt and cracked black pepper
- Cooked rice and grated cheddar, to serve
Method
- Roast the squash:
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Toss the squash wedges with a drizzle of olive oil, cumin seeds, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Roast for 40–45 minutes until golden and caramelised.
- Cook the chilli:
Heat a splash of olive oil in a large pan. Sauté the onion until soft, then brown the beef mince. Stir in the chillies, tomato purée, and tinned tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes.
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Add the corn and both beans, then simmer for another 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and rich.
- Serve:
Spoon the chilli into bowls, scatter with chopped parsley, and serve with rice, grated cheddar, and roasted squash wedges on the side.