The leaves are starting to fall alongside the temperatures. It’s the time of year within which we begin our hibernation process this means cosy nights in, comfort food and lots of layering whether it’s our clothes or more importantly our blankets…(we all love a good cosy blanket!) Autumn also signals a change in our diets too. Gone are the alfresco salads of the summer, we’re craving root vegetables and heartier dishes! Thankfully Love Food have their Top 10 Autumn Recipes to give us a little bit of seasonal food inspo!

This is the season for warming stews, rich soups and dishes that make the most of seasonal produce such as game, squashes, mushrooms and root vegetables.

1. Pear tart with crème fraîche

Pears come into season from September, so there's plenty of time to enjoy this dessert, which works well with a light dusting of powdered cinnamon before baking. Simply spread out a layer of puff pastry, then smother it with almond cream and top with a layer of freshly sliced pears.

Monica Galetti/Organic UK

2. Venison shanks with baby beets and chestnuts

A delightful game dish that's bursting with the tastes of autumn. It's reasonably challenging to make, but is well worth the effort. The slow-cooked venison falls off the bone into a rich, flavourful sauce. 

Steve Lee/Venison: the Game Larder

3. Pumpkin and ricotta cannelloni

Looking for an alternative to a classic lasagne? Try this pumpkin cannelloni recipe from Bill Granger. You can make it fresh or assemble it and freeze until you're ready to cook.

Bill Granger

4. Minced beef and dumplings 

Heston Blumenthal's traditional stew is big-flavoured and deeply comforting — the perfect dish for autumn. You can prepare most of the recipe a day ahead, adding the vegetables and cooking the dumplings before you serve.

Heston Blumenthal for Waitrose.com

5. Wild mushroom arancini with roast tomato ragu

This is the perfect way to use up leftover risotto, making the most of late-summer tomatoes and the start of the autumn mushroom glut.

The Fabulous Baker Brothers/Mushroom Bureau 

6. Celeriac, sprouts and bacon soup

Blitzing cooked root veg and greens together is a sure-fire route to success when it comes to autumn soups. In this recipe Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall uses creamed celeriac and Brussels sprouts, and finishes the bowl with a handful of crispy bacon bits.

Simon Wheeler/Hugh's Three Good Things

7. Pan-roasted guinea fowl with truffle and leek

October and November are the best months for guinea fowl, although you could use chicken for this recipe if you find it hard to source. The addition of pricey truffles makes it a special-occasion dish, but they do give fantastic flavour. 

Yuki Sugiura/French Brasserie Cookbook

8. Mussels with beer and coriander

Celebrate the return of months with an 'r' in their name (traditionally when shellfish should be eaten) with a warming autumn take on a summer classic. You'll just need a tin of chopped tomatoes and some store-cupboard ingredients in addition to the mussels, beer and herbs.

Guyrope Gourmet Cookbook

9. Sausage, parsnip and onion roast

This one-pan dish is incredibly simple – and you can serve it straight from the roasting tray. It also works well with potatoes instead of parsnips: just pick a waxy variety that can be roasted whole in their skins.

Simon Wheeler/Hugh's Three Good Things

10. Mushroom and chard torte

This hearty but healthy autumnal dish is easy to prepare, taking just 15 minutes to put together. It makes the most of two seasonal ingredients and is a perfect simple weekend dinner. 

Click here for more recipe inspiration from www.lovefood.com