The autumn comfort food recipes you’re not making – but should be

When the nights get longer and temperatures dip, there is nothing more warming than a bowl of something hearty and nourishing in the evening. Irish chef Clodagh is known for her delicious and accessible recipes, and her new book Clodagh at Home is no exception. Packed with mouthwatering dishes, it celebrates all things seasonal and local. Here are some of her favourites for this time of year. Clodagh McKenna opens up her home Guinness beef stew Serves 6 50g unsalted butter Olive oil 150g bacon lardons or pancetta 300g shallots, whole and peeled 6 carrots, cut into 5cm lengths 1kg stewing beef, cubed 400g chestnut mushrooms, quartered 1 litre stout, such as Guinness 1 bouquet garni or 3 thyme sprigs Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/350°F/Gas mark 4. Start by browning all the ingredients. Place a flameproof casserole dish over a medium heat and melt the butter with a splash of olive oil, then stir in the bacon, followed by the shallots and carrots. Cook until golden brown, then transfer to a plate. Next, add the beef to the pot with a little more oil if needed, season with salt and pepper and cook until browned all over. Transfer to the plate. Place the mushrooms in the pot and cook for two minutes. Season to taste and transfer to the plate. Pour the stout into the pot and use a whisk to scrape off all the bits stuck to the bottom of the pot (this is where the flavour is). Next, return all the browned ingredients, followed by the bouquet garni or thyme, then stir and cover.Place the casserole in the oven for two hours. Serve with creamy mashed potato or buttery colcannon. Pub lunch pie with chicken & tarragon (Photo: Issy Croker) Pub lunch pie with chicken & tarragon Serves 8 For the filling 1 litre chicken stock 2 bay leaves 1 tsp black peppercorns 3 thyme sprigs 2 rosemary sprigs 10 skinless chicken thighs 2 leeks, thickly sliced 80g unsalted butter 80g plain flour 50ml double cream 2 tbsp English mustard 50g cheddar, grated 300g flaked ham 2 tbsp finely chopped Flat-leaf parsley leaves Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper For the pastry Plain flour, to dust 2 ready-rolled all-butter shortcrust pastry sheets 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten Pour the stock into a large saucepan and add the bay leaves, peppercorns, thyme and rosemary. Bring to a simmer for five minutes to infuse. Add the chicken and return to a gentle simmer for 25 minutes, until cooked. Add the leeks and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Try one of Clodagh’s favourite recipes (Photo: Issy Croker) Set a sieve over a large heatproof bowl and drain the chicken and leeks, reserving the stock. Discard the herbs and peppercorns. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. In a clean, large saucepan, melt the butter over a medium-low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Gradually pour in 600ml of the reserved hot stock, whisking until you have a smooth sauce. Cook over a medium–low heat for two to three minutes, stirring, until thickened and bubbling gently. Remove from the heat, then stir in the cream, mustard and cheddar until the cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Fold in the shredded chicken, leeks and flaked ham. Transfer to a large bowl and leave to cool, then stir through the parsley. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll out a sheet of pastry to fit a 23cm pie tin about 5cm deep. Line the tin with the pastry, pressing it gently into the corners and up the sides. Leave a little overhang and brush the rim with beaten egg yolk. Roll out the second sheet of pastry to form a lid. Spoon the chilled filling into the tin. Lay the lid over and seal the edges, trimming off excess (use this to make “leaves” to decorate the top). Attach the decorations with egg yolk, then brush the pie all over and cut a hole in the top for steam to escape. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan/410°F/Gas mark 6½. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until deep golden and crisp. Set aside for 10 minutes, then serve. Creamy gruyère & ham baked eggs (Photo: Issy Croker) Creamy gruyère & ham baked eggs Serves 2 25g salted butter 60g gruyère, grated 1 tsp Dijon mustard ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg ½ tsp chopped thyme leaves 200ml double cream 4 large eggs 80g cooked ham, torn Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Toast soldiers, to serve Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/ 400°F/Gas mark 6 and butter a 20cm ovenproof skillet or ovenproof dish with the butter. Place the cheese in a bowl and whisk together with the mustard, nutmeg, thyme and double cream, with a pinch each of salt and pepper. Spoon half the creamy cheese mixture into the prepared skillet or dish and crack the eggs on top. Spoon the remaining cheese mixture on top and sprinkle over the ham, or vice versa, depending on whether or not you want the ham to be crispy. Place the skillet or dish on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Serve with toasted bread cut into soldiers, so you can dip them into the eggs. Recipes extracted from ‘Clodagh at Home’ Kyle Books, £26