We’ve set Chef Martin a challenge to choose his autumn menu must haves and as we have over 10,000 products in our range it is no easy task. When making his selection we asked him to consider different courses such as starters, mains and desserts and to choose products that are simple to cook and serve and, of course, will be popular with your customers.
After lots of mulling over, chopping and changing, he finally managed to narrow it down and now we want to share his autumn menu must haves with you, so here are some of his choices…

Larry’s gluten free smoked haddock melt in the middle fishcake – 19852

A perfect starter option for autumn with haddock being in season. This melt in the middle fishcake is made up of smoked haddock blended with creamy mashed potato surrounding a smooth béchamel sauce with extra mature cheddar for added zing and depth of flavour and coated in a gluten free breadcrumb for a golden, crunchy coating.
And with it being gluten-free, it’s a tasty starter option without compromising on flavour for your customers who are gluten intolerant or coeliac. Simply place in the oven for 20 minutes and serve with a tartare sauce and a garnish or alternatively you can serve with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce.
When serving gluten free products, make sure to follow strict processes to ensure they remain free from gluten.
Read our advice on catering for allergens here: 3 key considerations when managing allergens.

British Red Tractor steak and ale pie – 61202

With British Food Fortnight happening in autumn, British food and flavours will be a key driver for consumers. These British Red Tractor steak and ale pies tick both those boxes using British beef but also offering an iconic British dish to your customers without the faff of you making from scratch.
At 300g per pie they are a hearty main option that will be perfect served with mash and seasonal veg and lashings of gravy which you can cook straight from the freezer in 40-45 minutes.
You can also check out our top 5 British products here.

Gluten Free squash, brie, beetroot and truffle infused oil tart – 41570

These gluten free tarts are a great vegetarian main option that encompass some truly autumnal flavours. They come jam packed with roasted squash and brie and are topped with vintage cheddar and truffle infused oil.
Plus, they come with a sachet of beetroot chutney to serve with! These pies can be cooked in a merry chef in less than 12 minutes or oven baked in 40-45 minutes.

Everyday Favourites toffee apple crumble cheesecake – 61351

This is such a great autumn dessert choice, incorporating the classic flavour of toffee apple, the crunch of a crumble but the creaminess of a cheesecake. This dessert is made up of a crunchy digestive biscuit base topped with a layer of caramel with an apple and custard flavour cream cheese and finished with a caramelised biscuit crumble topping.
As it comes frozen and is pre-portioned, you can simply remove the portions you require without having to defrost the whole cheesecake. Serve with some seasonal berries or a fruit compote.
To check out all of Chef Martin’s autumn menu must haves as well as some new autumnal recipes, and ideas for national vegetarian week, bonfire night, British food fortnight and all the other foodie events happening from September-November click here: Autumn seasonal produce & events | Bidfood