With autumn’s arrival comes cooler evenings, darker mornings, and a strong desire to settle down for hibernation. Instead of making like a bear and bunkering down for the cooler months, it’s best to make friends with your oven, a feat that has never been so easy than with this issue of delicious. magazine. 

The May issue kicks off the countdown to the national delicious. Produce Awards, honouring Australia’s bounty of ethical, sustainable and innovative ingredients. State winners have just been announced, with the full list of winners available online and national winners to be confirmed at the ceremony in August.

Chef and owner of Hartsyard (and the soon to launch Wish Bone) Gregory Llewellyn shows off his passion for autumn produce with an ode to seafood and vegetables. If the barbecued squid with pork and fennel sausage ragu doesn’t impress you and your dinner party guests, a particularly lavish roasted white chocolate fudge cake with tahini cream will.

Inspired by a recent trip to exotic Marrakesh, MasterChef winner Diana Chan discovers the joys of cooking with a tagine, whipping up a chicken and lemon tagine with pomegranate couscous. The Chef and the Butcher’s Anthony Puharich and Colin Fassnidge similarly find beauty in the one tray dish. Their recipe is a French-inspired one-tray roast big on flavour but low on the washing up.

With the FIFA World Cup imminent, Matt Preston takes a tour of global food bowl combos that stand out from the pack. With Asia an undisputed winner of the foodie favourite, Preston takes inspiration and crafts his own green and gold rice bowls that are as patriotic as they are tasty.

Eternally stylish interiors guru Sibella Court shows us just how to host, throwing a relaxed garden lunch to celebrate her latest book Imaginarium. The menu is as eclectic as the table setting, with guests tucking into a creamy pistachio and labneh dip with Turkish garlic bread, and lobster with turmeric and black pepper butter.

Phoebe Wood focuses on the veggie bake, crafting a sophisticated succession of autumn indulgence out of the midweek favourite. A pumpkin, rosemary and truffle ricotta lasagne bake will ward away hunger pangs in a flash, as will the downright dreamy cauli cheese pasta bake with crispy sage.

Jamie Oliver turns his attention to pumpkin this month with a selection of hearty meals focused on the root vegetable. His autumnal takes on traditional takeaway are particularly impressive – from the pumpkin bhaji burger with herby yoghurt sauce to the pumpkin mac ‘n’ cheese.

Celebrity chef Matt Moran proves the versatility of humble mince with his feature. The celebrated restaurateur rids mince of its traditional reputation for creative feasts designed for chilly temperatures, roast sage meatball pasta and chicken a degg pastia included.

Bon Appetite alumni Alison Roman shares an extract from her debut cookbook Dining In. It’s a curated collection of cooking at home with simple, hearty recipes that speak to your soul. Her roasted tomato and anchovy bucatini and cocoa banana bread are sure to become staples in your kitchen.

Samantha Coutts delves into the world of citrus this issue, upgrading sweet and savoury recipes with the addition of a little zest. Serve up the roast lemon chicken and potatoes to your hungry hordes of Sunday lunch guests, followed by the Jatz and Yuzu Meringue pie.

May’s baking special also sees some of Australia’s top foodie talent congregate. A concoction of cobblers, crumbles, puddings and pies fill the pages, each as indulgent (and calorie ignorant) as the next). There’s everything from Andy Bowden’s salted maple custard pie with rosemary and macadamias, to Lune’s chocolate and hazelnut croissant bread and butter pudding.

Icebergs’ chef Monty Koludrovic and Anthony Puharich of Vic’s Meats recently hit the open road in an impressive old Buick, scoping out the best ways to eat (and party) on the trail from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. On a similar search for adventure, Christine Manfield takes to the wilds of Africa who visits Kenya to immerse herself in its wildlife, and (of course) its cuisine.

Within Australian borders, Lindy Alexander takes a gander around Riverina in Southwest New South Wales. The district’s reputation as Australia’s food bowl proves a worthy one – with the district not just home to the nation’s best food, but drink too.

Whether or not you consider yourself a baker, the May issue of delicious. proves that your oven is an ally once the cooler months arrive. It’s time to prepare for hibernation, and in our opinion, you can’t do that without the oven on.