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There’s something enchanting about the mellow-misted colours of Borough Market in autumn that I find utterly absorbing and truly magical. Hypnotic shades of rusted ochre reds, dark butterscotch browns, plum purples, mustard yellows, forest greens and golden copper oranges. It’s a palette of comforting abundance, which ushers forth the only season of the year whose flavours exhilarate the tastebuds just as much as they soothe the soul. Russet red Discovery apples are one of the first fruits to arrive. Their sweet-acidic bite and floral strawberry notes pair fantastically with cheeses like Cumin Gouda or Bath Soft Cheese, drizzled with a kiss of truffle honey if feeling fancy. Tart ombré-green Bramley apples call for slow baking into cinnamon-sugar scented pies, old fashioned crumbles or streusel-topped crisps – the latter being particularly delicious with the addition of toasted coconut, rum-soaked sultanas, and a pinch of warming green cardamon. But the cornucopia of autumn’s apples also takes wonderfully to savoury treatment in the kitchen. A recipe I discovered recently from a north Italian neighbour is Tuscan sausage baked apples. The apples are sliced across the top to create a lid, hollowed out, then stuffed with a piquant filling of spiced Italian sausage meat, garlic, crushed fennel seeds, finely chopped shallots, toasted breadcrumbs, pecorino, wine vinegar and a splash of vermouth. Bake at 180C for 30-40 minutes until the apples are burnished outside and the filling cooked through – it makes for the most sumptuous autumnal supper with big hunks of focaccia to mop up the juices. Braeburn and Egremont Russets are great varieties for this, their hard-fleshed nuttiness adding an extra dimension of flavour to the dish. One of the most thrilling markers of autumn in the market are chalkboard signs blazoned with the word “WILD”: a moniker attached to both mushrooms and game birds, both of which have their moment at this time of year. Girolles, chanterelles, pheasant and partridge are a quartet of ingredients that cry out to be married together in a pie. This is an occasion for a crumbly lardy pastry, generous sprigs of fresh rosemary and a good splash of vin jaune or dry sherry for yeasted acidic kick. The comedic sight of squashes piled high in wooden market crates in an assortment of gnarly shapes and speckled colours always looks to me like a convention of delicious misfits gathered together for their annual symposium. Their names alone – butternut, acorn, pumpkin, delicata – have an inviting poetry that autumn’s harvests alone possess. My favourite among them is the kabocha – a dappled green gourd with a fluffy orange inside that tastes of fired chestnuts, floral honey and sweet potato all at once. Roasted at 180C for 30 minutes in elliptic boat shapes with a generous glug of olive oil and either a sprinkling of ras al hanout, a splash of ponzu or a scattering of freshly torn sage, it makes the perfect accompaniment to any autumnal roast. But I think kabocha squash is most delicious when gently baked with a little brown sugar and grated nutmeg, then blitzed to a velvety orange mash for enriching autumnal deserts. A deep-filled pumpkin pie is the truly classic way to go, but the bake I turn to on repeat every autumn is the kabocha, olive oil, and bittersweet chocolate cake from Los Angeles-based restaurant, Gjlena. Eaten warm from the oven in a puddle of vanilla custard, its rich, buttery texture and intense roasted-squash flavour is the bear-hug of comfort that autumn’s colder days demand. The market’s fruits of the sea also flourish at this time of year. Turbot – king of the flatfish – is exquisite in the prime of autumn. With its firm flaky texture and delicate flavour, it takes well to spicing – but always do so with subtlety. I like to pan fry well-seasoned fillets in a little oil with a good knob of butter, crisping up the skin side for 3-4 minutes. Complete by flipping over and adding a pinch of a single spice to the frothy butter, as suits your mood. Crushed black lime will add zesty smokiness, finely ground pink peppercorns bring lemony fruitiness, or for something a little decadent, a pinch of crushed saffron pairs perfectly and tints the turbot bright sunshine yellow. Whichever direction you take it, serve with leeky spring onion champ on the side. For autumnal suppers with a more brazen hit of spice, I turn to the season’s fresh clams, which arrive at the market in abundance at this time of year. Their sweet brininess has a special affinity with the powerful flavours of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. I love them stir-fried with fresh ginger matchsticks, bruised lemongrass, slivers of garlic, a little tamarind paste, palm sugar, fish sauce and a chiffonade of Thai basil to finish. Add a birdseye chilli if you want a touch of autumnal heat and serve with fragrant jasmine rice. Alternatively, there is no better time than now to be making spaghetti alle vongole on repeat! Bundles of freshly excavated beetroot, dotted around Borough’s market halls like giant purple baubles, are the quintessence of earthy sweetness that makes cooking in autumn so homely. For a simple warming lunch dish, keep the beets unpeeled then slice into thick discs. Jumble together in a shallow roasting tin with blanched purple kale, a jar of Spanish chickpeas, a glug of tarragon vinegar, maple syrup and a generous sprinkle of smoked salt. Roasted at 190C for 30-40 minutes, it makes for a delicious vegan bake. These cooked beetroots are equally delicious blitzed into a soup with some good vegetable stock and obligatory ripple of double cream just before serving. Garnishing with Kentish cobnuts will add hazelnutty crunch, while shavings of manchego cheese add a delicious tang. Among Borough’s most welcoming autumn arrivals are the wicker baskets of pear-shaped quinces in muted shades of custard yellow. They make for the most delicious autumnal breakfast compotes and chutneys – marrying just as well with vanilla bean, cinnamon and sugar as they do with freshly grated ginger, cider vinegar and star anise. Their sweet citrussy bitterness also makes them wonderful for baking into brown sugar upside-down cakes, pairing gloriously with toasted almonds and marzipan. I particularly love cubes of quince gently stewed in orange juice, honey and cognac for layering into nostalgic trifles, with dense madeira cake and pillowy orange blossom whipped cream. But of all the sights in the market, it’s the majestic purple of ripe autumn figs that brings me most joy. Their flavours are so intensely raisiny at this time of year that I like to eat them fresh – simply score in a cross with a knife, then gently squeeze open like a ruby-seeded lotus. Their syrupy sweet flavours can be amplified even further by adding savoury sweet adornments for devouring together in the same bite. The flavour-chord trio of ripe figs, crumbled Stichelton and sour cherry molasses is rather special. But what I love most is a slice of warm sourdough with the jammiest soft figs of the season smooshed on top like an avocado – then decorated with slivers of pickled walnut, fresh thyme and a little flaky salt. It’s a combination that both enlivens your palate and comforts your senses in equal measure. All the magic of autumn on toast – simply sublime! For more information on what you can find at Borough Market, visit: boroughmarket.org.uk Read More How to shop at Borough Market in the summer Obsessed with Boursin? It’s the perfect way to elevate your leftovers Spice up your life: Three recipes from Nadiya Hussain’s new book that bring the heat Budget Bites: Three one-pan recipes that minimise on washing up

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A Russian governor who said that Moscow had not prepared for its invasion of Ukraine and did not “need” the continuing war has been reported to the police. Natalya Komarova, a member of president Vladimir Putin’s governing United Russia party and the governor of Russian Khanty-Masiysk region, on Saturday criticised the conflict that has stretched to nearly 600 days during a meeting with residents of the Siberian city of Nizhnevartovsk. Ms Komarova was confronted by the wife of a mobilised Russian man fighting in Ukraine who had asked why her husband was not provided with the necessary equipment to fight. “Are you asking me (why your husband does not have equipment) knowing that I’m the governor and not the minister of defence?” the official said. She added: “As a whole, we did not prepare for this war. We don’t need it. We were building a completely different world, so in this regard, there will certainly be some inconsistencies and unresolved issues,” according to a video of the event posted on social media. The comments, captured on video, were circulated widely online and prompted pro-war activists to condemn Ms Komarova for “discrediting Russia’s armed forces”. A letter has been sent to Russia’s minister of internal affairs by the director of a Siberian non-profit organisation, Yuri Ryabtsev, asking the ministry to further investigate Ms Komarova’s comments, reported Russian news outlet Sibir.Realii, stating that its journalists had seen the letter. An activist has also filed a report with the local police, demanding Ms Komarova be held accountable under Russia’s Code of Administrative Offences for “discrediting” the army, the news outlet reported. The Russian politician has not issued any fresh remarks on the issue. Russia approved a law last year making it illegal to describe the conflict in Ukraine as a “war” or an “invasion” by Russia. Mr Putin called it a “special military operation” when he ordered the attack on Ukraine in February last year, and the law has been used to compel Russian media, businesses and citizens to follow suit, as well as to penalise critics of the war. The legislation also outlaws “disparaging” the military and the spread of "false information" about Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Several critics of the war have already been handed fines or jail terms under the law, while experts say it has made it increasingly difficult to gauge levels of public support for the invasion. Sasha Skochilenko, an artist and musician with serious health issues, was arrested in April last year for replacing supermarket price tags with antiwar slogans, charged with spreading false information about the military. Former FSB agent and battlefield commander Igor Girkin, known as a prominent Russian hardline nationalist, was detained on charges of extremism in July this year after he accused Mr Putin of weakness and indecision in Ukraine. Russia media have been extensively covering the Ukraine conflict yet at the same time prohibited from calling it a “war”, while protesters using that word on placards are hit with steep fines. Independent news sites have been blocked, as were Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. A prominent radio station has been taken off the air, and the Novaya Gazeta newspaper, led by 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitry Muratov, has also lost its licence. Read More Ukraine-Russia war – live: Putin suffers serious losses in largest offensive in months As the conflict in Israel rages on, the world must not forget about Ukraine Putin's visit to Beijing underscores China’s economic and diplomatic support for Russia Ukraine’s Avdiivka ‘completely ablaze’ as Russia pounds city for fourth straight day Could Putin be arrested? President to leave Russia for first time since international arrest warrant issued

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Russia has lost 127 tanks, 239 armoured personnel vehicles (APVs) and 161 artillery systems in a week, Kyiv has said as Vladimir Putin launches a sustained assault in the east of Ukraine. Moscow’s forces lost eight tanks, 25 APVs and 33 artillery systems in the past day, Ukraine’s General Staff said on Sunday. The Independent cannot independently confirm Kyiv’s numbers which come after Putin claimed Ukraine‘s counteroffensive “completely failed”. “As for the counteroffensive, which is allegedly stalling, it has failed completely,” Putin said in video remarks posted to social media by a Kremlin journalist Pavel Zarubin. Russia currently controls about 17.5% of Ukrainian territory and a four-month-old Ukrainian counteroffensive this year has resulted in almost no net territorial gains. Read More Putin's visit to Beijing underscores China’s economic and diplomatic support for Russia As the conflict in Israel rages on, the world must not forget about Ukraine Biden insists US can back two wars at the same time in Israel and Ukraine