September
| Published: 4th September 2007 10:59 |
Although the weather is still mild Autumn is here. Gone are the Summer salad vegetables, giving way to hearty root vegetables and dark iron rich leafy greens. The game season progresses with a greater variety becoming available Duck, Grouse, Guinea Fowl, Venison and Wood pigeon are all in season in September. Wild mushrooms are starting to appear in woodland, this year should be a bumper harvest with all the warm damp weather. A wide variety of white fish is particularly good at this time of year Cod, Dover Sole, Haddock, Halibut, John Dory, Lemon sole, Monkfish and Turbot are all in season. Blackberries, damsons, plums and apples are ripening in the hedgerow ready to be picked. Walnuts are also in season, reminding us a little too early that Christmas is approaching.
Apples
A staple in our fruit bowls all year round, but now it is the time for English apples. Apples are not really considered as anything special but there are so many varieties with such diverse flavours, sweetness, texture and uses that they are a star of the season. Used in both sweet and savoury dishes and high in fibre, vitamin C and potassium the humble apple deserves some respect.
Try our Tart au tain
Blackberries
Everyone remembers picking blackberries as a child, those sweet like little gems found in the hedgerow and the purple stained fingers that gave you away. Blackberries are high in vitamin C just 10 berries will provide you with 19% of you recommended daily amount! Blackberries are one of the few English native fruit. Legend has it that blackberries should not be eaten after 10 October because ‘during the night the Devil goes by and spits on every bush' well that's the polite version anyway. Blackberries make a wonderful sauce to accompany game or pork, as well as being the perfect accompaniment to apples or pears in deserts.
Try our Blackberries and pears baked in marzipan
Or one of my favourites Apple and Blackberry Kuchen
Duck
Wild duck is leaner and more flavourful than the farmed variety. If cooked correctly duck is not at all fatty but a dense gamey meat with a rich flavour. Duck is complemented by astringent sauces such as lemon, orange, blackberry, cherry or plum. The breast has a tendency to dry out and so is best cooked separate to the legs. Duck can be preserved in the traditional manner of making a confit, which is basically cooking very slowly in it's own fat and preserving in a sterilised jar under the fat. The confit duck can then be used later to make the classic French dish cassoulet.
Try our Chinese style crispy duck with a spicy damson sauce.
Damsons
Damsons are deep autumnal purple with a bright yellow flesh. Too acidic to eat straight from the tree, this miniature plum is great for jam and jelly making, stewed as a base for a pudding, to flavour Gin or as a spicy chutney.
Try our Damson jam recipe.
Pears
Pears when eaten ripe are delicious, if eaten under ripe they are hard and juiceless. If over ripe they tend to be a little mushy and over develop their flavour. A member of the rose family closely related to Apples and Quinces, Pears are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, potassium and fibre. They are also very versatile fruit that can be baked, juiced, poached, made into liqueurs, and are the used in the production Perry.
Try our poached pears with chocolate sauce
Or our Pickled Pears
Butternut Squash
Becoming more and more popular in recent years, the butternut squash has a deep orange firm flesh similar to pumpkin. When buying a squash test the flesh, if you can push a fingernail into the rind of a squash it will be lacking in flavour and sweetness, if it is fresh it will feel heavy for its size, as it slowly looses water after picking. Butternut squash is a great alternative to potatoes and can be mashed, boiled, roasted or made into chips. It also makes a great weaning food for babies.
Try our spicy roast Butternut Squash
Turbot
One of the most highly regarded fish in the world; Turbot is not cheap but has beautifully firm white flesh with an incredible subtle flavour. Medium sized fish 2.5 to 3.5 Kg are the ones to look for, as small ones are not sustainable and larger ones loose their delicate texture. Turbot is a flat fish so therefore I think is easier to fillet, although you can have your fishmonger do it for you.
Try our Turbot poached in White Wine.
Wild Mushrooms
All though the idea of foraging appeals to me greatly, a spell in hospital doesn't and as I'm no great mushroom expert I buy mine from the farmer's market. The wild mushroom season is just beginning, in season are Horn of plenty, Parasol, Girolle, Chanterelle and of course the Penny bun or Cepe. Mushrooms absorb water readily and therefore should not be washed but cleaned thoroughly with a soft brush. The easiest way to enjoy mushrooms is to fry them simply in butter and add a little parsley and seasoning when cooked.
Try our Wild Mushroom risotto
Or for a totally indulgent Sunday lunch try Beef and Wild Mushroom Wellington.
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