Seasonal Greetings – August

Despite this weather, which we are reminded daily by the Met Office is to be our ‘British summer’; there are still some positive elements to look forward to. With the Olympics in full swing and Team GB beginning to rack in the medals, August, from a food point of view welcomes back some fantastic seasonal produce, whilst seeing others in their prime:

Fruit

·         Apple

·         Apricot

·         Blackberry

·         Blueberry

·         Cherry

·         Greengages

·         Nectarine

·         Peach

·         Raspberry

·         Redcurrant

·         Strawberry

·         Tomato

Vegetable

·         Artichoke

·         Aubergine

·         Beetroot

·         Chicory

·         Courgette

·         Cucumber

·         Fennel

·         French beans

·         Mangetout

·         Marrow

·         Pepper

·         Radish

·         Rocket

·         Runner beans

·         Samphire (sea asparagus)

·         Spring onion

·         Sweetcorn

·         Swiss chard

·         Watercress

Meat

·         Grouse

·         Lamb

·         Venison

Seafood

·         Crab

·         Grey mullet

·         Sardine

·         Scallop

·         Sea bass

Recipe ideas:

v  Pan-fried pork tenderloin with an apple, sage and cider sauce

v  Smoked venison, raspberry, gorgonzola, walnut and rocket salad

v  A taste of the sea – seared scalloped served with a simple garlic butter on a bed of samphire

v  Classic roast grouse served with bread sauce, a red wine jus and summer vegetables

v  Pork and apricot stew

v  Thai crab cakes with a Thai mango salad – See my recipe in this month’s Cotswold Style Magazine

v  Roast shoulder of lamb stuffed with feta, pancetta, rosemary, oregano and thyme with homemade mint sauce

v  Pan-fried sea bass fillet served with a simple lemon butter and salsa verde

v  Baked peaches topped with a amaretti crust served with a raspberry coulis

v  Strawberry and elderflower trifle (see my previous recipe featured on this blog)

v  A classic - Blackberry, apple and cinnamon crumble

v  Blueberry cheesecake

v  Homemade bramble jelly

v  Raspberry jam

To receive any of the recipe suggestions above and many more, please post in the comments box below.