Eat on the Green’s Craig Wilsonsavours this season’s tastiest produce
As the haze of summer slides slowly into the mellow days of early autumn, make the most of seasonal game, mushrooms, orchard fruits and hedgerow treasures.
Use the last of the season’s juicy berries and incorporate them into your breakfast, sprinkled over granola, topped with natural yoghurt and drizzled with local honey. Strawberries are great with the soft fragrance of elderflower, which can be found in abundance in hedgerows and offers a fresh twist on desserts like pannacotta.
As the game season comes around, venison’s rich, dark flavour goes really well with fresh redcurrants, rosemary and red wine. It’s best to treat game simply. Add a few ingredients and cook it in a foil parcel to seal in all those delicious juices and keep the meat succulent. Rest venison for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.
Buy what’s in season as this will give you maximum flavour. Wild mushrooms are great at this time of year. Try a simple soup which doubles up as the base for a pasta sauce, add cream cheese to wild mushrooms for an incredible vegetarian pate. Making things go further saves time in the kitchen and creates meals the whole family can enjoy.
Damsons, brambles, pears and apples are perfect for warming crumbles or sponge puddings. Dried fruits such as raisins and apricots are often a staple in the store cupboard, and provide the ideal accompaniment to Moroccan or Indian recipes. The burst of sweet fruit against the fiery heat of chilli and milder spices such as cumin or turmeric, gives a great balance.
Don’t be scared to experiment with different ingredient combinations, cooking is all about fusion of flavours so have fun!