September seasonal update
From seasonal vegetables to game and seasonal fruits, read our monthly market report to find out what to feature on your menus this month
What's a good way to eat blackberries?
Comprising of many individual seed-containing fruits, surrounding a cone-shaped core, blackberries are an incredibly juicy berry, which can be consumed raw straight from the hedge, or cooked in a wide range of recipes.
Blackberry Recipes
Is Pigeon worth Eating?
Pigeon meat or squab contains a wide range of rich nutrients that the body needs, and because of its low fat content, acts as a good nutritional supplement as it does not increase blood lipids, blood sugar, and cause cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
Pigeon Recipes
What are the benefits of eating blackberries?
Blackberries are an edible fruit, commonly found in the UK from the end of the summer until October, and a rich source of anthocyanins, which are powerful antioxidants that give them their deep purple colour.
Studies have shown that blackberry juice provided protective effects against heart disease, with blackberries are also rich in vitamin C and potassium, both of which support a healthy cardiovascular system.
Blackberry Recipes
Are pears the healthiest fruit?
Pears are a sweet fruit, with typically a yellow-green skin on the outside, and a white, soft flesh on the inside, and a good source of both soluble and insoluble fibre.
Recent studies have suggested that pears may help in lowering the risk of type 2 diabetes, help weight management, support heart health, whilst offering potential cancer protective properties.
Pear Recipes
What do mushrooms do for your body?
Many different types of edible mushrooms such as button, oyster, porcini and chanterelle offer brilliant sources of vitamin D, as well as immune modulating nutrients.
The mighty mushroom has shown to be beneficial for the management of neurodegenerative conditions as well as helping maintaining heart health, and supporting gut health.
Mushroom Recipes
What's the best way to eat kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi is part of the cabbage family, with it's name translating from German as 'Turnip Cabbage', is often described as having a crisp, crunchy texture and a mild, sweet flavour.
The vegetable can eaten raw or cooked and has become increasingly popular in slaws, salads and side dishes accompanying meat, fish and cooked rices.
Watch Michael Wickham, sous chef the London RAC Club in Pall Mall recipe for venison cooked in spiced fond, sweet potato dumplings, kohlrabi and sesame for inspiration.
How to make the best of sea bream
Sea bream is a highly popular fish, not only because it is delicate and versatile but because it is in season for the best part of the year, from late summer to early spring.
European sea bream is fished in the Atlantic Ocean and throughout the Mediterranean and is prized by chefs for its clean flavour and meaty texture.
Watch Nestle's Andrej Prokes, formerly of The Fat Duck and The Ritz create a dish of
How to cook mallard
The largest and most common type of wild duck, most species of ducks descend from the mallard. The wild duck has a mixed reputation due to how varying it can be in terms of quality, but is nonetheless a popular game bird.
The two most common ways of cooking mallard are either to remove the breast fillets and cook them to a light pink, and to confit the legs, or to roast it whole.
Watch Sat Bains make a dish of mallard, parsnip, pear and blue cheese:
What to make with redcurrants
Redcurrants are of the less common berries in season this month - but they are a quintessentially British treat. Traditionally made into jam and jelly, they are often used in jus to accompany game and red meat dishes, but can find their place in many desserts, salads and sauces.
Why not try Callebaut chefs Beverley Dunkley and Julie Sharp's white chocolate and redcurrant cheesecake, or the braised breast of wood pigeon, cauliflower, whisky and redcurrant made by Mariusz Dobies for the Greater Manchester Heat of the North West Young Chef Competition 2013?
What can I do with plums?
Available imported throughout the year, plums are a traditionally popular fruit and British plums reach the height of their perfection in September.
You cannot tell maturity by their appearance alone because they grow in a wide range of colours, but they should be firm when squeezed. T hey can be eaten raw, baked in pies or crumbles, stewed, roasted, or even made into liqueur or jam. Taste them with foie gras for an out of this world gastronomic experience.
Swap the plums for damsons or greengages to make an alternative dish.
Try: roast foie gras with pickled plums and sake by Gary Foulkes at The Square
Also watch Ruth Hinks, UK World Chocolate Master, on how to create a chocolate and plum gateau:
What's the best way to prepare marrow?
From the melon and cucumber family, marrows look like overgrown courgettes.
Stuff them with rice or couscous, other vegetables, cheese and pretty much whatever takes your fancy.
They can also be roasted and served alongside a main course or as an ingredient in scrumptious baking recipes.
How do you cook autumn lamb?
Autumn lamb is actually the meat from an animal born in the springtime which feeds on grass over the summer and is then served in September.
The meat should be a fresh, pink colour, and shoulders, legs or loins are the best parts, and can be roasted, grilled or braised, or also made into burgers.
Try this lamb neck fillet by Paul Hood
Also see poached lamb loin with cucumber, pepper and caviar oil by 3 Michelin-starred The Fat Duck:
Find more lamb recipes from chefs
What goes well with apples?
Make the most of the British apple season and incorporate some apples into your menu - they are at their best right now! Be mindful of what kind of apple that you are using in your dish.
Apples range from the super tart Granny Smiths to the likes of sweet Braeburns and everything in-between. Apples are an ideal accompaniment for meat dishes (with pork being the obvious choice) puddings and in salads, but they can also be used in salads, pies and cakes too.
Why not try a chutney or a punch instead?
Check out this roe deer, tartare mustard, apple and hazlenut recipe from Scott Fairweather.
Watch Russell Bateman cook brill, foie gras and apple tart:
Looking for more recipes featuring apple?
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