September seasonal events and outdoor activities

September seasonal Foods

What foods are seasonal in September.

Greens and leaves: Cabbage, Cavolo nero, Chervil, Lettuce, Mint, Pak choi, Radicchio, Sorrel, Spinach, Watercress.

Roots and other veg: Aubergine, Beetroot, Broad bean, Broccoli, Carrot, Celery, Celeriac, Courgette, Fennel bulb, Garlic, Globe artichoke, Kohlrabi, Lamb’s lettuce, Leek, Marrow, Onion, Parsnip, Spring onion, Peas, Pepper, Radish, Runner bean, Sweetcorn, Swiss chard, Tomato, Tuna

Meat: Beef, Chicken, Grouse, Goose, Guinea Fowl, Lamb, Pork

Fruit: Blackberry, Damson, Elderberries, Gooseberry, Loganberry, Pear, Plum, Raspberry, Redcurrant, Strawberry.

Seafood: Crab, Halibut, Salmon, Kipper, Mackerel, Oyster.

Exotics: Banana, Fig, Nectarine, Peach, Pomegranate.

Find out more about seasonal foods throughout the year with a guide to Seasonal foods.

In nature

The harvest of natures bounty

On the Farm in September

Harvest continues at full pace, remaining barley and wheat being cut. Straw bailed and removed or shredded in situ.

Whether lambs are sold as they finish or as store lambs for further fattening. Preparation for gimmer and draft ewe sales. Wean lambs.

Harvest Potatoes. Start harvest of beets.

Ploughing and harrowing (disc harrowing to quickly open compacted soil to reduce water runoff in heavy rains).

Drill oilseed rape, winter wheat and barley.

Find out more about what is happening in the Year on the farm

Days and nights draw even.

Recipe of the month.

Savoury Crumble

This recipe can be enjoyed anytime for the next six moths, of yuo are considering what is seasonal. There’s not much variety in the vegetable department, however, all the ingredients are traditional all the way though to the end of April.

Although butternut squash is specified, any similar squash would be great, Crown prince for one, maybe even pumpkin for a slightly sweeter version. Leeks are ever present, but can be substituted for Onion if required. The other ingredients, well, pure winter warming comfort.

Ingredients

400 g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm pieces

2 tsp. vegetable oil

2 leeks, trimmed and sliced

5 rashers unsmoked back bacon, roughly chopped

For The White Sauce

50 g butter

50 g plain flour

700 ml milk

75 g mature Cheddar cheese

For The Crumble

175 g plain flour

25 g parmesan, finely grated

1 tsp. dried mixed herbs

100 g butter, chilled and chopped

Equipment.

Baking tray

Mixing bowl

Oven proof dish.

I trust you have saucepans and wooden spoon.

Preparation

Peel, de-seed and chop the squash into 2CM peices.

Clean and chop the leeks. Chop the bacon.

Preheat Oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5.

Cooking

Mix squash, 1tsp oil and some seasoning on a baking tray and roast for 30min, until tender.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1tsp oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and cook leeks for 5min. Add bacon, turn up heat to high and fry for 5min, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown. Set aside.

Make the white sauce. Melt the butter in a large pan. Stir in flour and cook for 1min. Remove pan from heat and gradually stir in the milk until smooth. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the Cheddar.

Mix the cooked butternut squash and leek mixture into the white sauce. Check seasoning and spoon into a 2-litre ovenproof dish.

For the crumble, mix the flour, Parmesan, dried herbs and some seasoning in a bowl. Rub in butter using your fingertips until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle crumble mixture over the filling and cook in oven for 50min, until golden and bubbling.

Serve with seasonal vegetables and some potatoes.

For more inspiration see the Food Blogs