In-Season October
Autumn lamb
Autumn lamb is available until the end of October and tends to have more flavour than spring lamb owing to the maturity of the meat. It is the perfect partner to other autumnal produce such as orchard fruit and root vegetables. A butterflied boned leg of lamb cooks wonderfully on the barbecue for late summer days. Autumn lamb should be readily available from butchers and supermarkets. Look out for bright red meat and white fat as a sign of freshness.
Elderberries
Elderberries are not commercially grown but can easily be found growing in the wild. Pick the heads of the berries and be sure to wash them thoroughly before using. Elderberries are a well-known and popular choice for homemade wine, cordial or syrup and their flavour also combines well with blackberries to make sauces or syrup for fools, ice creams and sorbets. Apple pie is delicious sweetened with elderberry and even duck and pork is complemented by its flavour.
Figs
The fig is considered to be one of the most sensual of fruits with its tempting, luscious flesh that is at its best when it has been left to ripen in the sunshine. The ancient Greeks recognised the health benefits of figs and included them in the diet of the athletes for the first Olympic Games. Some prefer to peel the fig before eating but the whole fruit is edible and should be eaten at room temperature, as chilling suppresses the flavour. If you get a glut, fig jam is delicious or they can be poached in syrup and served with a little crème fraîche or mascarpone.
Grouse
The traditional grouse season runs from 12 August, known as the Glorious Twelfth, until 10 December but the birds are best in the first half of the season. There are many species but the red Scottish grouse reputedly has the best flavour. It can be found feeding on heather moors in Scotland, Ireland and northern parts of England and it is the heather that gives the meat its gamey richness. Young grouse are best roasted, covered with rashers of bacon to protect them from drying out. Serve them with game chips (homemade potato crisps, really thinly sliced) and watercress, as with other game birds. Grouse can also be used to make game pie or braised slowly in wine and stock, with celery and onions, for a truly seasonal dish.
Oysters
These days, oysters are an expensive luxury, which makes it difficult to believe that they were once the food of the poor. In fact, steak and kidney pudding was bulked out with oysters in times when meat was scarce and expensive. They are available all year round but are best between October and February, when the sea is cold. Oyster-lovers prefer to eat them raw from the shell, sprinkled with a little lemon juice, but they can be eaten cooked. Try grilling them briefly in their half-shells, sprinkled with shallots and a little butter.
Watercress
Most of the watercress people buy in Britain is grown in Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset, the UK's historical watercress-growing regions. In Hampshire, daily deliveries of fresh watercress were railed to London to satisfy demand and the rail link became known as the Watercress Line. Nowadays, watercress is available all over the country. Its peppery leaf is excellent served with orange segments as a salad and dressed with olive oil and orange juice. It's delicious with an omelette or scrambled eggs, or as an accompaniment for game bird dishes, or simply made into a smooth, vibrant green soup which can be served hot or cold.
Also in season
guinea fowl
squash
beetroot
mushrooms
courgettes
marrow
partridge
mussels
apples
kale
pumpkin
