IN SEASON NOW

artichoke, beetroot, broccoli, butternut squash, celeriac, celery, chicory, chillies, courgettes, fennel, garlic, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce & salad leaves, marrow, parsnips, peppers, potatoes (maincrop), pumpkin, radishes, rocket, runner beans, shallots, swede, sweetcorn, tomatoes, truffles (black) [i], truffles (white) [i], turnips, watercress, wild mushrooms
apples, bilberries, blackberries, elderberries, figs [i], grapes [i], medlar, pears, plums, quince, redcurrants
almonds [i], chestnuts, chives, cob nuts, hazelnuts [i], oregano, parsley (curly), rosemary, sage, sorrel, thyme, walnuts [i]
beef, duck, goose, grouse, guinea fowl, hare, lamb, mallard, partridge, pheasant, rabbit, turkey, venison, wood pigeon
clams, cod, coley, crab, dab, dover sole, grey mullet, gurnard, haddock, halibut, hake, herring, lemon sole, lobster, mackerel, monkfish, mussels, oysters, pilchard, plaice, pollack, prawns, red mullet, sea bass (wild), sea bream, skate, squid, turbot, winkles

Pumpkin pie

Veg

Ingredients

For the pastry

sweet short crust pastry case (or a packet of ready made sweet short crust pastry with 40g/1½oz crushed pecans mixed in.)

For the filling

450 g/1lb prepared weight pumpkin flesh, cut into 1in/2.5 cm chunks
2 large eggs plus 1 yolk (use the white for another dish)
3 oz/75g soft dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ level teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground ginger
10 fl oz/275 ml double cream

Preparation method

Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Use a shop bought sweet crust pastry case, about 9 inch/23 cm diameter and 1½ inches/4 cm deep.
To make the filling, steam the pumpkin then place in a coarse sieve and press lightly to extract any excess water.
Then lightly whisk the eggs and extra yolk together in a large bowl.
Place the sugar, spices and the cream in a pan, bring to simmering point, giving it a whisk to mix everything together. Then pour it over the eggs and whisk it again briefly.
Now add the pumpkin pureé, still whisking to combine everything thoroughly.
Pour the filling into your pastry case and bake for 35-40 minutes, by which time it will puff up round the edges but still feel slightly wobbly in the centre.
Remove the pie from the oven and place the tin on a wire cooling rack. Serve chilled (stored loosely covered in foil in the fridge) with some equally chilled créme fraïche, but warm or at room temperature would be fine

Roast wild duck with blackberry sauce and celeriac purée

in season

Ingredients

For the celeriac purée

300g/10½oz celeriac, peeled, chopped 3cm/1½in pieces
600m/21¼fl oz full-fat milk
pinch sea salt
40g/1½oz unsalted butter
squeeze fresh lemon juice

For the blackberry sauce

150g/5¼oz blackberries
1 clove
2 juniper berries, crushed
½ fresh bay leaf
small sprig fresh thyme
1 tbsp sugar
knob of butter
1 shallot, sliced
50g/1¾oz field mushrooms, sliced
100ml/3½fl oz ruby port
100ml/3½fl oz red wine

For the duck

2 wild ducks, cleaned
2 tbsp duck fat

To serve

caramelised diced apple
blackberries
deep-fried celeriac crisps

Preparation method

For the celeriac purée, place the celeriac, milk and the salt into a heavy-based pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, or until the celeriac is tender.
Drain the celeriac, reserving the milk. Leave in the colander for 5 minutes to drive off any excess steam, then purée in a food processor or blender until smooth, using a little of the milk to help get the right consistency.
Heat a frying pan until hot, add the butter and cook until it is a light nut-brown colour, then remove from the heat and stir into the celeriac purée with the lemon juice. Cover and leave to one side.
For the blackberry sauce place the blackberries in a bowl and sprinkle over the clove, juniper berries, bay leaf, thyme and sugar and set aside.
Melt the butter in a small pan and fry the shallot and mushrooms over a medium heat for 5 minutes, or until softened and light golden-brown. Stir in the port and wine and carefully set alight (CAUTION: stand well away from the flames), then add the blackberries and a pinch of salt.
Gently simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, then purée in a blender or food processor. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and set aside.
For the duck, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
In a large frying pan on a medium heat, fry the ducks on their legs in the duck fat for 7 minutes each leg, or until pale golden-brown (this is to give them a head start as they need more cooking than the breasts).
Carefully turn the ducks onto their breast-side, and fry for 1 minute until golden-brown all over. Transfer to an oven tray and roast for 10 minutes for medium-rare or 13 minutes for medium, or until the ducks are golden brown all over and the flesh is still lightly pink.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest breast-side down. This is so that the juices will collect around the breasts, baste them and keep them moist.
To serve, carve the ducks onto a large plate, serve the celeriac purée in a small pot on the side and spoon the sauce over the meat. Garnish with your choice of fresh blackberries, caramelised apples and celeriac crisps.