Lùnastal In Season Ingredients and Recipe Ideas

Late Summer meets early Autumn produce - and what to do with it.

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After Lùnastal, the midpoint between the Summer Solstice and Autumn Equinox has passed, it feels as though the seasons begin to shift. This week I’ve definitely felt myself reaching for my coat in the mornings with a wee shiver, the nights are fair drawin’ in and there’s a changing quality to the light that grows increasingly golden. This morning feels distinctly autumnal here in Edinburgh - and while I’m not wishing the Summer away, as an Autumn lover I’m struggling to hide my excitement!

One of my favourite things about this transitional time is the food. Late Summer gluts meet early harvest fare, with abundant choice and specialist ingredients to be found. Though I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to sunny salads, I’m definitely craving my first crumble of the year - and freshness meets comfort is what I’m craving in my cooking. Here’s a list of in season ingredients and some ideas for what to do with them:

Vegetables:

Artichoke

Aubergine

Beetroot

Broad beans

Broccoli

Carrots

Chillies

Courgettes

Cucumber

Fennel

French beans

Garlic

Lettuce

Mangetout

Onions

Peas

Peppers

Potatoes (maincrop)

Radishes

Rocket

Runner beans

Sweetcorn

Tomatoes

Wild mushrooms

Fruit:

Apricots

Blueberries/ blaeberries (or bilberries in England)

Cherries

Damsons

Figs

Greengages

Melons

Nectarines

Peaches

Plums

Raspberries

Redcurrants

Strawberries

What to do with them:

• I just love all the fruit in season just now. My standout favourite is the greengage - a sweet, honey-scented variety of bitesize plum that is only in season for a matter of weeks. You can get them at bigger supermarkets or local greengrocers - I got a kilo last weekend and am still using them up! Perfect in the aforementioned first crumble of the season or poached in the oven with cinnamon or star anise and a tiny wee bit of honey.

• For a savoury stone fruit treat, cook peaches for a few minutes under the grill (watch them so they don’t burn) and serve them simply on a slice of toasted sourdough, spread with cream cheese, or with creamy burrata and peppery rocket in a seasonal salad.

• Our tomatoes are ripening here in Scotland, a little later than elsewhere - I got some beautiful black cherry tomatoes in our local food delivery this week. We chopped half a dozen or so roughly and mixed them with a pinch of salt to encourage the juices to run, then macerated them the juice of a lime, a chopped chilli and a generous handful of roughly chopped mint for a late Summer salsa. Perfect served with corn tortilla wraps filled with chicken or grilled halloumi.

• Speaking of herbs, there are so many in season just now, such as basil, oregano, parsley and sorrel. Dry hardier herbs such as oregano or thyme by hanging them in bunches in a room that isn’t the kitchen (too damp) or blitz soft herbs with lemon juice and olive oil and freeze them in ice cube trays to pep up dressings, soups and stews.

• Gather blaeberries (or bilberries if you’re English) pictured above - tiny wild blueberries, packed with flavour - on moors and in the woods (ask the landowner’s permission first). You might gather enough for a small plate cake made with shortcrust pastry, served warm and slathered with cream, or simply enough to savour by snacking on. Bliss.

What are you making with seasonal ingredients just now? Let me know in the comments below!