September suppers
This month its harvest time, reflected in the supermarkets, shops and farmers' markets, where the best of the summer vegetables sit alongside the first of the winter crops.
It's the peak time for pickling and preserving, with plenty of ripe plums, tomatoes and pumpkins. This is really the month to try out your local farmers' market if you haven't done so before – the chances are that they will have tables and stalls literally groaning with freshly picked fruit and vegetables.
Days are shorter, but they are often warm and ideal for the year's last barbecues or some final summer picnics – or entertain friends to an early game supper – the choice is yours!
And here are some ideas for creating easy informal supper dishes for gatherings of family and friends during those last golden days of summer.
SPARE RIBS IN TOMATO SAUCE
If you don't possess a barbecue, then grill the spare ribs in the normal way, cooking just a bit longer, they will taste and look equally as good.
Serves 6-8.
Ingredients: 1.8kg spare ribs, 50g dark brown sugar. Salt and black pepper. 2 tsp paprika.
Method: Divide ribs and rub in sugar. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Leave for about hour. Cook directly over red-hot charcoal for about 20 minutes, turning at least once. Transfer to a double sheet of aluminium foil, add the sauce and cook for another 30-40 minutes turning frequently. For the sauce: 2 medium onions. 2 tbsp oil. 1 clove garlic. 2 tbsp tomato paste, 3 tbsp vinegar. 2 tbsp golden syrup. tsp ground ginger. 300ml chicken cube stock. Method: Peel and chop onions and saut in heated oil until clear. Peel and crush garlic and add to onion. Stir in tomato paste, vinegar, syrup and ginger. Add stock and simmer for 15 minutes.
FRANKFURTER ROLLS
A great favourite with children, and if you're having a barbecue party you can prepare the rolls well in advance ready to barbecue later on.
Ingredients: As many frankfurters as you will require and sufficient Cheddar cheese to fill them, and rashers of streaky bacon to wind round each one.
Method: Split frankfurters length-ways without cutting through completely. Cut long slivers of cheese and put inside each frankfurter. Wind a rasher of bacon round each and pin with one or more sausage sticks. Cook for 10-15 minutes on barbecue, turning more than once and serve immediately. This sauce is ideal to serve with frankfurters. Mix together tomato ketchup, H.P. sauce, a little French mustard and few drops of Worcester sauce until you have a dark red-brown consistency which tastes just right.
PHEASANT PIE
An easy dish to serve for a small supper or dinner party, and with grouse and wild duck all available this month with flavours improving, especially grouse, this recipe can be adapted to use your own choice of game.
Serves 4.
Ingredients: 1 plump pheasant. 225g bacon (streaky or back). 110g mushrooms. 1 dessertspoon cornflour. A little cold milk. Mixed herbs. Seasoning. A little good gravy or cider or both 225g puff pastry.
Method: Joint pheasant legs, wings and breast. Put rest of carcass in a little water and simmer for gravy. Cut bacon into pieces and place in a pie dish. Lay pheasant pieces on top; add mushrooms, herbs and seasoning. Cover with gravy/cider. Cover with greased paper or foil and simmer in medium oven for 1 hour at 160/170C, 325F, Gas Mark 3. Take out dish and cover with pastry, brush top with beaten egg, return to oven and cook for 190C, 375F, Gas Mark 5, until golden brown – hour. Mix cornflour with cold milk, add cupful of hot stock and allow to thicken. Season to taste. When pie is cooked, lift crust and add thickened gravy. Very good hot or cold.
RUNNER BEAN CHUTNEY
A very good chutney and a recipe which has become a perennial favourite among friends and readers, as I'm asked for it time and time again at this time of the year. You may be lucky and still picking your own runner beans, if not, they can still be bought in most supermarkets and greengrocers.
Makes about 4-5lb.
Ingredients: 900g runner beans. 4 - 5 large onions. 700g demerara sugar. 1 tbsp mustard. 1 tbsp cornflour. 1 tbsp turmeric. 900ml (1 pints) malt vinegar. 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper.
Method: Put beans and onions through mincer before cooking in salt water until tender. Drain well. Put in pan with 700ml (1 pints malt vinegar. Boil for hour. Mix cornflour, mustard, pepper and turmeric with rest of vinegar. Add to mixture with sugar and boil for 1 hour. Pot and cover.
On the fish front………. September is the best month for wild bass and flatfish, such as dab, sole, plaice and brill. Mussel and oysters come into season, while cockles and laverbread (usually obtainable in supermarkets) are at their best.
Meat: New seasons lamb. Rabbit. Grouse and hare. Partridge and pheasant.
Fruit: Apples, blackberries, damson and elderberries. Vegetables: Aubergine. Beetroot. Cabbage and carrot.
The list is endless so I have picked out some of my favourites, but your local shops and markets will offer much more!
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Weather for Sudbury
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 25 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
