September

Damsons and plums

Damsons are blue-black fruit which look like small plums. Wild varieties are extremely tart, and so are best relegated to being made into jams. On the other hand, modern cultivated damsons (such as the Merryweather variety) can be eaten raw when ripe, although there is about as much stone as there is flesh.

They are best cooked, which brings out their sweet, spicy flavour, and used in pies and crumbles, jams, jellies, ice cream, fools and sorbets. An old English recipe using damsons is damson cheese, which is a rich confection of fruit, potted and aged before eating. Many home-brewers are eager to harvest the fruit to make damson 'wine', too.

Damsons are at their plentiful best this month. Any remaining fruit can be used to create that Christmas classic, damson gin. It needs at least three months to mature, so it will be done just in time for a festive tipple.

• Damson cobbler by Rick Stein
• Lamb steak with damson chutney by Antony Worrall Thompson
• Stewed damsons with shortbread biscuit and grown-up custard by Richard Phillips
• Damsons with white wine custard by Simon Thomas
• Pheasant with potato rosti, onion rings and damson sauce by James Tanner
• Quick duck confit with damson and juniper relish by Sophie Grigson
• Search for more damson recipes

Blackberries

Blackberries (of which there are more than 2,000 varieties) can be gathered as soon as they ripen from red fruit into dark, plump berries and can be eaten fresh (they only keep for a short time) or preserved into excellent jelly or jam.

The rich, deep, purple-black tones of the blackberry make an attractive addition to desserts as well as savoury dishes; they are delicious in pies, crumbles, ice cream, fools and summer puddings. They are a natural partner for the first of the cooking apples - blackberry and apple jam and crumble are popular recipes. The slight acidity of blackberries is an excellent foil for rich or gamey meat such as venison, lamb or pheasant.

In earlier years, it was considered unlucky to pick blackberries after Michaelmas (September 29), a time after which it was thought the devil himself had stamped or spat on the berries. But don’t let that stop you from brambling (the term used for picking blackberries) - though, coincidentally, blackberries are past their best after this time because of the cooler and wetter weather by month's end.

• Pear and blackberry upside down pudding by Good Food Magazine
• Blackberry and ricotta cheesecake in a tart case by Stephen Terry
• Blackberry butter by Bill Granger
• Blackberry and apple strudel by Antony Worrall Thompson
• Blackberry-filled brandy snaps by Simon Rimmer
• Loin of venison with a blackberry and sloe gin glaze served with clapshot rosti and parsnip crisps by Si King
• Blackberry lassi by Anjum Anand
• Apple tart with blackberry sorbet by Simon Rimmer
• Sloe gin and blackberry jelly by Valentine Warner
• Warm blackberries with cheat’s brown bread ice cream by James Martin
• Search for more blackberry recipes

Autumn lamb

Autumn lamb tends to have more flavour than spring lamb owing to the maturity of the meat. The lambs, having fed on sweet summer grass, have richer and sweeter meat with a slightly darker hue. It is the perfect partner to other autumnal produce such as orchard fruit and root vegetables, such as turnips.

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. Cook lamb chops as-is, simply pan-fried or grilled; bigger cuts can be slow-cooked into melting tenderness in stews and tagines. Minced lamb meat can be made into koftas, mixed with plenty of fragrant spices, onions and egg.

Generally, the intense flavour of autumn lamb is a good match for equally strong seasonings and aromatics. Along with the usual garlic, rosemary, thyme and oregano favoured in British and French kitchens, paprika is a Portuguese and Spanish staple while anchovies feature in many Italian lamb preparations. In North African and Iranian cookery, acidic fruits such as dried apricots, quinces and preserved lemons are used to cut through the rich fattiness of lamb. And of course, in England, mint sauce has long been the traditional accompaniment, with its usage dating back to the mid-19th century.

• Butterflied leg of lamb with sherry and honey (video recipe) by Mike Robinson from Get Cooking
• Slow-roast lamb with chickpea mash by Nigel Slater
• Lamb steamed with preserved lemon and cumin by Sam and Sam Clark
• Butterflied lamb with romesco sauce served with virgin paella by Bill Granger
• Lamb steak with damson chutney by Antony Worrall Thompson
• Prosciutto-wrapped lamb cutlets with green beans and parsnip ribbons by Donna Hay
• Roast shoulder of lamb with honey and herbs by Valentine Warner
• Lamb and fenugreek dumpling stew by Anjum Anand
• Spicy grilled Moroccan lamb chops with a bulgar wheat salad by Mike Robinson
• Lamb, shallot and date tagine by Paul Merrett
• Search for more lamb recipes

Apples

Apples were among the first fruits to be cultivated in the world, and now there are more than 7,000 varieties. Worcester Pearmains, Bramleys, Discoveries, Early Windsors and Cox’s Orange Pippins should all be making an appearance this month. Some of these are available in supermarkets, but searching out local growers and visiting orchards will give you an even wider choice and the apples should be at their freshest. Seek out apples that are firm, with smooth and unblemished skin.

Early on in the season, sweet and fragrant apples such as Discovery and Beauty of Bath are brightly coloured and juicy; later varieties such as Blenheim Orange, D’Arcy Spice and Ashmead’s Kernel are nuttier, drier in texture and fuller-bodied in flavour.

Use Bramleys in pies and crumbles, or bake them whole with some brown sugar, butter and spices. Recipes such as American apple pie, tarte tatin, apple strudel and apple crumble are all dishes that make use of the humble apple’s ability to create sweet, comforting flavours when cooked.

Slices of caramelised apple also go wonderfully with meat, especially pork. In fact, the practice of using apples to offset the richness of fatty meats is well documented in Apicius, the classical cookery book from the Roman Empire, where there is a recipe for diced pork with apples.

• Chunky apple crumble (video recipe) by Lesley Waters from Get Cooking
• Apple and elderflower cobber by Simon Rimmer
• Baked apples with dried cherries, cinnamon and orange zest by Bill Granger
• Walnut and apple-stuffed rolled loin of pork with roasted honey and walnut parsnips by James Martin
• Cinnamon and apple French toast by John Burton Race
• Pandhi curry (Coorg-style pork stir fry) with apple and fennel raita by Vivek Singh
• Hot apple tart by Michael Caines
• Cumbrian veal with lobster and Cox's Orange Pippin apple by Aiden Byrne
• Apple, cider and onion soup by David Myers and Simon King
• Stuffed pork loin with chorizo, thyme and caramelised apple stuffing by Thomasina Miers
• Apple and blueberry brown betty by Simon Rimmer
• Search for more apple recipes

Figs

This striking fruit, with its fresh green or deep purple skin and vibrant deep pink flesh, is a wonderful addition to the autumnal table. It tends to grow in warmer climes, such as the Mediterranean where it is most bountiful; however the fig was first cultivated in Egypt, or possibly Arabia. The Romans, too, would eat large amounts of this fruit, fresh or dried.

While dried figs are readily available all year round, take advantage of fresh figs at this time of year and use them to complement both sweet and savoury dishes.

When buying figs, it's worth noting that they do not ripen after picking so choose the best fruits you can. Look for figs with rich colouring, and those that are plump and yield slightly to pressure. Smell is important too - avoid any figs that have begun to smell slightly sour. Figs have an extremely short shelf life, so eat them as soon as possible, or store them in the fridge for a few days.

Eat figs on their own with cheese, or slice into wedges and caramelise lightly before tossing in salads with bitter leaves. Figs naturally have a high sugar content, making it an ideal match for equally intense ingredients, such as salty prosciutto - a classic Italian combination. Another delicious recipe is to bake them until tender and drizzle with honey and crème fraîche or yoghurt, or poach them in alcohol and serve with cream.

• Poached figs with coffee zabaglione and vanilla mascarpone cream by Ed Baines
• Greek yoghurt 'panna cotta' and Provencal black figs with heather honey by Stephen Terry
• Ham, cheese and fig skewers by Maria Elia
• Pork loin with figs and balsamic dressing by Simon Rimmer
• Pan-fried figs with black pepper yoghurt by Jill Dupleix
• Black fig and chilli tagliatelli by Si King
• Fresh fig puff with lavender ice cream by Robbie Miller
• Baked Roquefort with figs and balsamic onions by Simon Rimmer
• Search for more fig recipes

Partridge

There are two main types of partridge available in Britain: the native grey partridge and the red-legged partridge. The former has delicate and tender flesh which, when young, is pale and full of flavour. It's a small bird, so a whole one feeds one person. Red-legged partridge, originally from southern Europe, is a larger bird with a milder flavour. Partridge is best hung for a few days (the more it's hung the more gamey the meat becomes), with young birds benefiting from a shorter hanging time. Any good game dealer or butcher will sell partridge ready to cook.

Don't be afraid to keep it simple when it comes to partridge - young partridge, simply grilled or roasted and served with a light gravy from the cooking juices, is a delicious dish that only needs sweet, roasted autumn vegetables, or traditional game chips (very thinly sliced potato crisps), as an accompaniment.

Don't treat partridge as you would a chicken - these birds need far less time in the oven, and are best served pink and juicy. However older birds, as a rule of thumb, benefit from slower braising and stewing (try classic combinations such as bacon, with a side of Savoy cabbage) to make the most of their intense, rich and robust flavour.

• Salmi of pheasant (or partridge, or guinea fowl) with roast chestnuts by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
• Pot-roasted partridge with cabbage and chestnuts by Rick Stein
• Roasted partridge with caramelised butternut squash and green herb sauce by Brian Turner
• Peanut and dried mango-crusted partridge with curry leaf and tomato quinoa by Vivek Singh
• Search for more partridge recipes

Sweetcorn

By late summer young, tender sweetcorn starts to appear in the shops and markets. At their best, the husks should be green and fresh and the tassel at the end should be fine and silky, not dry and browned. For the best flavour, sweetcorn should be eaten as soon as it's picked, a bit of a tall order unless you grow it yourself or go to a pick-your-own farm. Eaten when really fresh, you will enjoy the sweetness of the kernels which should be plump and juicy and full of flavour.

Sweetcorn should be cooked in boiling water with a little sugar but not salt, which can can make the kernels tough. After cooking, season the cobs with salt and freshly ground black pepper pepper and serve with lots of melted butter. Alternatively, cut the kernels straight off the cob and use in a recipe for a spicy salsa, with heaps of chilli, coriander and lime juice, or simmer in stock with chicken or crabmeat for a sweet Chinese-style soup. Liven up brunch with sweetcorn fritters, popular both in America and Australia, and serve with a zesty lime mayonnaise, tomato salsa or rashers of crisp bacon.

• Pot roast pheasant with sweetcorn mash by Sophie Grigson
• Sweetcorn fritters with homemade tomato ketchup by Simon Rimmer
• Sweetcorn and crab soup with sweetcorn beignets by James Martin
• Mini burgers in sesame buns with a sweetcorn and mango relish by Andy Campbell
• Tortilla chips with spicy yoghurt dip and corn salsa by Gino D'Acampo
• Smoked cockles on a bed of creamed corn and lemon salad by Kevin Dundon
• Search for more sweetcorn recipes

Wood pigeon

The beginning of September marks the start of the wood pigeon season, when these plump birds become widely available at game dealers, farmers' markets and even some supermarkets. After a summer of feasting on corn and other cereal crops, the birds should have a sweet, nutty flavour that makes it perfect for autumn eating.

When buying wood pigeon, look for meat that is deep-coloured and relatively clear of damage from shot. Young birds are the best for roasting to ensure tender meat, which is dark, very rich and gamey. Alternatively, pan-fry the breasts until they are golden-brown but still slightly pink in the middle and serve with garlicky mashed potato. Tender slices of pan-fried wood pigeon also go well with bitter salad leaves or chicory.

Older birds get tougher with age and are best braised slowly with vegetables, or used for stock. The richness of the flesh is complemented by other strong flavours, such as gin, brandy and port, and by dried fruit, such as prunes, and it's good served with braised red cabbage, lentils or cabbage and bacon. You can also try marinating wood pigeon with robust spices and herbs, such as thyme, bay leaf or parsley, along with a fruity red wine to add extra tenderness.

• Warm salad of wood pigeon, lardons, potatoes and walnut oil dressing by Neil Forbes
• Breast of wood pigeon with sweet potato rosti, buttered cabbage and a red wine sauce by Aldo Zilli
• Warm wood pigeon tart, rocket salad and goats’ buttermilk sorbet with wild garlic dressing by Noel McMeel
• Pigeon pie with sour green tiger tomato pickle and Cumberland sauce by Mark Broadbent
• Warm salad of pigeon, roast chicory and pickled walnuts by Valentine Warner
• Search for more pigeon recipes

Also in season

1. artichoke
2. aubergines
3. beetroot
4. blueberries
5. broad beans
6. broccoli
7. butternut squash
8. carrots
9. celery
10. chestnuts
11. clams
12. clementines
13. cod
14. courgettes
15. crab
16. cranberries
17. cucumber
18. Dover sole
19. duck
20. elderberries
21. elderflowers
22. fennel
23. French beans
24. garlic
25. grapes
26. grey mullet
27. grouse
28. guinea fowl
29. haddock
30. halibut
31. herring
32. John Dory
33. kale
34. kohlrabi
35. leeks
36. lemon sole
37. lobster
38. mackerel
39. mangetout
40. marrrow
41. melons
42. monkfish
43. nectarines
44. onions
45. parsnips
46. peaches
47. pears
48. peas
49. peppers
50. plaice
51. potatoes (main crop)
52. radishes
53. rabbit
54. raspberries
55. rocket
56. runner beans
57. salmon
58. sardines
59. sea bass
60. scallops
61. sorrel
62. squid
63. tomatoes
64. turbot
65. venison
66. walnuts
67. watercress
68. wild mushrooms