October brings Halloween, the changing of the clocks and plenty of seasonal fruit and veg. Leafy kale and leeks can be added to healthy green soups and stews, while bright butternut squash adds colour to easy traybakes. Once you’ve carved your Halloween pumpkin try cooking with it too – roast in generous wedges or bake into sweet pumpkin pie. British apples and pears are also in season throughout October, so indulge a sweet tooth with crumbles and cakes galore.
Apples are one of the UK's favourite fruits and with more than 7,000 varieties we are truly spoilt for choice. Whether you love a Braeburn, Gala apples, or a Pink Lady, crisp apples are delicious when baked into pies, topped with crumble, or coated in toffee. Keep apples in the fridge or a cool dark spot in a perforated bag.
Try something savoury with a creamy parsnip and apple soup with apple crisps for an extra finishing touch. For dessert, try a seasonal autumn apple pavlova or go classic with a slow cooked apple crumble – irresistible served with custard. This tasty apple and blackberry crumble cake can be eaten square-by-square throughout the week or why not go simple and just bake your apples and top with spiced pecans.
Butternut squash is a member of the gourd family, along with pumpkins, melon and cucumber. It has a sweet, nutty taste and vibrant orange flesh. Look for squash that feel heavy for their size, with matte skin and a uniform beige-orange colouring. If stored in a cool, dry place, whole squash should keep for up to three months. Use in an autumnal spiced squash and halloumi salad, roast in a veggie sausage and squash traybake or embrace its natural sweetness in squash and cinnamon muffins.
Leeks are from the allium family like onions and garlic, but have a much sweeter, milder flavour. According to legend, seventh-century Welsh soldiers wore leeks in their hats to distinguish them from the enemy army. Ever since, the allium has been a Welsh national symbol. Choose leeks with bright green tops and trim the root and leaf tops before rinsing well to remove grit and soil. Sweet leeks are the hero of this easy, creamy one-pot leek linguine for a simple midweek meal. Give leeks a Spanish spin by griddling them whole for charred leeks served with a punchy romesco sauce.
Belonging to the squash family, the firm, sweet flesh of pumpkin works well in both savoury and sweet recipes such as pies, bakes and soups. Bring this twice-baked pumpkin to the table whole for an impressive Halloween dinner, be party ready with a pumpkin punch or slice your veg and roast into wedges with feta and thyme. To bake with pumpkin, try an all-American pumpkin and pecan pie or a spooky spiced pumpkin toffee apple cake for an irresistible showstopper dessert.
Sweet and juicy, pears are wonderfully versatile – they're delicious eaten raw, poached or roasted, and can be used in an array of sweet and savoury dishes. Choose firm fruits with unblemished skins; don't be put off by any brown speckling, as this is normal. Make sticky pear breakfast buns for a weekend treat, or bake into a rich chocolate and pear upside-down cake. To give pears a savoury spin, try this autumnal pear and broccoli soup.
You should receive an email shortly.