It can be difficult to remember exactly when each variety of fruit and veg come into season, especially when we now import so much produce from all over the world so that we always have a massive variety available, such as pineapples and mangoes, which typically don’t grow well in our changeable UK climate! But why not help to celebrate British farmers by being ready to buy their produce when it is in optimum condition? Not only will this help to boost British businesses, but if everybody had the attitude of cooking using seasonal ingredients then our reliance on foreign imports will go down, therefore avoiding catastrophes like the great iceburg lettuce shortage of 2017… so let’s educate ourselves!
Summer time is when the best of British food comes into season! Between June and August, you will be able to find the freshest, ripest fruit and vegetables which include the following…
Fruit: Blueberries, Currants, Elderflowers, Plums, Raspberries, Strawberries and Tayberries (a cross between a blackberry and a red raspberry).
Vegetables: Aubergine, Beetroot, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Courgettes, Cucumber, Fennel, Fresh Peas, Garlic, Green Beans, Lettuce and Salad Leaves, New Potatoes, Radishes, Rocket, Runner Beans, Salad Onions, Sorrel, Tomatoes and Watercress.
Seasonal Fruit And Veg Recipes
Why not make the most of these delicious, fresh ingredients by learning some new recipes that will instantly become family favourites and staples in your house?
Sausage, Fennel and Rocket Fusilli
You can easily create this Italian-inspired meal at home, but using classic British ingredients! This delicious dish contains not one, not two, but three seasonal vegetables: fennel, rocket and garlic. Fennel and pork taste amazing together, with the creamy, mustard sauce giving it that cosy, home cooked feel. As long as you know how to boil pasta, then this should be a doddle!
Ingredients: fusilli pasta, pork sausages, garlic cloves, red chilli, fennel seeds, double cream, wholegrain mustard, grated parmesan and rocket leaves.
Source: BBC Good Food.
Plum and Almond Crumble Slice
This easy traybake is the perfect thing to whip up on a Sunday afternoon with the kids. The perfect sweet treat to enjoy with a cup of tea in the evenings or to serve up en-masse at a children’s birthday party.
Ingredients: butter, caster sugar, ground almonds, plain flour, eggs, cinnamon, baking powder, plums and flaked almonds.
Source: BBC Good Food.
Ultimate Carrot Cake
The history of carrot cake goes back to medieval Europe, but enjoyed a revival of popularity in Britain during World War 2 after people had to get creative with their cooking due to rationing. The freshly grated carrot in carrot cake is what gives it that distinctive moistness and sweetness. As well as full fat, full sugar versions of this cake, you can also find healthier, sugar-free or gluten-free recipes with just a few clicks searching online – perfect for if you’re trying to cut back your sugar content or are on a diet!
Ingredients: sunflower oil, self raising flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon, mixed spice, ground ginger, light brown muscovado sugar, satsuma zest, pecans, carrots, eggs, butter, full fat cream cheese, icing sugar, oranges and caster sugar.
Source: Delicious Magazine.
Roasted Aubergines with Lemon Breadcrumbs
For a quick and easy vegetarian dinner, you can’t go wrong with roasted aubergines (or eggplants to our American cousins). It only takes around 40 minutes to make from scratch and contains 7 types of vegetables, including seasonal aubergines, garlic and salad leaves!
Ingredients: aubergines, olive oil, onions, garlic cloves, chopped tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh breadcrumbs, lemons, mozzarella cheese and salad leaves.
Source: Delicious Magazine.
Parsnip Beetroot Gratin
This tangy, earthy side dish is the perfect accompaniment to a lamb roast dinner, with the rosemary and garlic seasoning perfectly complementing the tender meat. It does take a bit of time to prepare and cook, but it’s super simple and super tasty!
Ingredients: unsalted butter, parsnips, beetroots, double cream, crème fraîche, garlic cloves, rosemary and oranges.
Source: Jamie Oliver.
Tomato Bruschetta
This classic Italian starter dish is one that celebrates the best of fruit and veg ingredients that only need minimal cooking and extra flavouring to make them great. The fresh, clean taste of tomato and garlic is one that you just won’t be able to get enough of! Whilst you can use simple sliced baguette as a base, we recommend pushing the boat out and using a rustic bloomer loaf or even homemade bread for a more authentic Italian experience.
Ingredients: sliced rustic bread, ripe tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, garlic cloves, basil leaves, salt and pepper.
Source: Great Italian Chefs.
Blueberry Coconut Ice Pops
These sweet ice lollies are free of refined sugar and are dairy free, making them a guilt free indulgence. They’re the perfect refreshment on a sunny summers day and can be enjoyed by both children and adults alike!
Ingredients: blueberries, water, maple syrup, coconut milk and almond milk.
Source: The Little Epicurean.
Or if you want to preserve your fruit and veg for longer, there’s always the option of pickling!
If you want to save some of your fresh ingredients for use later in the year, or simply want to make them more tangy for use in making chutneys and side dishes, then pickling is the way forward. Pickling is the culinary art of placing your veg in an airtight pickling jar along with salted brine or vinegar, where is preserved and fermented until you want to eat it. However it’s not only veg that you can pickle; pickled fruit tastes fantastic when served with meat, examples being pickled apples and pork or pickled tomato on top of a beef burger.
If you want to try your hand at pickling fruit and veg, we’ve got a great selection of glass pickle jars that you can use, such as the ones shown below.
You can buy any of our pickle jars with or without a twist-off lid depending on your preference, which come in a variety of designs including gold, silver, black and red gingham. Browse our whole pickle jar collection by clicking here.