What’s in Season for the Month of June

Eating seasonally and when possible locally, suggests eating food that is at its prime in terms of taste and nutritional contents, while at the same time cutting down on those food miles.
Every month, I hope to publish on my blog a guide to what's in season the main points are going to be about fresh and locally produced (specifically British) foodstuffs.

What’s in Season for the Month of June

June is here and the sun is warm, our thoughts turn to lighter foods, picnics and barbeques, and out comes the salad bowl and servers, it’s time to fill your basket with herbs and tender young veggies our diminutive balcony garden is now giving us a steady supply of Rocket, Radishes, Baby Salad Leaves, Mint and Parsley

Fruit

Apricots, Blueberries, Cherries, Elderflowers, Gooseberries, Kiwi Fruit, Lemons, Oranges, Passion Fruit, Raspberries, Strawberries

Vegetables

Artichoke, Asparagus, Aubergine, Broad Beans, Broccoli, Carrots, Courgettes, Cucumber, Fennel, Jersey Royal New Potatoes, Kohlrabi, Lettuces & Salad Leaves, Mangetout, Mushrooms (Cultivated), Mushrooms (Wild), New Potatoes, Onions, Peas, Potatoes (Main Crop), Radishes, Rhubarb, Rocket, Runner Beans, Samphire, Spinach, Spring Onions, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watercress, Wild Nettles

Herbs etc.

Basil, Chervil, Chives, Coriander, Dill, Elderflowers, Mint, Nasturtium, Oregano, Parsley (Curly), Parsley (Flat-Leaf), Rosemary, Sage, Sorrel, Tarragon

Meat

Beef, Chicken, Lamb, Pork, Rabbit, Wood Pigeon

Fish and Seafood

Cockles, Cod, Coley, Conger Eel, Crab, Haddock, Herring, John Dory, Langoustine, Lobster, Mackerel, Plaice, Pollack, Prawns, Salmon, Sardines, Sea Trout, Shrimp, Whitebait

From Abel and Cole
We have been getting Apples (Topaz from Paul and Sara Ward in Kent, Fairtrade Bananas, Carrots (from Donald Morton of Bagthorpe Farm, on the edges of the Sandringham estate in Norfolk), Cucumbers (from Adrian Izzard in Cambridgeshire), Jersey Royal Potatoes, and Little Gem lettuce, Red Onions, Tomatoes and Oranges.


On The Market Stall In Tachbrook Street

They are showing Jersey Royals at £1 per pound so get them while they are still available, the new season Primo Cabbage is very tasty as are the Brae burn Apples, British asparagus, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflowers, Celery, New Season Cherries, Courgettes, Dill, Garlic, Lambs Lettuce and onions plus all the usual suspects and the majority are from the British Isles.

Spanish nectarines and peaches are in good supply, both yellow fleshed and white. English greens also come into their own at this time of year.

Our Local Fishmonger

Has been getting in has been getting in Line Caught Mackerel, Live Cornish Crab, Dressed Cornish Crab, Cornish Crab Claws, Live Cornish Lobsters. Also, from Cornwall and the South West Coast, he has Pollack, Large Skate Wings, Cornish Chins, Cuttlefish, and Red Mullet and from the South Coast, he had in some Wild Black Bream.

His display of fish was a vision and you could see Razor Clams, Scallops, Monk Fish, John Dory (one of my favourites), Megrim Sole, Sea Trout, Brill, Hake, Gurnards (Cornish), Langoustine’s from Scotland and Wild Scottish Halibut.
Almost all Jon’s fish is from around the Cornish, Devon and Scottish coasts


My Favouite Recipe for June Is;


Baby Cos and Beetroot Salad with Soft Boiled Egg

A light tasty start to any meal a modern variation on Egg Mayonnaise

Serves / Makes: 4

Prep-Time:

Cook-Time: 15 minutes

You Will Need;

4 Medium, Free Range Eggs

½ Cup, Mayonnaise,

2 Teaspoons, Dijon Mustard,

2 whole, Baby Cos (Romaine) Lettuce, The leaves washed and sorted. Iced/Little Gem lettuce is ok to use.

4 Whole, Baby Beetroot (Beets), Cut into 2cm chunks

2 Tablespoons, Snipped Chives,

Crusty Bread to Serve,

Method:

Place the eggs in a saucepan of cold water over a high heat, bring to the boil, and then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3½ minutes.

Remove the eggs and cool slightly, peel carefully, then set to one side.

Place the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard in a bowl, then add 1/3 cup (80ml) of boiling water. Whisk to make a loose dressing, adding a little more water, if needed.

Divide the cos lettuce between 4 serving bowls and top with the cooked beetroot, carefully halve the soft-boiled eggs and position them on top of the beetroot, drizzle with the mustard dressing, season with some freshly ground black pepper and garnish with the chopped chives, serve with crusty bread.