August's foods in season and what to cook with them
These are August's best ingredients and 20 great dishes to make with them.
Summer foods really shine in August, with the last of the berries, the best tomatoes and green vegetables such as courgettes and beans. August also brings the chance to eat outdoors (weather permitting), which means it's the perfect time to fire up the barbecue or head out for a picnic.
Vegetables
It's peak season for salad ingredients such as beetroot, celery, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes and watercress, and the fields are packed full of juicy sweetcorn ready to be harvested. There are also plenty of broad beans, courgettes, green beans, marrows, peas, peppers, runner beans and spinach.
Even if you've only got room for a window box, you can have a go at growing some basil. For something a bit more unusual, seek out globe artichokes. Cabbages (both red and savoy), carrots and cauliflower are also around.
Try...
Sweetcorn fritters with Greek yoghurt
Beetroot and goat's cheese tart
Barbecued sweetcorn with chipotle mayo dressing
Feta, spinach and caramelised onion omelette
Carrot, courgette and halloumi salad
loveFOOD/Waitrose
Meat
The game season begins on the 12th with grouse, and you also might find good rabbit and pigeon. Don't forget there's lamb, particularly the salt marsh variety, and a wide array of year-round meats perfect for the barbecue.
Try...
Grilled lamb with tomatoes and feta
Pork steaks with barbecue sauce
Teriyaki-style pan-fried wood pigeon
Lamb loin with chocolate port sauce
loveFOOD/Gary Kingshott
Seafood
There's an abundance of seafood to cook with in August. Catches of the month include cod, coley, crab, dab, sole, mackerel, plaice, pollock and sea bass.
Try...
Mackerel with citrus mustard dressing
Pollock with cheddar and herb crust
loveFOOD/Tom Aikens
Fruit
August is the time to enjoy juicy peaches and plums. Make the most of blueberries, cherries, raspberries and strawberries while you can, and start to look out for plump, sweet blackberries – both in the supermarkets and the hedgerows. Towards the end of the month, you may be able to find early-ripening apple varieties such as Bramley.
Try...
Raspberry, lemon and yoghurt loaf
Peach, prosciutto and mozzarella salad
Lucas Hollweg/Harper Collins
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