Healthy but comforting Autumnal Eating

September is a ripe month for lush fruit and veggies bringing a harvest of juicy plums, apples, and wild blackberries. It’s also a great opportunity for making preserves with windfall fruit and late summer veggies. As the weather cools, the game season comes into its own with richer autumnal flavours too. Remember the apple pie for pudding afterwards....

October is notable for earthy mushrooms and an array of pumpkins and squashes. This month is all about coming home to comforting winter warming meals – rich meaty casseroles and game roasts. From further afield, now’s the best time to buy succulent Mediterranean figs and enjoy them with wedges of cheese. Time for a breather before the Christmas cooking begins...

Berry Gratin Ingredients

• 500ml milk
• 1 vanilla pod, splitlengthways
• 8 eggs
• 150g caster sugar
• 75g plain flour
• splash lemon juice
• splash rum, eau de vie, or
• Brandy
• 450 g berry fruits eg blackberries/raspberries

1. Put the milk in a saucepan. Scrape in the vanilla seeds and add the pod into the pan, heat through gently and set aside to infuse for 10-15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve and discard the vanilla pod.

2. Separate six of the eggs, setting aside the whites for later. Whisk the yolks and half the sugar together in a bowl until pale and creamy. Tip in the flour and stir to make a smooth paste, then whisk in the warm milk until well combined.

3. Return the mixture to a saucepan and heat gently, stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes, or until thickened. Add a splash of rum, brandy or eau de vie and set aside.

4. Preheat the grill to high.

5. Separate the remaining two eggs (reserve the egg yolks for another recipe) and whisk all of the egg whites together in a large clean bowl. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and whisk until the volume of the whites treble in size. Add the rest of the sugar and continue to whisk until the whites form soft, glossy peaks.

6. Gently fold the meringue into the milk mixture.

7. Scatter the summer fruits into a gratin dish and spoon over the meringue mixture. Place under the grill for 4-5 minutes, or until the gratin is golden-brown and the mixture does not move when the dish is gently shaken.

8. Serve straight from the gratin dish.