September - cauliflowers fluffy and cabbages green
September
September is the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness and marks the end of the growing season and the arrival of harvest time. Officially harvest in the UK is the Sunday nearest the harvest moon that occurs closest to the autumn equinox. For many though, its vaguely in September and always at the mercy of the weather!
High up in Exmoor, where we farm, there isn't a lot of arable farming as the ground and moorland is often inaccessible and therefore more suited to livestock, however, there are great swathes of our home county devoted to wheat, barley and their friends. It is the farmers of these crops that are currently out at all hours harvesting the grains that will make our bread and flavour our beers; or plucking shiny apples from laden trees to make the Somerset cider that our county is so famous for.
Harvest can mean so much for many; it is heartwarming to see that it still forms an important part of the school curriculum. I always ‘have something in my eye’ when my daughter loudly sings ‘cauliflowers fluffy and cabbages green’ and the children offer up their freshly picked produce, cans of beans and jars of sweet homemade jams. Our vicar does an outstanding job of ensuring not only that the children know where their food comes from, but also that the food shared by the community will be sent to the local food banks to help those in need.
At home, harvest time is about preserving what we have grown in the kitchen garden during the summer. My mother taught me at a young age how to make jam using the damsons and apples from the trees in the garden, that we weren’t allowed to climb but always did, leaving the floor festooned with windfalls. Over the coming days I shall be busy blanching and freezing, jamming and chutneying, and my new obsession, fermenting. However, this months recipe isn’t at all about preserving but rather a tribute to some of Somerset’s finest offerings - apples and pears.
Harvest is about celebrating mother nature and the communities we live in, so raise your glass of fresh Somerset cider and share a slice of this Somerset apple and pear tart with friends and family.
Cheers to you all and wishing you a bountiful harvest time.
Somerset Apple and pear custard tart
A simple tart to be shared with friends and neighbours this harvest time, using Somerset’s ubiquitous apples and pears. I’ve used a mixture of heritage apples and pears, but most British apples or pears will work. Enjoy with a cold glass of scrumpy.
For the pastry
125g softened, salted butter
75g icing sugar
3 egg yolks
250g plain flour
30ml cold water
Mix the butter and sugar together until combined and beat in 2 of the egg yolks. Rub the flour in until you have a crumb. Slowly add the water, you may not need it all, and bring the dough together. Without over working, lightly knead the pastry until it is smooth (this takes less than a minute). Wrap the dough in cling-film and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out the pastry to fit a 24cm tart tin, prick the bottom of the pastry case with a fork and refrigerate again for 20 minutes. Cover the bottom of the case with baking paper and fill with baking beans; bake at 160 degrees for 15 minutes, after this time remove the beans and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes. 2 minutes before the end of cooking, egg wash the case with the remaining yolk, creating a barrier so your pastry won’t go soggy when the fruit is added.
For the Filling
2 apples, 2 pears peeled, cored, sliced and added to acidulated water (lemon water)
15ml Somerset apple brandy
10g caster sugar
15g salted butter
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
For the custard
1 egg
40g caster sugar
100ml double cream
Icing sugar
Gently warm the brandy, butter, sugar and thyme until melted.
Arrange the apples and pears in the tart case. Gently brush the butter, sugar, brandy mixture over the apples. Bake in the oven for 5 minutes at 180 degrees.
For the custard, mix the egg, sugar and cream together until smooth. Pour over the tart and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden and just still wobbling.
Leave to cool if you can, slice and serve with a dollop of cream and lots of harvest gratitude.
