Autumn is a season of crisp mornings, blustery days and the warm hues of fallen leaves. Not quite gripped by the frosty chill of winter, but still a welcome relief from scorching heat of summer, this mild season offers up a feast of equally colourful fruits and veggies.

Gooseberries, grapes, granadillas and plums offer lingering summer sensations, while apples, pears, grapefruit and oranges hint at the coming winter.

The rich hues of butternut, beetroot and sweet potatoes deepen a colourful palette already filled with invigorating greens (spinach, green beans), touches of brown (mushrooms) and splashes of fiery red (chillies, sweet peppers).

Perfect culinary delights

Not surprisingly, nature has put forward the perfect culinary delights for this temperamental season. Autumn's veggies are not only colourful, they are also packed full of fibre and phytochemicals, which can aid digestion, reduce cholesterol levels and protect the body from toxins that damage cells and cause disease. These energy-giving fruits and veggies are just what your body needs to fortify itself against the coming winter.

There are many advantages to eating seasonal produce — not only is it more flavourful and nutritious (because it is harvested at its peak and not cold stored for long periods), it is also considerably cheaper. Because it is coming from farms in the region it doesn't need to travel long distances to reach you, making it more eco-friendly.

If you aren't sure what is in season check out your local farmers' market, or read the labels of origin on the food packaging in the supermarket. If it is produced locally, it is probably seasonal, but if it comes from some distant land, chances are that it is not.

For the health conscious…

Obviously, if you are health conscious, it is better to opt for organic produce as this is free of toxic pesticides. However, expect to pay a bit more — even if you are opting for the in-season items. When selecting your veggies, make sure that the green vegetables are fresh and crisp, that the roots and tubers (sweet potatoes) are firm and that bulbs (onions) are dry and mould-free.

Cooking with seasonal veggies means that you will probably have to break your routine and try some new dishes.

For inspiration, check out Marita Pieterse's 'Four Seasons: Cooking throughout the year in South Africa', a beautifully presented cookbook full of easy-to-follow seasonal recipes and useful tips.

We have borrowed a couple of her delightful recipes to whet your appetite.

Pork caramelised onions and plums

You will need:

  • 45ml olive oil

  • 2 large onions thinly sliced

  • 40g brown sugar

  • 800g pork fillet, trimmed and cut into 2cm thick slices

  • 100g cake flour, seasoned with salt and black pepper

  • 45 g butter

  • 60 ml verjuice or dry white wine

  • 400ml chicken stock

  • 15ml chopped fresh rosemary

  • 4 ripe but firm plums, cut into 2cm thick wedges

    • Method:

    Heat about 30ml oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and cook for about 10 minutes until soft. Stir in half of the brown sugar, turn up the heat and fry the onions for about three minutes until caramelised. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside.

    Dip the pork in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Add another 15ml oil and half of the butter to the pan. When the butter has melted, fry the pork over medium-high heat until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.

    Deglaze the pan with the verjuice or wine, then stir in the stock and rosemary. Return the pork to the pan and simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked through. Stir in the onions, taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Keep warm over low heat.

    Melt the remaining butter in another frying pan. When the butter starts foaming, add the plums and sprinkle over the remaining brown sugar. Turn up the heat to medium-high and fry the plums for about five minutes until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the pork to a serving dish, scatter the plums over and garnish with sprigs of rosemary. Serve with couscous and nuts or crisp potato wedges. Serves four to six.

    Roasted pepper, olive and feta tartlets

    You will need:

    For the pastry

  • 200g cake flour

  • large pinch of salt

  • 120g butter, cut into 1.5cm cubes and chilled

  • 30ml freshly grated parmesan cheese

  • 1 egg, lightly beaten with 30ml water

    • For the filling

  • 3 large peppers, red, yellow, roasted and peeled

  • 16 black olives, stoned

  • 100g feta cheese, crumbled

  • 10–12 fresh basil leaves, shredded, plus a few extra for garnishing

  • 160ml cream

  • 2 eggs

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 5ml chopped fresh thyme

  • 5ml chopped fresh rosemary

  • 35g freshly grated parmesan cheese

    • You will also need 6x10 metal tart tins, preferably loose-bottomed ones.

    Method:

    Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to blend. Add the butter and parmesan cheese, and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

    With the motor running, start adding the egg mixture and process just until the dough comes together (you may not need all of the liquid). Form the dough into a log, about 7cm in diameter, place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or freeze for 15 minutes.

    Place the pastry log on a lightly floured work surface and cut into six rounds. Roll out each round until about 4mm thick and large enough to fit the tin. Line the tins with pastry and cut off the excess. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes.

    Prick the pastry cases lightly with a fork and line with foil or non-stick baking paper. Fill with dried beans and bake at 190°C for 12 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and bake for about six minutes more until the crust is baked through and beginning to brown.

    Filling:

    Cut a quarter red and a quarter yellow pepper into thin strips and set aside, then roughly chop the rest of the peppers. Halve a few of the olives and set aside. Roughly chop the rest.

    Divide the feta between the pastry cases, followed by the chopped peppers, chopped olives and shredded basil. Whisk the cream and eggs together, season the mixture with salt and pepper, and stir in the chopped thyme and rosemary.

    Pour into the tartlet cases, arrange the reserved peppers and olives on top and sprinkle over about half of the parmesan. Bake at 180°C for about 20 minutes until golden brown and puffed, and all but the very centre is set. Remove from the oven and sprinkle over the remaining parmesan. Garnish with extra basil leaves.

    Sidebar

    Going organic in SA

    Joburg
    Bryanston Organic Market - www.bryanstonorganicmarket.co.za
    Evergreens, the fresh market – www.evergreens.co.za

    Durban
    Earthmother Organic – www.earthmother.co.za

    Cape Town
    Ganics – www.ganics.co.za
    Wild Organic Foods – www.wildorganics.co.za
    Neighbourgoods market – www.neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za

    Both Woolworths and Pick ‘n Pay have organic ranges and the online shop Organics Online (www.organicsonline.co.za) delivers organic food and products nationwide.

    Organic gardening tips

    • Stop applying all pesticides and weed killers to the soil in and around your entire garden.

    • Start your own compost heap in the corner of the garden – fill it with organic kitchen waste, cardboard, grass clippings and old leaves. Mix regularly.

    • Set-up your own vermicomposting system (worm farm) and use vermicast and vemitea instead of chemical compost and fertiliser.

    • Add mulch to the top layer of your veggie bed to keep the moisture in and suppress the weeds.

    • Keep the weeds in check by weeding your garden whenever they appear.

    • Protect your garden from pests with physical barriers such as nets and tins.

    • Plant garlic, onions or marigolds in a border around your veggie patch or in between the plants to repel bugs.

    • Learn to identify the 'bad' bugs and physically remove them from your plants.