AUTUMN is coming fast and it is a wonderful time to really make an effort to buy British fruit and veg. I gave myself a real treat this week driving up to Enfield and finding a gem of a farm growing a huge choice for pick your own.
Usually my experience is, if you find one of these farms the choice is restricted, but in this case there were wonderful fields of beetroot, French beans, onions, sweetcorn, spinach, courgettes, squash, Swiss chard, raspberries and strawberries.
The joy of picking your own is that you can gather up small courgettes with the flowers still on the ends or baby spinach leaves or tender young sweetcorn which are almost impossible to find in shops. Another real bonus here is that the strawberries are grown at waist level so no bending down.
It won’t be open for many more weeks – probably only until the middle of October – so hurry up and get out there now.
Why not go and ask friends for their orders so that the goodies can be shared around, it makes such a lovely relaxing outing on a sunny day.
n Parkside Farm, Hadley Road, Enfield. Call 020 8367 2035.
Closed Mondays.

Courgette Fritters
This is such a treat and with tender small courgettes and their flowers if you can get them there is not much to beat this dish. If you have the flowers you could put a small teaspoon of the Greek yoghurt into the flowers and then fry separately until golden brown and crisp.
I would make the dip earlier so that the flavours marry together well.
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
450g small courgettes, hopefully with flowers;
50g flour;
A little fresh grated
nutmeg;
Salt and freshly ground black pepper;
Olive oil for frying;
Two eggs, beaten;
85g fine breadcrumbs;
One tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
For the dip
One clove of garlic, peeled and crushed;
150ml Greek yoghurt;
One tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped.

Method
Quarter the courgettes lengthways. Mix the flour, nutmeg, salt and pepper on a plate and then cover each courgette piece.
This can be done in a plastic bag containing the flour and then gently shaken with the courgettes inside.
Mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan together. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot. Check by dropping a little breadcrumb into the fat and see if it sizzles. When the temperature is right then take a few courgette pieces and dip into the beaten egg and then coat with breadcrumbs.
Gently slip into the oil and fry for about five minutes or until golden brown and then remove and drain on kitchen paper.
Repeat until all courgettes and flowers, if using,, are cooked. Serve immediately. To make the dip, mix all the ingredients together and chill in a covered serving bowl.

French Bean Salad
Again using freshly picked French beans straight from a farm is a whole different ball game from buying beans in a super market that have almost certainly been flown half way round the world. Most people top and tail beans but I only take the top off and leave the tail end for eating. You make your choice!
Serves 4-6

Ingredients
350g French beans, tops removed;
One tablespoon of Olive oil;
One vine tomato, chopped;
One clove of garlic, peeled and crushed;
Half a teaspoon of cumin;
One tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped;
Salt and pepper;
One tablespoon Crème Fraiche.

Method
Cook the beans in salted boiling water for about five minutes or until almost done but still slightly crisp. Drain thoroughly. Put the olive oil in a saucepan with the tomato, garlic and cumin.
Stir over a medium heat for about three minutes and then add the coriander, salt and pepper and the crème fraiche. Stir together and then add the beans. Serve warm.

Clare’s Kitchen
41 Chalcot Road
Primrose Hill, NW1
Tel: 020 7586 8433
www.clareskitchen.co.uk