What’s In Season This August In The UK?

Our plant-based columnist Bettina Campolucci Bordi shares her musings on August’s foodie scene – from the best seasonal fruits and veggies to cook with, to her all-time favourite summer recipe.

Bettina’s Guide To Seasonal Cooking: August

Hello August, and a warm welcome to summer (finally). The sun’s warm rays lifts everyone’s mood noticeably, making everything a bit more magical, especially in one of my favourite cities in the world, London. The capital truly comes alive in the summer, with filled parks and bustling overflowing pubs. I’ve been relishing the outdoor dining scene, visiting my beloved farmers’ market, and indulging in an endless supply of fresh tomatoes and berries. 

We have lots of local produce to choose from this month. August marks the real beginning of the harvest season, opening up space in the vegetable plots for new growth. Heat-loving crops like cucumbers and chillies are thriving, along with aubergines and peppers, now bountiful in British greenhouses. It’s a great time to sow seeds for lettuce, kale, and spinach to extend their growing into early autumn. 

If you’re not keen on planting more vegetables, consider sowing green manure to enrich your soil through the winter, or perhaps start planting a wildflower meadow to enjoy next year. So many options! As for dining, August resonates with the love of BBQs. This is a wonderful time to showcase not only traditional meats but also the array of British produce at its absolute peak. Grill to your heart’s content, and enjoy the outdoors as much as you possibly can. 

Seasonal Fruits & Veggies: August

• Aubergines
• Beetroot
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Carrots
• Celery
• Chard
• Courgettes and summer squash
• Cucumbers
• Fennel
• French beans
• Lettuce and other salad leaves
• Peas and mangetout
• Peppers and chilies
• Plums
• Potatoes
• Raspberries
• Runner beans
• Spring onions
• Sweetcorn
• Tomatoes

Recipe: Charred Aubergines & Pineapple Salsa

One of my personal highlights is transforming aubergines into delicious dishes. Whether it’s charred whole for a smoky dip, sliced and marinated with spicy harissa oil, or grilled with a savoury sauce, aubergines can convert any sceptic when cooked right. Served with a refreshing pineapple salsa, they become irresistibly delicious. 

Whether you love or hate aubergines (eggplants), this is the way to eat them. Scoring the aubergines allows the marinade to cover all surfaces and the pineapple salsa just makes this dish sing!

Ingredients:

• 2 large aubergines (eggplants)
• Salt

For the marinade

• 60 ml (2 fl oz/1⁄4 cup) tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• pinch of chilli (hot pepper) flakes

For the pineapple salsa

• 1/2 small to medium pineapple, skin and core removed
• 1⁄2 red onion, cubed
• 30 g (1 oz) coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1⁄2 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Prepare and heat up the barbecue.
2. Cut the aubergines into quarters lengthwise, then use a sharp knife to score across the flesh widthways every 5 mm (1⁄4 in), without cutting through the skin, to create a ‘hedgehog’ effect.
3. Rub salt all over the aubergines, then set aside for 30 minutes while you prepare everything else. You will notice that the salt draws liquid from the flesh.
4. Meanwhile, mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl until well combined. Set aside.
5. Next make the pineapple salsa by chopping the pineapple into very small cubes and adding to a bowl. Mix in the onion, coriander, lime juice, chilli, olive oil and salt, and then set aside. After 30 minutes, wash or brush the salt from the aubergines, then pour the marinade over them, making sure it covers all the flesh, including right inside the scored areas.
6. Cook the aubergines on the barbecue for about 10–15 minutes until they are nicely charred on the outside and soft on the inside. Serve with the pineapple salsa on the side.