The seasonal foods are healthier, cheaper and more environmentally friendly, but … what foods are in season in October?
In October we say goodbye to summer fruit, but in return the pomegranates, grapes and custard apples are at their most delicious.
You can still find in some greengrocers and orchards some fresh quinces with which to make the delicious quince jelly that reminds you of those snacks from your childhood.
Of course the time comes for chestnuts , so appreciated at the Magosto festival and which is the protagonist of numerous blog recipes.
It is time for mushrooms and risotto . The combination of rice and mushrooms is glorious, you can cook a delicious mushroom risotto , but also prepare stews with mushrooms , scrambled or even cakes .
The Boletus Edulis are at their best, I encourage you to go to the bush for mushrooms . An unforgettable experience.
What to eat in October?
More and more vegetables are available, because during the cold months they are at their best.
With pumpkins we can make delicious creams and risottos , and it is also a good time to retrieve aubergines (how delicious they are stuffed !) And Swiss chard on our menus .
In fish and seafood we recommend you enjoy cuttlefish, sea bream and sea bream (especially before its price goes through the roof at Christmas).
Remember that bream is a very cheap fish. And it can be prepared in many ways, and don’t forget about the sardines , which have not yet finished the season.
Recipes with seasonal ingredients in October
Click on the ingredient that interests you to see all the recipes you can cook:
- Fruits: pomegranate, grapes, banana, custard apple , avocado , kiwi , apple , pear and persimmon or kaki .
- Vegetables: spinach , leeks , cucumber, turnip, cabbage , lettuce , pumpkin , carrot , eggplant , green beans, and endive
- Fish: swordfish, shrimp, conger eel, clams , tuna, bream , sardine , cuttlefish , crab, eel and sea bream.
Tips for choosing the best seasonal mushrooms
- The strong mushroom season begins in mid-October and lasts until the end of November.
- Check that they are smooth, not soft and saggy. It is important to look at the stem, to check that it is hard, because that is a clue to its freshness.
- You can also buy mushrooms from outside Spain, it is only a venial sin. There are quality mushrooms also in other countries, although you have to be careful that they are fresh. Although if you can, it is always better to give priority to the local product.
- At home you only have to cut the stem if we detect that it is soft to check for a worm and remove it. And enjoy them with one of our recipes.
Tips for buying quality chestnuts in October
These tips are from my father Jesus. He has enough chestnut trees and usually collects about 200 kg. chestnuts around these dates, the future Magosto chooses us and prepares us. For which I am eternally grateful.
- If you are not that lucky, shopping is easy, you just have to choose those chestnuts with good color, if possible a bright brown and without spots.
- Choose those that are large and heavy. Those with cuts to discard, because as they come in hedgehogs full of tips, the hoe is usually used to open them and sometimes they are broken or cut.
- Try to choose the chestnuts of the same size, the reason is that if we are going to roast them, having the same size they will be made equally. If they are of various calibres, some of them will be raw, the largest and the smallest very made.
- Very important that they are not pierced because that means they have a bug, you could eat a lot of protein. The flatter ones are also advisable to leave, as they are usually difficult to peel and have little chicha to eat.
In Rechupete Recipes we have made this downloadable for this month. This way you will know at a glance which fruits, vegetables and fish are in season during the month of October .
Download it, share it or print it. You can put it in your fridge, take it to the purchase or use it so that the children of the house learn about seasonal food.
Download Seasonal Food and Recipes in October
You can easily share the free downloadable tummy with friends and family via email. You can also print them and keep them in a folder so they are always at hand in the kitchen, or put them in your fridge At Rechupete Recipes we like to make your life easier!
Tip: If you keep the printed sheets in laminated sleeves you will keep them safe from food stains and they will last you many years.
