Simon King, chef/proprietor at restaurant 1861 near Abergavenny.

This time of year is full of autumn bounty.

Even though the days are drawing in, it’s still warm outside, and fruit and vegetables are plentiful.

Take a visit to your neighbourhood greengrocer or farmers’ market, and you’ll find local plums, damsons and apples in abundance. These have a flavour and texture commercial varieties rarely have.

Elderberries are starting to ripen on the hedgerows. The elder is a favourite of mine, as I love the berries, but earlier in the year the blossoms make perfect fritters, and a delicate cordial.

Fungi is another feature of this time of year, and some types, such as chanterelles, are brimming with flavour. Just be careful when you collect them, as telling the good from the bad and indifferent isn’t always easy.

I’d suggest going with an expert until you are confident you know what you are looking for.

Wild mushrooms make a great risotto and I am also partial to a wild mushroom ravioli I make using freshly prepared pasta. Mushrooms, including field mushrooms, are delicious and versatile – try them in a puff pastry case having fried them in butter, and added a dash of white wine and some double cream.

This year, the apple harvest is very good, and people are giving away fruit by the bucketload. Windfall apples cannot be kept, so they are ideal for using in crumbles and pies, with a few blackberries added for flavour and colour.

For something that looks impressive, but is very easy to make, give this apple tart tatin a whirl.

Apple tart tatin with windfall apples

Ingredients

300g caster sugar

100mls water

8 apples

4 puff pastry discs rolled into 15cm circles, 3 to 4 mm thick

Method

Dissolve the sugar in the water in a copper pan, bring to the boil and boil hard until an amber coloured caramel is achieved.

Then quickly pour the hot caramel into 15cm blinis style pans, (alternatively any deep oven proof dish or frying pan will suffice, but cut your pastry discs accordingly).

Peel and core your apples, arrange neatly in the pan on top of your caramel, and bearing in mind that your display will eventually be upside down. Cover the apples with your pastry disc.

Pierce a couple of holes in the pastry to allow steam to escape and place in a pre heated oven at200 degrees celcius and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until bubbling at the edges and the pastry is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and leave to stand for a couple of minutes.

Turn the tart out onto a plate and serve with a scoop of ice cream or double cream.

For more visit 18-61.co.uk