The Farm Kitchen: transitional cooking & in-between seasons

September is so abundant, with many of summer’s stars still in full swing – tomatoes, courgettes, beans, and sweetcorn. Meanwhile, autumn’s offerings are ready for harvesting too: the first apples and pears, an incredible variety of squash in all shapes and colours, and the return of hardier greens like leeks and kale,
plus bitter leaves like radicchio. Similar to our wardrobes, I think of autumn as a transitional time in the kitchen too. The weather can vary; plenty of warm days alongside crisper, darker nights have me craving cosier, heartier food for the first time in ages. For me, it’s all about combining summer and autumn in the dishes I cook, embracing bright, fresh flavours in warm, comforting meals. One of my favourite ways to do this is through hearty bean dishes. I’m a big bean fan: they’re healthy, versatile, and full of fibre and plant protein. They’re also just really tasty!

Here are two recent favourites of mine that sum up this idea of transitional cooking. They’re so easy they barely need a recipe, take under 10 minutes to make, and celebrate summer ingredients in a cosy way. Enjoy a big bowl as they are, or pile onto buttery toast or a steamy baked potato.

Emily Lloyd is our Food Lead at Riverford & also creates veggie recipes on instagram @emilyontoast.

Tomato & Basil Beans

Cook cherry tomatoes in a pan with a little oil until they start to blister. Add finely chopped garlic, a tin of beans with their liquid (we like to use fresh or ‘demi-sec’ (half dry) beans when in season) and simmer for 5 mins. Stir in crème fraîche or mascarpone and finish with fresh basil, salt & pepper.

Creamy Sweetcorn & Beans

Remove and fry the corn from one cob in oil with minced garlic and smoked paprika for a couple of minutes. Add a tin of beans (plus liquid); simmer for a few minutes. Wilt in a handful of leafy greens. Finish with a splash of double cream or crème fraîche, a generous squeeze of lime & fresh coriander.

Our Farm Kitchen letter is written by Riverford’s team of chefs, recipe & content creators: Emily, Bob, Hannah, Lewis & Freddie. Proud veg nerds, they share top tips for easy pea-sy seasonal nourishment, once a month. They are the digital versions of the printed letters which go out to customers via Riverford’s veg boxes.