Summer is a distant memory here in the Dordogne but autumn’s ripe with exciting prospects. So, here are 5 reasons to be happy autumn’s here:

1. Enjoying the beauty of the strong, clear late sunshine illuminating the great colours of the countryside – vibrant reds, yellows, golds and browns.

2. Relishing the deserted landscape now that most of the labours in the vineyards are complete.

3. Savouring the last of the evening sunshine and enjoy eating outside on the terrace – if you’re lucky you won’t even need a jumper, just the warmth of friends and conversation!

4. Planning what to do with the glut of late summer fruit from the garden. The fig crop was especially good this year.

5. Embracing the thought of the coming, ‘cosy’ months with hearty autumn food.

The following is an idea of a perfect French autumn menu:

 

Main – Beef with thyme and onions

Serves 4

*  4 x 200g entrecote or sirloin steaks

*  2 tbsp chopped thyme

* 2tbsp olive oil

*  1 large red onion (sliced)

*  2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Rub the steaks with the thyme and 1 tbsp of oil and set aside.

Soften the onions with 1 tbsp of oil in a small pan on a low heat for 12-15 minutes. Add the vinegar and set aside.

Season the steaks and fry them for 3 minutes on each side and then set aside again.

Put 100ml of water, seasoning and the onions into the frying pan and cook for about 15 seconds, scraping the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Serve the steaks with the onions poured over.

Side dish – Roasted vegetable salad

Serves 4

* 2 red peppers (cored, deseeded and cut into chunks)

* 1 medium butternut squash (peeled and cut into chunks)

* 1 aubergine (cut into chunks)

* 1 tbsp olive oil

* 1 lemon (juice and grated zests)

* 100g baby spinach leaves

Preheat the oven to 200oC and put the peppers, butternut squash and aubergine into a roasting tray. Then drizzle over the oil and the lemon juice. Season and roast for 30 minutes, until tender.
Finally fold in the spinach leaves and serve with the steaks.

 

Dessert – Fig and honey tarte tatin

Serves 8

* 100g unsalted butter

* 100g pure, clear honey

* 1 vanilla pod

* 1 lemon (juice)

* 12 fresh figs (halved)

* 250g butter puff pastry

Preheat the oven to 200oC and put approx. 25cm oven proof frying pan on a medium heat.

Melt butter with the honey. Halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape the seeds into the pan and then add the pod too. Cook for about 5 minutes until mixture is starting to caramelise. Remove the vanilla pod, then stir in the lemon juice and add the fig halves, cut-side down, arranging them in tightly. Cook gently until they just start to soften and turn amber. Remove from the heat.

Roll out the pastry thinly to a diameter 2.5cm larger than the pan. Place the pastry over the figs, tucking the edges down inside the pan. Bake in the oven for approx. 30 minutes (or until pastry is crisp and golden). Leave to cool for 5 minutes before carefully turning out onto a plate, fruit side up.

Serve warm with cream or crème fraiche.

Accompaniment – The wine

Main: Bordeaux Red Chateau Fourreau 2007 (Medaille d’Argent Concours General Agricole, Paris 2008)

Dessert: Monbazillac Dessert Wine 2003 or 2005.

…autumn’s looking pretty good here in France!