July
| Published: 17th July 2007 23:07 |
Farmers markets come into their own with heaps of runner and french beans, cucumbers, globe artichokes and fennel. Also look out for wonderfully juicy soft fruits, such as gooseberries, raspberries and strawberries.
Cherries 
Juicy cherries, lush strawberries and pretty sprigs of redcurrants are perfect for summer pudding or making into a light fruit salad.
Or if you're feeling indulgent our Very Cherry Knickerbocker Glory
Watercress
Watercress is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially iron. It has a deep peppery taste and is wonderful used in salads to give a little punch. Watercress is also great for giving sandwiches such as prawn or egg mayonnaise sandwiches.
Redcurrants
Beautiful translucent astringent berries like little jewels in the summer sun. Wonderful in Summer fruit pudding and purees. Also available at this time of year if you can find the are Whitecurrants which I think are nicer than Redcurrants, they have a more floral and less sharp flavour.
Try our recipe for Summer fruit pudding
Green Peas
New season peas are best cooked straight from the pod for maximum sweetness and flavour. Peas are great blanched in salads and go well with mint and butter. Traditionally seen as an accompaniment try making them the star of the show with our Fresh Pea, Mint and Lemon Risotto
Or Pasta with Smoked salmon and Peas .
Aubergine
The new varieties of aubergine no longer require you to go through the long procedure of salting and straining them, being less watery and bitter than the more traditional varieties. Aubergines are so versatile and crop up in almost all of the worlds cuisines in one form or another. From Moussaka in Greece, Tala hua baigan in India, Parmigana di Melanzane in Italy to our very own Poor man's Caviar.
Poor Man's Caviar recipe.
Sage
Usually associated with pork sage is a wonderfully fragrant herb, with soft velvety leaves and beautiful purple flowers. Prized as a medicinal herb by the Romans, sage apparently improves memory and has antibacterial properties. Used to flavour both sweet but more often savoury dishes. Sage adds a special flavour to biscuits or scones, as well as bread and the traditional sage and onion stuffing. To preserve sage I pick the leaves at there best, finely shred them and mix into soft butter with some lemon zest, then roll this up in greaseproof paper and freeze.
Try or tasty Sage and Onion bread.
Raspberries
Not just fresh tasting juicy berries, Raspberries are high in Fibre, Potassium, Iron, Vitamins A and C. Good Raspberries like Strawberries require little help a dusting of Icing sugar and a splash of cream is all they really need.
Try our easy Raspberry sauce to transform Vanilla ice cream.
Or
our Sparkling Frascarti and Raspberry jellies.
Crab
At this time of the year Crabs are fat and juicy almost inviting us to eat them. There is a bone of contention about where in England the best Crabs are to be found, Cornwall will try and tell you there's are best, but I go for Cromer Crabs from Norfolk smaller but sweeter and more delicate.
Try our quick Crab and Chilli Linguine.
Also good at this time of year Artichokes, Radishes, Fennel, Spring onions, Sorrel, Runner beans, Lamb, Plaice, Lemon sole, Halibut and John Dory.
