June
| Published: 27th June 2007 11:34 |
Strawberries
Berries should be enjoyed soon after picking - if ripe and sweet, all you have to do then is hull them and tuck in, if rinsed beforehand, they'll only go soggy and lose their shape. Or if you're picking your own I can never resist a stolen one in the field bathed in sunshine. The Wimbledon Championships will take place between the 25th June and 8th July, so have your strawberries at the ready. I believe that you should do as little as possible to strawberries, English strawberries at the height of summer are perfect. Later in the season when they're a little too soft you can make jam to bring a little sunshine to the cold winter months.
Try our summer holiday favourite, Home made Scones with clotted cream and fresh strawberries.
Mint
One of the most popular herbs mint goes with chocolate, apples, citrus fruits, cucumber, melon and tomatoes. Mint is used in many cuisines, especially Asian and the Mediterranean. Use it in salsa verde, fresh Italian-style salads or Thai dishes. A classic pairing with roast lamb - sweet, tangy mint sauce is one of the best known British uses of mint leaves.
Try our perfect summer dish of Lemon and Mint Couscous
Cherries
One of my favourite things about summer is a large bowl of cherries to dip into whenever I walk past. Cherries work particularly well with chocolate and warming spices - cinnamon and cloves and star anise. Serve spiced cherry compote with rich meats, and add a dash of red wine vinegar for a tangy flavour. Their distinctive flavour makes them a good match with rich game, red meats and poultry. You can always preserve your summer glut of cherries in alcohol, either brandy or vodka, by Christmas time you'll have a warming reminder of summer sun.
See our indulgent Very Cherry Knickerbocker Glory recipe
Broad Beans
Italians like to eat broad beans raw in spring with fresh sheep's milk cheese. In Sicily they are cooked in fritella, a caper-flavoured stew of spring vegetables. Try them in salads with feta cheese, mint and lemon juice, or mixed into parsley sauce to serve with ham. Fresh green herbs such as savoury and dill work well with broad beans. In China they are served simply boiled with dressings of garlic, chilli, soy sauce and sesame. I always remember Broad beans, Bacon and New Potatoes through out the summers of my childhood. Turn older broad beans into a mash to serve warm with pork or cold on oatcakes, or add mild spices to make a dip for flat bread and crudités.
See our quick and easy Broad bean and lemon thyme rissotto recipe.
Gooseberries
Even when unripe, gooseberries are excellent for cooking. Their tangy flavour suits oily fish such as mackerel and salmon, plus veal, pork and roast game birds. Try them braised with carrots and dressed with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Their high pectin content is a boon for making jams, jellies and other preserves such as fruit cheese and spicy chutneys. Gooseberries can be simply stewed to serve with cream or custard, or to fill a tart, crumble or steamed suet pudding. Good flavour matches include elderflowers, apples, lemon, sweet wine, sorrel, fennel, mint, parsley and nutmeg.
Try an adult twist on the old childhood favourite of jelly and cream, Gooseberry and Sparkling Muscat Jellies with Elderflower cream
Elderflowers
Young elderflowers smell sweet and perfumed; they are past their best when sniffing them reminds you of the cat's litter tray! While it's important to use young flower heads, you should only use those that have fully bloomed. Pick them on a dry day (some say early in morning is best as it's thought that's when they're most fragrant) and use that same day. The stems are edible, though the stalks are normally removed unless using them as a handle, say in the case of dipping the flower heads into fritters.
Try our Traditional Elderflower cordial
