July
This is the time of year to indulge in such delights as a lobster or crab salad (just your favourite salad ingredients with the fresh cooked seafood and some mayonnaise). You have a wide choice of glorious vegetables and fruits – from courgettes and cauliflowers to gooseberries, raspberries and tomatoes. You might even be lucky enough to take a stroll over the hills to pick tiny blue bilberries or whortleberries. Even with the glut of home-grown produce it’s still worth checking that you’re buying British because we’re still importing mountains of the foods we also grow here – how mad is that? Look out for all the sweet juicy soft fruits, at their peak now, but it’s also a good time for imported fruits like peaches and nectarines. English veal is excellent now. It’s not reared in crates, as in some other countries, so is not such a pale colour. It’s simply very young, tender, male beef. Try it.
Foods in season
Foods in italics are foods from the UK at the peak of their season.
Vegetables
Aubergines, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, carrots, cauliflowers, courgettes, cucumbers, Florence fennel, garlic, globe artichokes, green beans, green garlic, herbs, kohlrabi, lettuces, mangetout, new potatoes, onions, peas, peppers, potatoes (old, maincrop), radishes, rocket, runner beans, samphire, sorrel, sweetcorn, Swiss chard, turnips, watercress
Meat, poultry and game
Lamb, quail, rabbit, veal (English), venison, wood pigeon
Fruit and nuts
Apricots, avocados (Fuerte, Hass), bilberries/whortleberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, gooseberries, greengages, kiwi fruit, loganberries, lychees, mangoes, melons, nectarines, peaches, raspberries, redcurrants, strawberries, tomatoes, white currants
Fish and seafood
Bream, brown shrimps, cod, crabs, crayfish, Dover sole, Dublin Bay prawns (scampi), haddock, herring, John Dory, lemon sole, lobster, mackerel, plaice, pollack, prawns, river trout (brown, rainbow), salmon, sardines, scallops, sea bass, sea trout
Artichokes with black olive and oregano dressing
Artichokes can be served hot with melted butter or cold with plain French dressing. Alternatively, the small leaves and hairy chokes can be removed after cooking and the centres filled with a savoury stuffing. I like this more exciting dip for a change. Have a bowl on the table for the discarded sucked leaves and the hairy chokes.
Serves 4
4 globe artichokes
1 tbsp lemon juice
For the dressing:
6 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
25 g stoned black olives, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
2 tsp clear honey
½ tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Hold the flower heads firmly and twist off the stalks (the strings will come away in the stalks).
2 Trim the points off the leaves, if liked. Cook in boiling, lightly salted water, to which the lemon juice has been added, for about 25 minutes or until a leaf pulls away easily from the head. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again. Leave to cool.
3 Meanwhile, make the dressing. Whisk the ingredients together with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into small serving dishes.
4 Place the artichokes on serving plates with the little dishes of dressing to one side.
5 To eat: pull off each leaf, dip in the dressing then pull the base through your teeth to suck off the fleshy part. Repeat until all the large leaves are eaten. Pull off the central, tiny, non-fleshy leaves then cut off the hairy choke. Trickle the remaining dressing over the heart and eat with a knife and fork.
Bruschetta with roasted green garlic, tomatoes and fresh basil
This variation on a classic uses green garlic with its sweet delicate flavour when roasted, juicy ripe home-grown tomatoes and fresh basil on fried ciabatta. It makes a snack or appetiser to relish. You could add olives, anchovies or Mozzarella, too, but really, the simple, perfect flavours are unbeatable.
Serves 4
4 tbsp olive oil
4 green garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
8 slices of ciabatta bread
4 ripe tomatoes, skinned and chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper
A few grains of coarse sea salt
1 Heat half the oil in a frying pan. Add the garlic and fry for about 2 minutes over a gentle heat, shaking the pan, until the garlic is lightly golden. Do not allow to burn or it will be bitter.
2 Lift the garlic out of the pan on to a small plate and mash thoroughly with a knife.
3 Add the remaining oil to the pan and fry the ciabatta slices on both sides until golden.
4 Spread the slices with the mashed garlic. Mix the tomatoes with the chopped basil and some black pepper and spoon on top of the fried ciabatta.
5 Sprinkle each slice with just a few grains of coarse sea salt.
Stuffed mackerel with pickled ginger on oriental vegetables
I first created this with fresh tuna – but that’s not seasonal or British! Mackerel is an underrated, superb fish with a wonderful flavour, very inexpensive and full of goodness. Cooking it in this way with pickled pink ginger, fresh stir-fried vegetables, soy sauce and rice makes an impressive, colourful meal.
Serves 4
4 mackerel, cleaned, heads removed, if liked
25 g pickled sliced sushi ginger
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1 bunch of spring onions, cut in short lengths
2 carrots, cut in matchsticks
¼ cucumber, cut in matchsticks
100 g mangetout
225 g fresh egg noodles
A good pinch of Chinese five-spice powder
1 Rinse the fish inside and out and pat dry on kitchen paper. Make several slashes on both sides of the fish with a sharp knife.
2 Pack half the ginger inside the fish and rub the outsides with 1 tbsp of the soy sauce and 1 tbsp of the oil.
3 Place on foil on a grill rack and grill for 5 minutes on each side until crisp, golden brown and cooked through.
4 Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the prepared vegetables and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the remaining ginger and noodles and toss for 1 minute.
5 Add the remaining soy and the five-spice powder and toss to coat.
6 Pile the oriental vegetables and noodles on to warm plates. Top each with a mackerel and serve hot.
Prawn Niçoise with summer vegetables
This is an exciting change from the more normal tuna or anchovy-based salad. It has all the lovely fresh summer vegetables, blended with a light dressing and succulent, fresh prawns. You can, of course, substitute the other fish instead. Alternatively, try it with some cooked, flaked salmon or, if you can get them, freshwater crayfish.
Serves 4
350 g new potatoes, scraped and cut in bite-sized pieces
100 g French beans, topped, tailed and cut in short lengths
100 g asparagus, cut in short lengths
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 tomatoes, quartered
¼ cucumber, cut in small chunks
1 Little Gem lettuce, torn in pieces
1 handful of rocket
400 g fresh cooked peeled prawns
12 black olives
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp anchovy essence
½ tsp caster sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 hard-boiled eggs
1 Cook the potatoes in boiling, lightly salted water for about 8 minutes until tender. Add the beans after 4 minutes and add the asparagus for the last 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.
2 Tip into a bowl and add the onion, tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, rocket, prawns and olives.
3 Whisk the remaining ingredients, except the eggs, together and pour over the salad. Toss gently then pile into serving bowls or on large serving plates.
4 Shell the eggs and cut in quarters. Arrange on top of the salads.
Veal escalope sandwiches with salami and Gouda
The salami adds an exciting Mediterranean flavour to the golden, crumb-coated escalopes and the cheese adds gooey moistness. You could use ham instead of salami and ring the changes with other melting cheeses, like Cheddar, Monterey Jack or a Swiss cheese, like Emmental.
Serves 4
4 veal escalopes, halved
12 slices of salami
4–8 slices of Gouda (enough to top 4 slices of the meat)
8 fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
100 g fresh breadcrumbs
4 tbsp olive oil
Lemon wedges and 4 small sprigs of basil, for garnishing
To serve:
Sautéed potatoes and Glazed Vine-ripened Cherry Tomatoes in Sherry Vinegar
1 Sandwich the veal escalopes together in pairs with the salami, cheese and basil leaves. Season lightly.
2 Dip in beaten egg then breadcrumbs to coat completely. Chill, if time, until ready to cook.
3 Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the escalopes over a moderate heat for about 3–4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
4 Drain on kitchen paper. Transfer to warm plates, garnish with lemon wedges and sprigs of basil and serve with sautéed potatoes and the glazed tomatoes.
Slow-roast lamb with rosemary, Pimms and fresh redcurrants
In a restaurant you would have a small half shoulder to yourself. I think this is too much so I’ve chopped a shoulder in four. By all means cook four half shoulders if you prefer, just double the quantity of flavourings. Ask your butcher to chop the lamb for you.
Serves 4
1 shoulder of lamb, chopped in quarters
2 garlic cloves, cut in slivers
8 small sprigs of fresh rosemary
150 ml lamb or beef stock, ideally fresh or made with ½ stock cube
3 tbsp Pimms No 1
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
175 g fresh redcurrants
To serve:
New potatoes and mangetout
1 Make tiny slits in the lamb flesh all over with the sharp point of a knife.
2 Push a sliver of garlic into each hole. Lay a small sprig of rosemary on top of each lamb quarter. Place in a roaster-baster or roasting tin with the stock, Pimms and redcurrant jelly. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3 Cover the tin with the lid or foil and roast in a preheated oven at 160°C/gas 3/fan oven 145°C for 3 hours, until very tender.
4 Lift out the meat on to a warm plate. Remove all the dried-up sprigs of rosemary and discard. Keep the meat warm.
5 Select 4 small sprigs of redcurrants for garnishing. Remove the rest of the redcurrants from their stalks with the prongs of a fork.
6 Spoon off any excess fat from the juices in the meat tin. Bring to the boil, throw in the redcurrants and boil for 3–4 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Taste and re-season, if necessary.
7 Transfer the lamb to four warm serving plates. Spoon the redcurrant juices over. Push a small sprig of rosemary into each piece of meat and drape a sprig of redcurrants around the meat. Serve hot with new potatoes and mangetout.
Swiss chard in two halves with tomatoes and pine nuts
Swiss chard is often served as two vegetables: the green part as greens and the stalks like asparagus with melted butter. Here the stalks are steamed with a drizzle of olive oil and the greens are shredded and sautéed with pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes, then the two are arranged together as a colourful starter or accompaniment to grills.
Serves 4
450 g Swiss chard
Salt
50 g pine nuts
4 tbsp olive oil
4 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
25 g fresh Parmesan shavings
1 Trim off a thin sliver from the base of the Swiss chard stalks, then cut them off from the green tops. Place in a steamer, sprinkle very lightly with salt and steam for 5 minutes.
2 Roll up the chard leaves and shred. Heat a large frying pan. Add the pine nuts and fry, shaking the pan, until golden. Immediately tip out of the pan and reserve.
3 Heat half the oil in the pan and stir-fry the shredded greens for 2 minutes until wilted.
4 Add the pine nuts, sun-dried tomatoes and a little salt and pepper and toss for 1 minute. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss again.
5 Pile the greens in the centre of a warm serving dish and arrange the steamed stalks around the edge. Trickle the stalks with the remaining olive oil and scatter the Parmesan shavings over them.
Three cheese courgette gratin with fresh sage
Serve this rich but simple dish as a starter, side dish or light lunch (with crusty bread and a salad). If you want added depth – and don’t mind the extra calories – fry the slices in a little olive oil and butter until golden instead of boiling them in water.
Serves 4
4–6 courgettes, depending on size, sliced
Salt
200 g crème fraîche
1 tsp chopped fresh sage
40 g Cheddar cheese, grated
40 g Red Leicester cheese, grated
40 g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
2 eggs, beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Cook the courgettes in boiling, lightly salted water for 3–4 minutes until just tender but still with some ‘bite’. Drain thoroughly then dry on kitchen paper.
2 Tip the courgettes into an ovenproof serving dish.
3 Mix the crème fraîche with the sage, Cheddar, Red Leicester, 15 g of the Parmesan and the beaten eggs. Season to taste.
4 Spoon over the courgettes and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C/gas 5/fan oven 170°C for about 35 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.
Creamy gooseberry and custard layer
Gooseberries have a short season, so it’s worth enjoying them while you can. Here they are gently cooked and puréed with some sugar then topped with creamy homemade custard and dusted with a little freshly grated nutmeg. If elderflowers are still around, add a handful when stewing the gooseberries.
Serves 4
450 g gooseberries
100 g caster sugar
300 ml milk
2 tbsp cornflour
150 ml single cream
2 eggs, beaten
A few drops of vanilla essence
A little freshly grated nutmeg, to decorate
1 Put the gooseberries in a saucepan with 75 g of the sugar. Heat very gently, stirring, until the juices run, then cover and cook gently for 10 minutes until the fruit is pulpy, stirring occasionally.
2 Purée in a blender or food processor then rub through a sieve to remove the pips and stalks.
3 Blend the remaining sugar with 150 ml of the milk and the cornflour in a saucepan. Stir in the remaining milk and the cream. Bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat.
4 Whisk a little of the sauce into the beaten eggs, then tip into the rest of the sauce. Return to a gentle heat and whisk all the time until thickened. Add vanilla essence to taste.
5 Spoon the gooseberry purée into glasses. Gently spoon the custard over. Dust with a little grated nutmeg, leave to cool, then chill until ready to serve.
Blueberry, raspberry and pistachio angel cake
This looks and tastes so pretty, it’s a shame to cut it! A ring of pale, almost white, light-as-air cake, with a speckling of pale green pistachios, smothered with sweetened cream and quark – a light soft curd cheese – and filled with a mixture of blueberries and raspberries.
Serves 6–8
40 g shelled pistachio nuts
3 egg whites
A pinch of salt
½ tsp cream of tartar
100 g caster sugar
40 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
20 g cornflour
A few drops of almond essence
A few drops of vanilla essence
For the filling and topping:
200 ml double cream
40 g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
150 g quark
100 g blueberries
100 g raspberries
1 Put the pistachios in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for 5 minutes then drain and rub off the skins in a new disposable dishcloth. Finely chop half of the nuts.
2 Dust a 1 litre ring tin with flour.
3 Whisk the egg whites until foamy. Whisk in the salt and cream of tartar and whisk until stiff. Whisk in 1 tbsp of the sugar to keep the eggs stable.
4 Sift the flours with the remaining sugar. Sprinkle half over the egg whites and fold in with a metal spoon. Repeat with the rest of the flour mixture, the chopped pistachios and essences.
5 Turn into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C/gas 3/fan oven 145°C for about 30 minutes until golden and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin then turn out on to a plate or board.
6 Whip the cream and sifted icing sugar until peaking then whisk in the quark.
7 Spread the cream mixture all over the cake. Mix the blueberries and raspberries together and pile into the centre of the ring.
8 Scatter the remaining pistachios over the cake to decorate, then chill until ready to serve. Just before serving, dust a little sifted icing sugar over the fruit.