ArchiveJuly 2020

This week a range of beautiful chunky salads that can be easily put together with the gorgeous summer produce that is coming in from the garden and greenhouse everyday.
Everyone on the farm and gardens continued to sow and plant for the past three months during the Covid-19 pandemic. They too are heroes providing nourishing nutrient dense super delicious vegetables and fruit to boost our immune system and keep us healthy. Now we are reaping the dedicated rewards of their hard work. Baskets of fresh peas, cucumbers, onions, broad beans, beets…the tomatoes have been ripening slowly for the past few weeks but now we have lots for the kitchens, Farm Shop, Farmers Markets and online NeighbourFood Markets.

The field crop of flowery potatoes, a blight resistant variety called Orla, is ready. If you haven’t ever dug potatoes out of the ground, you haven’t lived! It’s a special ‘Woops in the tummy’ moment when you uncover those jewels under the stalk. Will it be one or two or maybe five or six….?
Everyday we have big platters and bowls of salads oozing with fresh flavours and vitamins and minerals, no need for supplements – this is the real thing. So what’s the secret of making a memorable salad, apart from beautiful fresh produce of course, here are a few tips…
1. Think about a contrast of colour, texture and flavour – counterbalance of sweet, salty and sharp and sour.
2. Vary the greens from crunchy little gem, bitter and beautiful Castlefranco, radicchio, mustard greens, mizuna, tender butterhead, watercress, pea tendrils, peppery rocket and edible flowers. 
3. Add lots of fresh herbs, mint leaves, little sprigs of tarragon, coriander leaves, dill and a variety of basil leaves, purple Opal, Lemon, Vietnamese, Thai, Genovese basil all produce a different burst of flavour. Even flat parsley and of course chervil.
4. Keep it chunky, a base of potatoes cooked in well salted water and tossed while still warm in perky dressing can have a myriad of other ingredients added. Substitute potatoes with chunky roast beetroot, sweet potatoes, white turnips…Pasta, egg noodles, rice or buckwheat noodles are also great.
5. Don’t forget the pulses, chickpeas, cannellini beans, lentils, dress with a perky dressing – a great foundation to embellish with summer vegetables, herbs and spices.
6. Grains and pearl barley must be soaked overnight to make them digestible.
7. Freshly roasted and ground spices also add magic to your salads and dressings adding the flavour of the East and Far East, India, Morocco, Mexico depending on the combination you choose.
8. Vary the dressings too, a basic French dressing of 3 parts cold pressed extra virgin olive oil and 1 part aged vinegar seasoned with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper can be superb, depending on the quality of its oils and vinegars and then there’s flavoured oils – hazelnut, walnut, avocado…. Add a little honey, some excellent mustard, maybe some finely chopped shallot, crushed garlic and lots of fresh herbs – sublime to dress leaves or even a potato salad. The proportions could be 2-1 instead of 3-1 if you want a perkier flavour.  But there’s so much more, don’t forget tahini, miso, pomegranate molasses, date syrup…Look out for Katie Sanderson’s White Rayu Mausu. There are so many addictive hot sauces to experiment with now.
9. Sprinkle roasted, salted and toasted nuts and seeds over your salads – hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, sesame seeds, sunflower, pumpkin…

10. Dried fruits also add a burst of sweetness, extra nutrients and deliciousness. Apricots, dates, dried cherries or cranberries, raisins, sultanas, currants, goji berries….
11. Crunchy croutons, seedy brittle or crispy chicken skin add magic too.
12. Experiment with dressings, maybe natural yoghurt, lime and harissa, mayo, rice vinegar, grated new seasons garlic…. Combine grape seed oil, rice vinegar, miso and grated ginger. Experiment with different vinegars – white balsamic, apple cider vinegar, Moscatel vinegar. Don’t forget a generous squeeze of lemon juice to cut the richness in a mayo dressed salad.

The world’s your oyster as salads are concerned – start with beautiful ingredients, be creative and adventurous…experiment and taste, taste, taste…

Beetroot, Apple, Haloumi and loads of Herbs

If you can’t find Haloumi use chunks of Feta instead.

Serves 4

100g (3 1/2oz) red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon of runny honey

2 dessert apples, half inch dice

3 – 4 cooked beetroot, peeled and chopped (3/4 inch)

flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

extra virgin olive oil

100g (3 1/2oz) approx. pomegranate seeds

125g (4 1/2oz) Haloumi, sliced (5mm/1/4 inch thick)

2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

4 handfuls of rocket leaves

1 handful fresh mint leaves

1/2 handful dill sprigs

Sprinkle the cider vinegar over the thinly sliced red onions in a bowl, drizzle with honey, toss. Dice the apple and beets – keep them chunky, season with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the pomegranate seeds to the onions.

Put a pan on a high heat, film it with a little extra virgin olive oil. Cook the Haloumi until golden on each side – 30 seconds approx.

Pile the rocket into a wide shallow dish, add most of the fresh mint leaves. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Top with apples and beets and some coarsely chopped or sliced Haloumi. Throw the pumpkin seeds onto the pan to toast for a couple of seconds in the residual heat. Meanwhile, drizzle the onion and pumpkin seed dressing over the salad, then sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and the remainder of the mint and sprigs of dill. Enjoy soon….

Chicken Satay Salad

Serves 4

2 organic chicken breasts or 500g (18oz) free range chicken breasts

extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Spicy Peanut Satay Sauce

This satay sauce recipe was given to me by Eric Treuille of ‘Books for Cooks’ in London can be made up to 3 days in advance. 

Makes 250ml (8fl oz)

110g (4oz) peanut butter

1 garlic clove, crushed

1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco

1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon runny honey

juice of 1 lemon

62ml (2 1/2 fl oz) water or coconut milk

2 Little Gem lettuces cut in wedges

1/2 – 1 cucumber, halved and sliced at an angle into 5mm (1/4 inch) pieces

flaky sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

small handful of fresh coriander leaves.

small handful of fresh mint leaves

75g (3oz) roast peanuts

4 tablespoons of Crispy shallots

pomegranate seeds, about 4 tablespoons

Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil over the chicken.  Sprinkle with chopped rosemary. Season well with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper.  Cover and allow to marinate so the flavours can penetrate while you make the satay sauce.

To make the satay sauce, put the peanut butter, garlic, ginger, turmeric, Tabasco, oil, soy sauce, honey, lemon juice and water a food processor or blender; pulse until smooth.  Cover and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature to allow flavours to blend.  It can be chilled or at room temperature. (Add a little more coconut milk if too thick).

Heat a wide sauté pan, add a little olive oil, arrange the chicken in a single layer, cover and cook over a medium heat for 5 – 7 minutes or until cooked through. Alternatively cook in a roasting tin in a preheated moderate oven (180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4) until just cooked through but still nicely moist. Allow to rest while the salad is assembled. Cut in chunky bits, drizzle with the satay sauce, toss to coat and taste.

Mix the Little Gem lettuce, cucumber, coriander and mint leaves in a wide serving dish.  Distribute the satay chicken over the salad. Sprinkle with toasted peanuts, crispy shallots and a few pomegranate seeds if available.

Enjoy with a little extra satay sauce if you wish.

Tuna, Butterbean, Cherry Tomato and Flat Leaf Parsley Salad

I like to cook the beans from scratch (see below). Cannellini or haricot are also delicious in this salad – a very inexpensive source of protein.

Serves 4

100g (3 1/2oz) red onion

200g (7oz) tuna

400g (14oz/1 tin) cooked butterbeans (200g/7oz dried)

250g (9oz) cherry tomatoes, halved around the equator

175g (6oz) of French beans, cut at a 4cm (1 1/2 inch) angle, blanched and refreshed in boiling salted water, toss when warm.

Dressing

6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

1 teaspoon of runny honey

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

A small handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped (1/2 for the dressing and 1/2 to scatter over the salad at the end)

Peel, half and thinly slice the red onion. Rinse in cold water and drain.

Meanwhile, whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together and add 1 tablespoon chopped parsley. Put the preferably still warm beans into a wide bowl, pour the dressing over and toss. Add the halved cherry tomatoes, blanched French beans, and tuna chunks. Stir again very gently. Taste, correct the seasoning if necessary – it should be highly seasoned. Sprinkle the red onions and the remainder of the flat parsley over the top and serve.

To cook the butterbeans – the day before, cover the butterbeans with plenty of cold water. Next day discard the soaked water, cover with fresh water, bring to the boil and simmer until the beans are tender (30 minutes approx. depending on the age of the beans). Top Tip – soak and cook more beans than you need for the recipe. They freeze perfectly and can be used in salads, soups and stews at a moment’s notice.

Gomasio (pronounced gomazio)

A Japanese condiment – great to have in your pantry to sprinkle over rice, cabbage, eggs, roast vegetables, salads, even mashed potato – really good for the gut.  You’ll find yourself reaching for gomasio regularly.

15 tablespoons white sesame seeds

1 tablespoon sea salt or Himalayan pink salt

a heavy iron pan

Put the heavy iron pan on a very low heat, add the sesame seeds.  Slowly dry fry the sesame seeds shaking the pan continuously while pulling the seeds slowly towards you.  The sesame seeds will very gradually change colour.  It’s vital to keep shaking the pan so they colour evenly – this will take 6-8 minutes. 

When the sesame seeds have turned a light golden colour.  Pour out onto a wide plate and allow to cool.  Add salt to the pan and toast in the residual heat of the cast iron pan for 2-3 minutes.  Add to the seeds. 

Tip into a food processor. In Japan they use a suribachi – Japanese pestle and mortar).  Whizz to a coarse texture with a little powder.  The aroma will be divine.  It will keep in an airtight jar for 3-4 weeks if you haven’t already used it all.

Shredded Cabbage, Carrot and Radish Salad with Gomasio

Simple but totally delicious

Serves 4 -6

4 cups cabbage, shredded really thinly

1-2 cups grated carrot

1 cup thinly sliced radish

4 tablespoons approx. Gomasio (see recipe)

Prepare the vegetables and pop into a wide bowl.  Sprinkle with gomasio and serve immediately.

Potato, Spring Onion and Marsh Samphire Salad

Salty samphire is delicious added to the potato salad.  The secret of a good potato salad is to use freshly cooked potatoes and then season and toss in French dressing while they are still warm. This simple trick makes a phenomenal difference to the flavour of the finished salad. I’ve had delicious results with both waxy (Pink Fir Apple or Sharpe’s Express) and floury (Golden Wonders) potatoes, though waxy are definitely easier to handle.

Serves 4–6

1.6kg (3 1⁄2lb) raw potatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons chopped chives or spring onions

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

150ml (5fl oz) French Dressing

150ml (5fl oz) homemade Mayonnaise, thinned with a little water

110g (4oz) marsh samphire, blanched

Wash the marsh samphire.  Blanch in boiling water (no salt for 1-2 minutes).  Drain and refresh in cold water.  Drain again.

Boil the potatoes in their jackets in a large amount of well-salted water. Peel and dice the potatoes while they are still hot and put into a large, wide dish. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle immediately with the chives or spring onions, parsley and most of the samphire fronds.  Drizzle over the French dressing and mix well. Leave to cool and then add the mayonnaise. Sprinkle the remainder of the samphire on top.  Taste and correct seasoning.

Summer Fruit Salad with Lemon Verbena Leaves

I discovered this recipe which has now become a perennial favourite, quite by accident a few summers ago as I raced to make a pudding in a hurry with the ingredients I had at that moment.  Fresh mint or sweet geranium leaves may be substituted for the lemon verbena in this recipe.

Serves 8-10

110g (4oz) raspberries

110g (4oz) loganberries

110g (4oz) redcurrants

110g (4oz) blackcurrants

110g (4oz) small strawberries, halved

110g (4oz) blueberries

110g (4oz) fraises du bois or wild strawberries 

110g (4oz) blackberries

Syrup

325g (11oz) granulated sugar

8-10 lemon verbena leaves, plus extra to garnish

Put all the berries into a white china or glass bowl. 

To make the lemon verbena syrup, put the sugar, 450ml (16fl oz) water and lemon verbena into a stainless steel saucepan and bring slowly to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.  Boil for just 2 minutes, then leave to cool for 4-5 minutes.

Pour the hot syrup over the fruit and leave to macerate for several hours.  Remove the lemon verbena.

Serve the fruit salad with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice-cram or simply by itself.  Decorate with a few fresh lemon verbena leaves. 

Wild Food of the Week

Herb Robert – Geranium robertianum. 

Sometimes called Red Robin or Storksbill – used in traditional medicine.  Good for toothache and nose bleeds.  Rub on skin, the smell is said to repel mosquitos. 

The Covid-19 experience has been quite the wake-up call for many of us, not just for the obvious reasons but also because many highly achieving, super-efficient people have found themselves floundering when they are out of their usual medium having to cope with the day-to-day reality of feeding the family, doing the laundry, stimulating and home-schooling the kids and planning menus, not to speak of keeping the peace during these challenging times.  Learning a language or how to play a musical instrument or delving deep into an unfamiliar subject has been deliciously distracting – yoga and exercise do it for some, a new hobby, maybe gardening, embroidery or China restoration.

Being able to get out for walks in the countryside has been a life-saver for those who were cooped up indoors for weeks on end – so I’m going to devote this column to Summer foraging to focus on the many delicious edible foods growing around us not just in the wild but also in urban areas.  There has also been a very positive response to my ‘Wild Food of the Week’ in this weekly column and I get regular questions and photos from readers asking if something is edible.  Here at the Ballymaloe Cookery School, we’ve been doing Foraging courses throughout the seasons for over 20 years and we all continue to add to our knowledge of the abundance of wild and free food all round us.

Apart from the fun and extra dimension foraging adds to a walk collecting food in the wild, there’s an even more important reason to become more knowledgeable about the free bounty of nature.  A high percentage of foods, berries and nuts in the wild are edible.  Unlike many conventional foods they have not been tampered with to produce maximum yields at minimum costs so their full complement of vitamins and minerals and trace elements are intact making them highly nutritious and nutrient dense, up to 20 times, more than in the ultra-processed food on which so many of us depend nowadays.

One can forage all year but there are particularly rich pickings at present both in the countryside and along the seashore!  So let’s mention a few, succulent marsh samphire (Salicornia europaea) which is also known as glasswort because it was used in the 14^th Century by glass makers, grows in marshy areas close to the sea.  It’s at the peak of perfection as present, full of Vitamin A, Calcium and iron, nibble raw or blanch it in lightly salted water – it’s salty crunch is great with fish or indeed with lamb.   Sea Purslane which grows close is also abundant at present. 

Pretty much everyone recognises dandelions, I regularly urge people to nibble at least one dandelion leaf a day or pop some into a green salad – full of vitamins A, C, and K, calcium and iron.

Gardeners will be cursing chickweed at present, it romps around the garden between the vegetables and in flower beds.  Where others ‘see weeds, we see dinner’.  Pick the chickweed and add to salads or wilt it like spinach, add to mashed potato, risotto or pasta.  It too is highly nutritious.  There’s several varieties of wild sorrel about too, buckler leaf sorrel, lambs tongue sorrel and common field sorrel.  There’s masses of fluffy meadow sweet along the roadside at present, it will last into early autumn – use to flavour panna cotta, lemonade, custards…Watch out for wild mushrooms too, I found just one ‘field’ mushroom yesterday but they usually pop up in warm muggy weather in fields or even on lawns that haven’t had chemicals added.  The flavour is exquisite, don’t waste a scrap.  Chop or slice a glut (including the stalks), sauté and freeze to add to a stew or make into a ketchup. 

And there’s so much more, if you’re a newbie to foraging, be careful – buy a good beginners guide to foraging e.g. Wild Food by Roger Phillips, The Thrifty Forager by Alys Fowler, Forgotten Skills by Darina Allen, The Seaweed Kitchen by Prannie Rhatigan, Extreme Greens by Sally McKenna, Wild Food Plants of Ireland by Paul Whelan and Tom Curtis.  Don’t nibble anything you are unsure of, and introduce foraged food gradually into your menu, better not to binge at first.

These are just a few suggestions.  If you’d like to learn more about foraging on land and along the seashore, perhaps you would like to join Pat Browne and myself on Saturday, 25^th July for a 1-Day Summer Foraging course.  Numbers limited, booking essential – 021 4646785 

Slow Roasted Shoulder of Lamb with Marsh Samphire

The salty tang of marsh samphire is delicious with slow cooked shoulder of lamb.  A shoulder of lamb is much trickier to carve than a leg, but the flavour is so wonderfully sweet and juicy, it’s certainly worth the struggle particularly at home where perfect slices of meat are not obligatory.  I sometimes put this into the low oven of the Aga in the morning.  By 7.30 in the evening, it is beautifully cooked – how easy is that!  Marsh samphire is available at the Mahon Point & Midleton Farmers Market and Ballymaloe Cookery School Farm Shop (021 4646785).

Serves 8-10 approximately

1 shoulder of lamb 3.3-3.6kg (7-8lbs) on the bone (neck and shank removed)

extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

Gravy

600ml (1 pint) homemade lamb or chicken stock

Marsh Samphire (see recipe).

A few hours ahead if possible, score the skin of the meat in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife.  Sprinkle the meat generously with salt and freshly ground pepper and drizzle with olive oil, roast in a low oven 140°C/275°F/Gas Mark 1 in the usual way for 6-7 hours – this gives a delicious juicy succulent texture.  Alternatively cook in a moderate oven 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 2 – 2 1/2 hours.   

To make the gravy: Spoon the fat off the roasting tin. Add the stock into the remaining cooking juice. Boil for a few minutes, stirring and scraping the pan well, to dissolve the caramelised meat juices (I find a small whisk ideal for this).  Allow to thicken with a very little roux if you like.

Taste and add salt and freshly ground pepper if necessary. Strain and serve the gravy separately in a gravy boat.

Carve it into thick slices.  Serve with a light gravy to which some samphire is added. 

Serve with crusty roast potatoes.

Marsh Samphire

Marsh Samphire is also called soapwort and sea beans in the US.

Marsh Samphire (Salicornia europaea), grows in intertidal salt marshes.

500g (18oz) samphire

freshly ground pepper

50g (2oz) butter

Put the samphire into a saucepan of boiling water, bring back to the boil and simmer for about 2–3 minutes or until tender. Drain off the water (refresh in cold water if serving later), season with freshly ground pepper and toss in butter – no salt because samphire has a natural salty tang.

Foragers Caesar Salad

We use a mixture of foraged leaves for this salad.  You are unlikely to have all of these so just add what you can find to a bowl of crisp lettuces and salad leaves. 

In early Spring, we add some young beech and ground elder leaves.

The Caesar Salad dressing makes more dressing than you will need for this salad, it will keep in a covered glass jar in your fridge for several weeks.

Serves 8.

A selection of wild leaves such as (about 8 handfuls):

dandelion

wild garlic

wild watercress

bittercress

chickweed

wild sorrel (buckler leaf or lamb’s tongue)

salad burnet

buckler leaf sorrel

pennywort (also known as bread and butter, walkers friend and navelwort)

sweet cicely

red orach

40 croutons (see recipe)

16 anchovies

freshly grated Parmesan

Caesar Dressing

2 egg yolks, preferably free-range

2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 x 50g (2oz) tin anchovies

1 clove garlic, crushed

a generous pinch of English mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2-1 tablespoon Worcester sauce

1/2-1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce

175ml (6fl oz) sunflower oil

50ml (2fl oz) extra virgin olive oil

52ml (2fl oz) cold water

Allow a handful of wild leaves per person. Wash them carefully in cold water and dry them in a salad spinner. Keep chilled until ready to use.

To make the dressing.

I make it in a food processor but it can also be made very quickly by hand. Drain the anchovies and crush lightly with a fork. Put into a bowl with the egg yolks, add the garlic, lemon juice, mustard powder, salt, Worcester and Tabasco sauce. Whisk all the ingredients together.  As you whisk, add the oils slowly at first, then a little faster as the emulsion forms. Finally whisk in the water to make a spreadable consistency. Taste and correct the seasoning: this dressing should be highly flavoured.

Toss the dried leaves in just enough of the dressing to make them glisten. Taste a leaf to check that the seasoning is correct.  Sprinkle with a few croutons and anchovies.  Grate a dusting of Parmesan over the top.

Serve immediately.

Note

For maximum flavour pick the leaves when young.

Croutons

Sprinkle over salads or serve with soups.

Serves 4

1 slice of slightly stale pan bread, 5mm (1/4 inch) thick

sunflower or olive oil

First cut the crusts off the bread, next cut into 5mm (1/4 inch) strips and then into exact cubes (a cube is a six-sided square with equal sides).

Heat the sunflower or olive oil in a frying pan, it should be at least 2cm (3/4 inch) deep and almost smoking. 

Add the croutons to the hot oil.  Stir once or twice, they will colour almost immediately.  Put a tin sieve over a Pyrex or stainless steel bowl.  When the croutons are golden brown, pour the oil and croutons into the sieve.  Drain the croutons on kitchen paper.

Note: Croutons may be made several hours ahead or even a day.  The oil may be flavoured with sprigs of rosemary, thyme or onion.

Croutons may of course be stamped out into various shapes, hearts, stars, clubs, diamonds, etc….

Foragers Soup with Chorizo Lardons

Throughout the seasons one can gather wild greens on a walk in the countryside – foraging soon becomes addictive.  Many greens are edible and some are immensely nutritious.  Arm yourself with a good well-illustrated guide and be sure to identify carefully and if in doubt – don’t risk it until you are quite confident.  Don’t overdo the very bitter herbs like dandelion.  Of course the chorizo is optional – use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.

Serves 6

50g (2oz) butter

110g (4oz) diced onion (7mm/1/3 inch)

150g (5oz) diced potatoes (7mm/1/3 inch)

250g (9oz) chopped greens – alexanders, nettles, wild sorrel, a few young dandelions, wild garlic, borage leaves, wild rocket, ground elder, beech leaves, chickweed, watercress

600ml (1 pint) light chicken stock

600ml (1 pint) creamy milk

75g (3oz) chorizo or lardons of streaky bacon

extra virgin olive oil

wild garlic flowers if available

Melt the butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan. When it foams, add potatoes and onions and turn them until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper. Cover and sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes. When the vegetables are almost soft but not coloured add the hot stock and boiling milk.  Bring back to the boil and cook until the potatoes and onions are fully cooked. Add the greens and boil with the lid off for 2-3 minutes approx. until the greens are just cooked. Do not overcook or the soup will lose its fresh green colour. Purée the soup in a liquidiser. Taste and correct seasoning.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan.  Add the diced chorizo or lardons of streaky bacon, cook over a medium heat until the fat starts to run and the bacon is crisp.  Drain on kitchen paper.  Sprinkle over the soup as you serve.  Use the chorizo oil to drizzle over the soup also and scatter a few wild garlic flowers over the top if available.

Meadowsweet Ice-Cream with Fraises du Bois (Wild Strawberries)

Makes 2 pints (5 cups)

This is wonderfully rich ice-cream flavoured with the evocative aroma of meadowsweet.  Delicious on its own or even more of a treat with some wild strawberries. 

60g (2 1/2oz) meadowsweet flowers (weighted off stalk)

350ml (12fl oz) whole milk

8 egg yolks

110g (4oz) sugar

350ml (12fl oz) rich cream, cold

Place the meadowsweet flowers and milk in a heavy saucepan.   Heat to just below the boiling point and remove from the heat.   Cover and allow to steep for 10 minutes.  Strain through a fine sieve.

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together.  Add warm milk gradually, stirring constantly until all the milk is added.  Return to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard coats the back of a spoon (170°-175°C).

Pour the cream into a large bowl.  Strain the custard into the cream.  Mix well, then chill thoroughly.

Freeze according to the directions of your ice-cream machine.

Serve with a sprinkling of wild strawberries or raspberries if available.

Beautiful apricots, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries piled up onto the greengrocers shelves.  The blackcurrants and redcurrants are also beginning to ripen in our Currant and Berry garden.  The abundance of fruits makes our hearts sing and helps us to forget our woes and count our blessings.

Mother Nature sweetly cheering us up…My grandchildren are in their element crawling in under the netting on the fruit cage to steal the ripest strawberries – sweet, juicy berries, often half the size of the perfect commercial fruit but intensely flavoured from all that delicious sunshine.  Can’t wait to drizzle them with a slick of thick yellow Jersey cream and a sprinkling of caster sugar, that’s all the first of the new seasons organic strawberries need but as they become more abundant, I start to search for other delicious ways to enjoy them.  One of the simplest is to add shredded mint leaves, a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of caster sugar or honey.

Jane Grigson’s Fruit book published in 1982 is a classic, one of my favourite cookbooks of all time.  It’s an alphabetical guide to fruit from the apple onwards.  It was out of print for a while but is now available again.  If you don’t have it, try to source an original – they are a collector’s item.  Jane’s beautiful prose and immense knowledge of the history of each fruit makes it bedtime reading…maybe not everyone idea but I find myself licking my lips and longing to get into the kitchen to try some of her suggestions. 

Bushby’s Rosscarbery Strawberry Farm (023) 883 8140) and Rose Cottage Fruit Farm from in Co. Laois grow a large selection of fruit.  Look out for loganberries and tayberries at local Farmers Markets and the Wexford strawberries are along the roadside right up as far as the midlands – www.rosecottagefruitfarm.ie

Don’t forget to use lots of fresh herbs with fruit of course elderflower with gooseberries but it’s also delicious added to syrup to poach other stone fruit, peaches, pears and nectarines.  The Ballymaloe sweet geranium is another must have to add a magical haunting lemony flavour to so many dishes.

A glut of fruit is an opportunity to make a few pots of jam.  Strawberries are low in pectin, the substance that helps with gelling.  Jam made with commercial strawberries that are constantly irrigated seem to be even more difficult to set.  Some people use jam sugar which I’ve never been fond of partly because the jam can easily end up the texture of ‘bought jam’ so what’s the point of making your own.  I recently discovered that jam sugar also has hydrogenated palm oil which I try to avoid at all costs.  However don’t fret, fruits that are low in pectin like the aforementioned strawberries can be combined with fruits with high pectin e.g. redcurrants which by a happy coincidence of nature both are in season at the same time.  We’ve had a brilliant crop of red, white and black currants.  The latter won’t be ready for a few weeks.

Look out for wild strawberries too, divinely sweet.  We’ve also got a patch of wild raspberries, watch out for them around the country and soon there will be blueberries…

Strawberry and Redcurrant Preserve

Makes 3.2kg (7lbs) approximately

Homemade strawberry jam can be sensational but only if the fruit is a good variety. It’s one of the most difficult jams to make because strawberries are low in pectin, so don’t attempt it if your fruit is not perfect. Redcurrants are well worth searching out for this jam. They are very high in pectin and their bitter-sweet taste greatly enhances the flavour.

1.8kg (4lb) unblemished strawberries (El Santa or Rapella if available)

225g (8oz) redcurrants

1.5kg (3 1/4lb) granulated sugar (not castor sugar) or 1/2 jam sugar and 1/2 granulated sugar

150ml (5fl oz) redcurrant juice or if unavailable the juice of 2 lemons

First prepare the redcurrant juice (see method) using about 450g (1lb) fruit to obtain 150ml (5fl oz) of juice. 

Put the strawberries and redcurrants into a wide stainless steel saucepan with redcurrant juice. Use a potato masher to crush the berries, leave a few intact. Bring to the boil and cook the crushed strawberries in the juice for about 2 or 3 minutes. Warm the sugar in a low oven and add to the fruit, stir over a gentle heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and boil for about 10-15 minutes stirring frequently. *Skim, test and pot into sterilized jars, cover and store in a cool dry cupboard.

* This jam sticks and burns very easily so make sure to stir the base of the pot regularly using a wooden spatula.

Redcurrant Juice

Put 450g (1lb) redcurrants (they can be fresh or frozen) into a stainless steel saucepan with 175ml (6fl oz) of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. This juice can be frozen for use another time if necessary.

Scorched Apricot Tart

This tart looks like it came straight from a French patisserie. Try to follow the edges of the fruit to scorch.

Serves 10-12

Makes 1 x 28cm (11 inch) or 2 x 18cm (7 inch) tarts

Pastry

225g (8oz) flour

110g (4oz/1 stick) butter

2 tablespoons icing sugar

1 large organic egg

Filling

10-20 apricots or figs depending on size

25g (1oz) butter

3-4 tablespoons castor sugar

Apricot Glaze (see recipe)

softly whipped cream, to serve

Make the pastry in the usual way.

Sift the flour onto a work surface and rub in the butter.  Add the icing sugar.  Make a well in the centre and break in the egg, adding a little water if necessary.  Use your fingertips to rub in, pulling in more flour mixture from the outside as you work.  Knead with the heel of your hand, making three turns.  You should end up with a silky smooth ball of dough.  Cover and leave in the fridge for at last 1 hour before using. It will keep for a week in the fridge and also freezes well.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Roll out the pastry, line the tart tin or tins, fill with baking parchment and dried beans and bake blind for 20-25 minutes. Remove the beans and paper.

Cut the apricots in half (figs in quarters if using), discard the stones and arrange cut-side up on the tart, packing them in quite tightly at an angle because they will shrink in cooking. Sprinkle with castor sugar and dot with butter. Cook for 30-45 minutes until the fruit is really soft and slightly scorched. Serve the tart warm just as it is with some softly whipped cream or paint with apricot glaze thinned out with some of the juices.

Apricot Glaze

350g (12oz) apricot jam

Juice of 1/4 lemon

2 tablespoons water

Makes 300ml (10fl oz) approx.

In a small stainless steel saucepan, melt the apricot jam with 1 – 2 tablespoons of juice or water. Push the hot jam through a nylon sieve and store in a sterilized airtight jar. 

Melt and stir the glaze before use of necessary.

Rustic Peach Tart (Galette) with Summer Berries

Irish blueberries are just beginning to ripen – contact Nuala O’Donoghue at Derryvilla Blueberry Farm (087 2466643) for delicious blueberries from the Bog of Allen.

Serves 6-8

Pastry

225g (8oz) plain white flour

1 tablespoon castor sugar

110g (4oz) butter, cut into 1/2 inch (1cm) dice

cold water or cream to mix

Filling

50-75g (2-3oz) sugar

1 tablespoon corn flour

4 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced 1cm (1/2 inch) thick

110g (4oz) blueberries

110g (4oz) raspberries

Demerara sugar for sprinkling, about 1 tablespoon

1 x 23cm (9 inch) pie plate or tart tin.

First make the pastry, put the flour and sugar into a bowl, rub in the cold butter.  When the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, add just enough water or cream to bind.  Knead lightly to get the mixture to come together.  Cover with wax or silicone paper and rest in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. 

Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 35cm (14 inch) round approximately.  Transfer to a 23cm (9 inch) greased plate or baking sheet. 

Just before filling the tart.

Mix the sugar with the corn flour.  Toss in the sliced peaches and blueberries.  Stir gently.  Add the raspberries, but don’t stir. Pour the fruit and the juices into the chilled tart shell and distribute evenly.  Fold the overhanging edge to cover the outer portion of the filling, leaving a 12.5cm (5 inch) opening of exposed fruit in the centre of the tart.  Brush the pastry with cream, sprinkle with a little sugar.  Alternatively, sprinkle with castor sugar when cooked

Bake the tart in a preheated oven 220°C/427°F/Gas Mark 7 for 8-10 minutes, lower the temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and bake for 30 to35 minutes longer.  Serve warm or at room temperature with softly whipped cream.

Cherry, Pistachio and Coconut Cake

This was the first cake I made for the restaurant.  We wanted something that would sit on the bar counter and just make people stare.  It has been with us from the first day and I have a feeling it will stay there until the end.  We do vary the fruit on top, so we use red plums or yellow plums or raspberries, but really the cherries are the best version.  The contact between the cherries and the green pistachios, and the addition of mahleb to the cake batter, together create something electric. It is such an easy recipe to follow, I am sure it will become a huge favourite in any household.  

Makes a 22cm (9 inch) diameter round cake

100g (3 1/2oz) sugar plus 20g (3/4oz) for the topping

90g (3 1/4oz) light brown sugar

180g (6 1/4oz) ground almonds

30g (1 1/4oz) ground pistachio

45g (1 3/4oz) desiccated coconut

50g (2oz) self-raising flour

a pinch of salt

1 teaspoon ground mahleb

150g (5oz) butter – melted

3 eggs 

300g (12oz) cherries

50g (2oz) rough chopped pistachios for the topping

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.

Line the cake tin with parchment paper.

Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Pour over the melted butter and mix in the eggs, spoon the batter into the pre-greased tin and smooth down. 

Remove the stones from the cherries – you can do this with a cherry stoner or by just pulling them apart and popping the stones out with your fingers. I like to do this over the cake tin, so that any juice drips onto the cake and adds colour.  Drop the pitted cherries onto the batter and sprinkle the top of the cake with the remaining 20g (3/4oz) of sugar and the roughly chopped pistachios.  Bake in the centre of the oven for 45-50 minutes, then turn the cake around and bake for a further 5 minutes until the cake between the cherries goes all golden.

Allow the cake to cool in the tin, as it needs time to settle, then gently remove by running a knife around the edges.  Covered well, it will keep in the fridge for up to a week (not much chance of that happening), but for the best flavour, allow it to return to room temperature before eating.

Redcurrant or Whitecurrant Jelly

Redcurrant jelly is a very delicious and versatile product to have in your larder.  It has a myriad of uses. It can be used like a jam on bread or scones, or served as an accompaniment to roast lamb, bacon or ham. It is also good with some rough pâtés and game, and is invaluable as a glaze for red fruit tarts. Whitecurrants are rarer and more difficult to source, they too make delicious jelly that we use in a similar way.

This recipe is a particular favourite of mine, not only because it’s fast to make and results in delicious intensely flavoured jelly, but because one can use the left over pulp to make a fruit tart, so one gets double value from the redcurrants.  Unlike most other fruit jelly, no water is needed in this recipe.

We’ve used frozen fruits for this recipe also, stir over the heat until the sugar dissolves, proceeds as below.  You can use whitecurrants – which will be difficult to find unless you have your own bush. The whitecurrant version is wonderful with cream cheese as a dessert or makes a perfect accompaniment to lamb or pork.

Makes 3 x 450g (1lb) jars

900g (2lb) redcurrants or whitecurrants

790g (1lb 12oz) granulated sugar

Remove the strings from the redcurrants either by hand or with a fork. Put the redcurrants and sugar into a wide stainless steel saucepan and stir continuously until they come to the boil. Boil for exactly 8 minutes, stirring only if they appear to be sticking to the bottom. Skim carefully.

Turn into a nylon sieve and allow to drip through, do not push the pulp through or the jelly will be cloudy. You can stir in gently once or twice just to free the bottom of the sieve of pulp.

Pour the jelly into sterilised pots immediately. Redcurrants are very high in pectin so the jelly will begin to set just as soon as it begins to cool.

Wild and Free

Feverfew – Tanacetum parthenium, is a familiar perennial herbaceous plant with daisy like flowers (Asteraceae). It is a traditional medicinal herb used commonly to prevent migraine headaches, arthritis and digestive problems. It’s also brilliant for flower arranging.  Pour boiling water over the flowers and leaves to make an infusion.  Pretty disgusting but depends how sever your headache is.

Blessed are the cheesemakers!  Let’s all do our bit to support small Irish producers, many of whom are still experiencing real hardship.  The farmhouse cheese makers as just one example so let’s make a conscious effort to buy a piece or better still several pieces of Irish farmhouse cheese this weekend.  I’m fantastically proud of the range of handmade farmhouse cheeses we have here in Ireland.  Cow’s milk, goat’s milk, sheep’s milk and buffalo milk.   Toonsbridge and Macroom Mozzarella make tender milky cheese to rival the very best Italian Mozzarella. No wonder it’s so good, it’s made from the rich milk of the buffalos that range freely in the lovely mixed pastures of West Cork. 

Toby Simmonds and his team of Italian and Irish cheesemakers also make straw smoked scarmoza Caciocavallo,  Ricotta, Halloumi and Cultured Butter easily available from local Farmers Markets or online (www.toonsbridgedairy.com).  He’s recently opened a shop on South Great Georges Street in Dublin – how gutsy and deserving of support is that in the midst of Covid-19…

For many of the cheesemakers who were also supplying the service industry, the closure of the restaurants, hotels and cafés business meant the loss of over 75% of their business overnight, yet the cows kept milking and the cheese kept aging, needing to turned and matured to bring them to the peak of perfection, but how or where could they sell their produce.  They too had the heartbreak of laying off many of their skilled cheesemakers who were often neighbours from their own parish.

The reopening of the local Farmers Markets has been a significant help to some producers.  Local customers are flocking back while observing social distancing.  Look out for Jane Murphy’s Ardsallagh goat’s cheese in Midleton and Mahon Point.  You’ll find the beautiful Ballinrostig Gouda type cheese there too and a whole display of cheese to choose from at Christian and Fiona Burke’s stall.

A trip to the English Market in Cork will make your heart sing – bring an empty basket and fill it up. 

Over 60 beautiful farmhouse cheeses are made around the country and on the islands, a high proportion are made in Cork county.  We have soft, semi-soft, semi-hard and hard cheese to rival anything anywhere and I’m not saying that just because I’m an adopted Cork woman….

Siobhán Ni Ghairbhith makes the legendary St. Tola goat’s cheese from raw milk but she also makes pasteurised milk cheese for the multiples.  She employs 7 people on her farm on the edge of the Burren in Co. Clare. 

When lockdown was introduced overnight, every cheesemaker in the country scrambled to cope with the gallons and gallons of milk in peak season.  Siobhán set up an online artisan cheese box which also includes some other artisan products as did Gubbeen, Cashel Blue, Cooleeney and several others.  Siobhán is a multi-skilled cheesemaker so she decided to make less soft cheese which has a shorter shelf-life and more hard cheese which will continue to improve with age – look out for it later in the year.

Can you imagine how lovely it would be to get a hamper like that by courier or to send a present to a friend or care worker or as a comforting gift to absent family members.  There’s a list of Irish farmhouse cheesemakers on the Cáis site (www.irishcheese.ie). 

The reason why Irish cheeses are so good is the quality of the milk.  Here in Ireland we can grow grass like virtually nowhere else in the world so cows that are out on grass particularly in Summer produce beautiful milk that makes gorgeous cheese.  Irish farmhouse cheese have been awarded prizes in the World Cheese Awards many times.  As a sector, the artisans are incredibly resilient and resourceful.

These feisty cheesemakers up and down the country has led the food revolution and helped in no small way to change the image of Irish food both at home and abroad.  In 1984 when milk quotas has just been introduced, the late Veronica Steele, started to experiment in her kitchen on the Beara Penninsula.  She couldn’t bear to waste a drop of milk of her favourite – one horned cow named Brisket.  The end result was Milleens, the beautiful washed rind cheese that inspired several generations, mostly women, to make cheese.  Such a joy to see her son Quinlan continue to make superb cheese.  The second generation continues to build on their parents legacy at Durrus, Gubbeen, Cashel Blue…how fortunate are we to have access to many exceptional delicious cheeses, now more than ever is the time is to show our appreciation with our support.

RECIPES

Salad Caprese

This salad is only worth doing if you have access to tender buffalo mozzarella and gorgeous ripe tomatoes, fresh summer basil and super extra virgin olive oil.  The first Irish tomatoes are now in season.

Serves 4

2 balls buffalo mozzarella (we’ve two options in Ireland – Toonsbridge Dairy Buffalo Mozzarella (www.toonsbridgedairy.com)

and Macroom Buffalo Mozzarella (www.macroombuffalocheese.com)

4 very ripe ‘beef’ tomatoes or large tomatoes

fresh basil leaves

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Slice the buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes into rounds (or tear apart).  Arrange in overlapping slices on a white plate.  Tuck some basil leaves in between the slices.  Drizzle with really good extra virgin olive oil (I use Capezzana, Fontodi or Selvapiana).  Sprinkle with a few flakes of sea salt and freshly ground pepper to season – a simple feast when the ingredients are at the peak of perfection.

Irish Cheddar Cheese Croquettes

So many traditional Irish Cheddars to choose from, Hegarty’s, ˈ15 Fieldsˈ, Imokilly Cheddar, Coolattin Cheddar, Derg….

Everyone loves these cheese croquettes, crunchy on the outside, soft and melting in the centre.

Makes 25 – 30, depending on size

450ml (15fl oz) milk

few slices of carrot and onion

1 small bay leaf

sprig of thyme

4 parsley stalks

200g (7oz) Roux (see recipe)

2 egg yolks, preferably free range

225g (8oz) grated mature Irish Cheddar cheese

a pinch of cayenne

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon freshly chopped chives (optional)

salt and freshly ground pepper

seasoned white flour, preferably unbleached

beaten egg

fine dried white breadcrumbs

Accompaniment

Ballymaloe Country Relish

Put the cold milk into a saucepan with the carrot, onion and herbs, bring slowly to the boil, simmer for 3-4 minutes, turn off the heat and allow to infuse for about 10 minutes if you have enough time.  Strain the flavourings, rinse them and add to a stock if you have one on the go.  Bring the milk back to the boil, whisk in the roux bit by bit; it will get very thick but persevere.  (The roux always seems like a lot too much but you need it all so don’t decide to use less).

Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Cook for 1-2 minutes on a gentle heat, then remove from the heat, stir in the egg yolks, cheese, pinch of cayenne, mustard and optional chives.  Taste and correct the seasoning.  Spread out on a wide plate to cool.

When the mixture is cold or at least cool enough to handle, shape into balls about the size of a golf ball or 25g (1oz) approx.  Roll first in seasoned flour, then in beaten

egg and then in fine breadcrumbs.  Chill until firm but bring back to room temperature before cooking otherwise they may burst.  Just before serving, heat a deep fryer to 170°C/325°F and cook the Cheese Croquettes until crisp and golden.  Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with a green salad and perhaps some Ballymaloe Country Relish.

Roux

110g (4oz) butter

110g (4oz) flour

Melt the butter and cook the flour in it for 2 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally.  Use as required.  Roux can be stored in a cool place and used as required or it can be made up on the spot if preferred.  It will keep at least a fortnight in a refrigerator.

Note: Cooked Cheese Croquettes can be kept warm in an oven for up to 30 minutes. They can also be frozen and reheated in an oven.

Durrus, Potato and Rosemary Focaccia

Serves 10-12

1 x White Yeast Bread Dough (see recipe)

2 tablespoons chopped rosemary (or thyme leaves), optional

waxy potatoes, boiled until almost cooked, peeled and thinly sliced

175-225g (6-8oz) Durrus cheese

rosemary sprigs

extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

28 x 40cm (11 x 16 inch) baking tray

Make the dough, knead well and allow to rise until well doubled in size.  “Knock back” and allow to rest for 4 or 5 minutes. 

Sprinkle the base of the rectangle baking tray with chopped rosemary or thyme.

Roll the dough into a rectangle.  Lay the dough on top of the baking tray.

Dimple with your fingertips.  Brush with extra virgin olive oil. 

Cover with thin slices of Durrus cheese.

Season the slices of potato well with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Arrange in overlapping slices over the dough and cheese. Sprinkle with rosemary and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. 

Bake in a preheated oven 230ºC/450ºF/Gas Mark 8 for 20-25 minutes or until the base is crusty and the potatoes are beginning to crisp. 

Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and eat warm.

Ballymaloe Cookery School White Yeast Bread

We use Doves Farm organic white bread flour, the water quantity may vary for other brands.  This bread can be baked in loaf tins or made into plaits or rolls.   

Makes 2 loaves

20g (3/4oz) yeast

20g (3/4oz) organic sugar

400g (14oz) warm water

700g (1 1/2lb) strong organic white flour

25g (1oz) butter

16g (1/2oz) pure dairy salt

2 x loaf tins 12.5cm (5 inch) x 20cm (8 inch)

Crumble the yeast into a bowl, add the sugar and 400g (14oz) of warm water (anything above 45C will kill yeast).  Mix and allow to stand for a couple of minutes.  Meanwhile, put the flour into a wide mixing bowl, add the salt, mix then rub in the butter until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. 

Add all the liquid ingredients to the flour and mix to a dough with your hand.  Turn out onto a clean work surface (no flour). Cover with the upturned bowl and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. 

Uncover, if it feels a little dry and tough, wet your hand, rub over the dough and knead by hand until silky and smooth – 10 minutes approximately.  Return to the bowl and cover with a tea-towel.  Allow to rise until double in size. 

Steak Sandwich with Piperonata, Cashel Blue Butter

Serves 4

4 x 50g (2oz) minute steak

salt and freshly ground pepper

extra virgin olive oil

4 x French bread (small baguette)

Lettuce

1/2 quantity Piperonata (see recipe)

Cashel or Crozier Blue Cheese butter (see recipe)

Accompaniment

Green salad and cherry tomatoes and rocket leaves or flat parsley 

Heat a pan grill until very hot.  Season the steak with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.  Slap onto the hot grill pan, cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile split the loaf along one side but keep attached on the other side.  Char grill the crumb side.  Spread the bottom with a little Cashel Blue butter.  Top with a few salad leaves, and the steak.  Add a few spoons of piperonata and finally a few slices of Cashel Blue butter.  Press down the top.  Pop onto a plate and serve immediately with some good green salad.  Repeat with the other baguettes.

Cashel or Crozier Blue Cheese Butter

Serves 8 – 10

110g (4oz) unsalted butter

50g (2oz) Cashel Blue cheese

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon chopped parsley, optional

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl or better still, whizz in a food processor.  Form into a roll in tin foil or pure cling film, tighten the ends.  Chill or freeze until needed.

Piperonata

This is one of the indispensable trio of vegetable stews that we always reckon to have to hand. We use it not only as a vegetable but also as a topping for pizzas, as a sauce for pasta, grilled fish or meat and as a filling for omelettes and pancakes.

Serves 8-10

2 tablespoons olive oil

225g (8oz) onion, sliced

a clove of garlic, crushed

2 red peppers

2 green peppers

6 large tomatoes (dark red and very ripe) (use tinned if fresh are out of season)

salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar

a few leaves of fresh basil

Heat the olive oil in a casserole, add the onion and garlic, toss in the oil and allow to soften over a gentle heat in a covered casserole while the peppers are being prepared. Halve the peppers, remove the seeds carefully, cut into quarters and then cut the pepper flesh into 2-2 1/2cm (3/4 – 1 inch) squares.  Add to the onion and toss in the oil; replace the lid and continue to cook.

Meanwhile peel the tomatoes (scald in boiling water for 10 seconds, pour off the water and peel immediately). Slice the tomatoes and add to the casserole, season with salt, freshly ground pepper, sugar and a few leaves of fresh basil if available. Cook until the vegetables are just soft, 30 minutes approx.

Medjool Dates with Crozier Blue Cheese  

Makes 20

We were served this delicious little morsel with a Swedish Blue cheese at Wardshuset Ulla Winbladh beside Skansen in Stockholm.  It’s become a favourite little nibble with a drink.

Medjool dates

Ripe Crozier Blue Cheese or Dolcelatte

Split the dates lengthways and remove the stone. Arrange on a plate, top each half with a little nugget of cheese. Serve as a canapé or amuse guile

Wild and Free

Sea Purslane (Atriplex portulacoides)

Sea Purslane is at the peak of perfection along out coasts at present. It is a sprawling, clumpy perennial undershrub which spreads its way across the dry, upper reaches of salt-marshes mainly along East, West and South coasts. The leaves of sea purslane are a delicious, slightly salty nibble, with a crunchy texture; however they need to be washed in several changes of water to remove the sand completely. They bloom from July to October and it is rich in vitamin A, omega 3 fatty acids and is an antioxidant. Add to salads or make into a pesto, also delicious pickled.