A berry nice time to pick your own fresh fruit
and veg
You would be a fool not to try my delicious gooseberry pudding, says Clare Latimer
There is an abundance of homegrown summer fruit and vegetables in our countryside. It’s the perfect time for the summer holidays when you can drive to ‘pick your own’ farms, go to farmer’s markets or just buy at your local greengrocers. This is also a good time of year to support local produce as opposed to fruit and vegetables flown from half way round the world.
A fantastic ‘pick your own’ farm is one in Enfield called Parkside where they have strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries and blackcurrants and also have French beans, onion, beetroot, spinach, broad beans and courgettes.
You can always call them on 020 8367 2035 to find out the crops of the day and where they are but it is a great day out and there are lovely pubs near by to also make your trip memorable.
Majorcan Tomato Soup
This was a great favourite with my family when we had a house in Majorca. It was served as a main course for lunch after jumping in and out of the pool and staring at the magical mountains.
After this we would tuck into a platter of Spanish cheeses and fresh figs off our tree. After a couple of glasses of the local wine a siesta would then be compulsory.
Ingredients
100ml of olive oil;
Four to five large spring onions, including the green parts, chopped;
Three large cloves of garlic, chopped;
One tablespoon of finely chopped parsley;
Four large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped;
One heaped teasspoon of mild paprika;
Some salt;
200g shelled peas;
500g of artichokes;
Meat stock or water;
One bunch fresh spinach, shredded;
300g of thinly sliced white bread.
Method
Heat the oil in a casserole dish and soften the spring onion and garlic, then add the parsley and tomato. When it has thickened, add the paprika and season with salt.
Stir in the peas, and the artichokes, with the outer leaves removed to reveal the pale inner leaves, then cut in half and the hairy choke scooped out. Cover with good meat stock if you have it, otherwise with water, and bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 minutes, then add the spinach and cook for five minutes more. Arrange the bread in a heated earthenware dish. Pour on the broth from the vegetables and leave for a couple of minutes to let the bread soak up the liquid. Check the seasoning and finally, arrange the vegetables on top, sprinkle with good virgin olive oil and serve.
Gooseberry Layer Pudding
This is a lovely pudding and that wonderful perfumed flavour of the gooseberries really comes to the fore.
Gooseberries have such a short season so crack on and have a go.
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
12 slices good quality white bread, crusts removed;
50g of butter;
900g of green
gooseberries;
450g sugar
Three elderflower heads, optional;
450ml of cream;
225ml of milk;
Four large eggs, beaten lightly;
One teaspoon of vanilla essence;
170g of sugar;
One tablespoon of light brown sugar for sprinkling on top of the
pudding.
Method
Put the gooseberries into a saucepan with the sugar and elderflowers and stir over a moderate heat until the fruit bursts, discard the elderflowers.
Butter the bread and arrange four slices, buttered side down, in a single layer in a 20.5cm square china dish.
Spoon one-third of the gooseberry mixture over the bread and then another layer of bread, buttered side down, followed by another third of the gooseberry mixture, finally cover with the remaining bread, buttered side down. Reserve the remainder of the gooseberry and elderflower compote to serve with the pudding.
In a bowl, whisk together the cream, milk, eggs, vanilla essence and sugar and then pour over the bread. Sprinkle the sugar over the top, allow to stand for at least one hour. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
Bake in a bain-marie – the water should be two thirds way up the sides of the baking dish. Bake for one hour or until the top is crisp and golden.
Serve warm with crème fraiche and the remainder of the gooseberry and elderflower mixture. |
