We are now well into the summer and many of the seasons ingredients have a distinctly Mediterranean feel. Plump aubergines, bright red tomatoes, crisp peppers and firm courgettes dominate the shelves and market stalls. These ingredients have a natural affinity with olive oil, onions, rosemary and basil, and although they are traditionally combined and stewed to produce ratatouille and caponata, there are many different cooking techniques that can be used to get the very best from them.
Aubergines can be baked until soft and chopped with spices and herbs to produce a wonderful puree that is delicious with grilled flatbread. Peppers can be stuffed and gratinated under a hot grill Perfectly ripe plum tomatoes need little more than a twist of salt and pepper. For a real treat keep your eye out for baby courgettes with the flowers still attached. Stuffed and deep fried in a light tempura batter they epitomise summer eating.
Courgette Flower, Goats Cheese and Chive Tempura with Peach Chutney – serves 4
8 Courgette flowers with baby courgettes attached
200g Goats cheese, rind removed and processed until smooth
Chopped chives to taste
- Open the leaves and stuff with a ball of cheese puree. Don’t over fill
- Dust with seasoned flour and then dip into the tempura batter.
- Deep fry until golden & crispy.
Tempura Batter
1 Egg
1cup Iced water
1cup Plain flour
½ cup Corn flour
P Salt
- Stir ingredients together until just combined.
- Refrigerate.
Peach chutney- makes a large jar
1Onion – finely chopped
1 Orange – juice & zest
150g Caster sugar
P Cinnamon
P Nutmeg
P Cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon Ginger – finely chopped
150ml White wine vinegar
1T Salt
P Saffron
4 Peaches– peeled & chopped
- In a saucepan combine everything except last three ingredients.
- Cover & cook gently for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Add fruit & cook for 20 minutes uncovered.
- Pour off any juice & boil it down to a syrup add back to chutney & bring back to boil.
- Pour into sterilised jar.
Seasonal Ingredients
Vegetables: Aubergine, Courgette, Cucumber, French Beans, Pepper, Sweetcorn, Spring Onion, Radish, Marrow, Tomato, Globe Artichoke
Fish: Grey Mullet, Sardine, Crab, Scallop
Meat: Lamb, Venison
Fruit: Raspberry, Greengages, Nectarine