Seasonal Recipes August

Last update: 3.08.10 First posted: 3.08.10 by Jenny Coleman in What's Cooking In Tod?

Time of Plenty

August is the height of the summer with things growing in abundance, a time to enjoy the fruits of our labors in the garden, the hedgerow bounty beginning to appear or the heaped boxes at the greengrocers. It is also the time to start thinking about jams and preserves to save some of this summer richness for the cold days ahead. Foods making a first appearance this month include the stone fruits, plums, greengages and damsons, sweet corn, and blackberries.

Rice with summer vegetables– for four

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 finely sliced leeks
2 finely sliced courgettes
200g shelled peas
150g risotto rice
1 litre hot chicken (or veggie) stock
Salt and black pepper
4 slices of pancetta and 2 tbsp grated parmesan (or 2 tsp pesto)

Heat the oil and butter in a heavy pan, cook the leeks gently for 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir then add the stock. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes

Add the peas, courgettes, salt and pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes until rice is tender.

Fry the pancetta until crisp, put on top and scatter with parmesan or add pesto for a veggie version.

Mushroom and Haloumi skewers – for two

Something non-meaty to cook on the barbeque during those hot summer days.

250g halomi cheese
1 courgette
1 red onion
8 closed cup mushrooms
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander Juice of 1 lime
1 clove of garlic, crushed
Black pepper

Cut cheese courgettes and onion into pieces about an inch square.

Mix the oil, coriander, lime, garlic and lots of black pepper in a large bowl. Gently stir in the mushrooms, courgettes, onions and cheese and leave to marinate for at least half an hour or up to 18 hours.

Thread on skewers and cook over barbeque, turning occasionally and brushing with marinade juices until cooked – about 10 minutes.

Gooseberry and Elderflower sorbet – for four

Elder trees are very common in our hedgerows and waste patches, the flowers are white and foaming and the berries, which come later, hang in black bunches, both flowers and berries can be used in cooking – and they are free!

375g caster sugar
300 ml water
1 kg gooseberries
6 heads of elderflower

Put sugar and water in a large pan and stir to dissolve, bring it to the boil and then add gooseberries, simmer for 5 minutes and then remove the pan from the heat.

Put in the elderflowers and leave to infuse for at least 2 hours. Strain the mixture through a muslin lined sieve or a jelly bag – do not force the mixture through or the result will be cloudy.

Transfer the resulting syrup to a freezable bowl or an ice-cream maker if you have one. If you are using a bowl place in the freezer, turned to its lowest setting and take it out to stir to break up the ice crystals every 30-40 minutes until set. If you have an ice-cream maker this will do the job for you, just churn for 20 minutes.

Serve immediately or store in the freezer.

July Recipe here