US Scots are spoilt for choice when it comes to summer eating. Synonymous with all that is fresh and nutritious, our summer backyard is a haven of healthy and culinary delights.
July brings with it an abundance of homegrown berries and, if you haven't done so already, now is the ideal time to head to the farmer's market and stock up on local raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries.
Local is always best whe
n it comes to berries – both for taste and value for money, as Scotland is renowned for growing some of the best produce in the world.
Fresh and local berries will always have much more flavour and texture than their overseas peers and, when it comes to working with them in the kitchen, this is key. It's all about the natural sugars that come from the berries, and you will get much more bang for your buck.
Try picking your own berries with the kids one weekend – East Lothian and Perthshire have some of the best berry farms around.
Make the most of this season's berries by creating some mouth-watering puddings – the natural sweetness of the stingingly-tart berries make for a refreshing dessert. It can be as simple as serving fresh blackberries and raspberries with cream, or even mixed berries and cool vanilla custard. Or go all out with a raspberry crumble, blackberry parfait or strawberry tart. My favourite is pavlova as the sharp taste of the fruit contrasts with the sweet clouds of the egg white and rich cream.
But don't be afraid to experiment. Tayberries and loganberries are both sharp and sweet, resulting in a unique and interesting result which will impress guests. And mix berries with exotic fruits such as pineapple, kiwi and passion fruit which contrast with the tartness and inject added taste.
Peter Fleming is head chef of Hadrian's Brasserie at The Balmoral, www.thebalmoral hotel.com, 0131-556 2414.
RECIPESDeep fried Perthshire strawberries in a fresh yeast batter with vanilla ice-cream and strawberry puree (serves four)Ingredients:
20 large strawberries
250g plain flour, and extra to dust
60g fresh yeast
200mls milk
Vegetable oil for deep frying
Icing sugar
4 scoops of vanilla ice-cream
100mls of strawberry puree or jus (available from supermarkets)Method:
Sieve flour into bowl, dissolve yeast in small amount of milk before adding remainder of milk. Make a well in centre of flour and gradually whisk in yeast milk until medium batter consistency. Place damp cloth over bowl and leave at room temperature for an hour.
Lightly dust strawberries with plain flour and place in batter. Deep fry until golden brown. Drain onto a cloth and dust with icing sugar. To serve, arrange strawberries in a bowl, place scoop of ice-cream on top and drizzle with strawberry puree or jus.
Selection of seasonal berries set in an elderflower jelly, served with natural yoghurt, heather honey and fresh ginger (serves four)Ingredients:
225g fresh mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries)
4 sheets leaf gelatine
800ml sparkling elderflower pressé or cordial with water
120g natural yoghurt
2tbsp heather honey
Small fresh ginger, finely gratedMethod:
Place leaf gelatine in a bowl, cover with cold water and set aside until they soften.
Gently heat 200ml of elderflower cordial in a small pan. Remove from heat. Squeeze excess liquid from gelatine and stir into cordial until dissolved. Pour remaining elderflower liquid into mix.
Arrange fruit into four individual moulds and pour in liquid.
Place in fridge to set (3-4 hours).
Mix honey and fresh ginger together gently, warm in microwave to infuse and cool down. Gently warm moulds to remove jellies, arrange on plates, spoon a little yoghurt to one side and drizzle honey and ginger mix on to yoghurt. Serve.
