Indulging in summer fruit is an absolute delight, but I find even more joy in cooking with it. When fruit is perfectly ripe, it brings a burst of color, succulence, and sweetness to any dish. Berries, for instance, are fantastic when enjoyed as they are or incorporated into salads or salsas to complement rich ingredients like creamy cheese or flavorful meats. On the other hand, larger stone fruits like peaches may need a little assistance to showcase their full potential, but a touch of roasting or grilling can easily enhance their natural flavors.
One of my favorite dishes to enjoy on a scorching summer day is a refreshing cucumber and berry salad with urfa and sesame. This quick and easy salad features summer berries, but feel free to substitute them with stone fruit if that’s your preference. Be sure to eat it with a spoon to savor every drop of the delightful dressing.
To prepare the salad, peel and roughly chop 1 cucumber (250g) and thinly slice ½ small red onion (40g net). Add 150g of halved strawberries (or quartered if large), 65g of raspberries, 45ml of olive oil, ¼ tsp of toasted sesame oil, 3 tbsp of fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp of maple syrup, and a pinch of flaked sea salt to a large bowl. Gently toss to combine and let it macerate for a few minutes.
Next, transfer the cucumber mixture to a platter, leaving a tablespoon of dressing behind in the bowl. Add 20g of rocket to the bowl and stir to coat the leaves with the dressing. Scatter the dressed rocket on top of the cucumber and berry salad. Finish off the dish by sprinkling a quarter-teaspoon of sesame oil, urfa chili, toasted sesame seeds, and another pinch of flaked sea salt. Serve and enjoy!
Another delectable recipe is Yotam Ottolenghi’s roast pork tenderloin with cherry and chipotle salsa. Plump and in-season cherries create a marvelous salsa that pairs perfectly with seasoned pork. For a quicker midweek option, you can use pork chops instead of the loin.
To prepare the spiced pork, combine ½ tsp of ground allspice, 1 tsp of smoked paprika, 1 tsp of garlic powder, ¼ tsp of caster sugar, fine sea salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture evenly over both pieces of pork tenderloin (about 500g total) and let it marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature (or overnight in the fridge).
In the meantime, prepare the cherry salsa by mixing 250g of roughly chopped cherries (225g when stoned), ¼ tsp of caster sugar, 1 tsp of wholegrain mustard, ¼ tsp of chipotle flakes, 1 peeled and finely diced banana shallot (40g), 1 finely diced red chili (10g), and 2 tbsp of lime juice in a small bowl. Set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and heat a large, ovenproof frying pan on high heat. Once the pan is hot, pour in 2 tsp of sunflower oil and sear the pork on all sides for a total of 6 minutes. Add 25g of unsalted butter to the pan and baste the pork with the melted butter until it becomes foamy and caramelized. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 5 minutes, flipping the pork halfway through. Remove from the oven, cover with foil, and let it rest for 8 to 10 minutes. For medium to well-done meat, leave it in the oven for an additional minute or two.
Slice the pork into ½cm-wide slices and arrange them on a platter. Spoon over the butter from the pan and a third of the cherry salsa. Serve the remaining salsa in a separate bowl on the side.
Lastly, indulge in the deliciousness of roast peaches with fennel croissant wafers. A perfectly ripe and fragrant peach can stand alone as a delightful dessert, but you can roast slightly underripe peaches to enhance their sweetness. Serve them with fennel croissant wafers made from stale croissants, adding a fun twist to your dish. You can make the croissant wafers a day in advance and store them in an airtight container to retain their crispy texture.
To prepare the peaches, preheat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9. Place 4-5 peaches (400g) cut into quarters or sixths in a medium oven tray. Add 70g of caster sugar, ⅛ tsp of flaked sea salt, 100ml of rosé or white wine, 1¼ tsp of lightly ground fennel seeds, 2 sprigs of fresh basil, the split vanilla pod (scraping the seeds out and reserving the empty pod), and the zest of 1 lime using a vegetable peeler. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes until the fruit begins to brown and the liquid in the tray bubbles. Set aside.
Reduce the oven temperature to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Cut off and discard the pointy ends of 2 stale croissants, then slice the remaining parts into 1cm-thick slices. Dip both sides of the croissant slices into a small, shallow bowl of 30g of caster sugar to coat. Arrange the slices on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of fennel on top. Place another sheet of greaseproof paper and a second baking tray on top to weigh them down. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes until golden and crisp. Let them cool on a rack.
For the yoghurt cream, whisk 120g of double cream to soft peaks that retain their shape. Gently fold in the seeds from the split vanilla pod and 120g of Greek yoghurt. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Divide the yoghurt cream among four bowls and spoon the roasted peaches and their pan juices on top. Serve each portion with two or three croissant wafers on the side. Now you can savor the scrumptiousness of roast peaches with a delightful crunch from the fennel croissant wafers.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
