There are two recipes for sardines recently posted in these pages. One uses fresh sardines and the other canned sardines. The fresh version is light, and clean tasting and the canned version is more robust with a deeper flavour. I hope you will try at least one of them.
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Courgette Flowers
These are a fabulous end of summer thing. I bought lots at the Farmer’s market last week and I think more will be available over the next few weeks.
There is no need to stuff them, simply shake out any insects lurking inside the flower, trim the baby courgette attached to the flower or if it is quite thick, slice it. Dip the whole lot in some beaten egg; shallow fry in a little olive oil or butter until they are starting to crisp and brown around the edges, then turn them over and cook the other side. Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt flakes and eat them just as they are. Alternatively, you can use them in a thin omelette. Take one courgette flower and slice it through the middle lengthwise. Fry it gently in a large, lightly oiled pan for a few minutes and then add two eggs, beaten together with a pinch of sea salt flakes and a few chopped fresh mint leaves and perhaps a few cooked peas, and fry gently until it is done. You can turn it over half-way through cooking for a well-done omelette, but it is not essential.
Summer Herbs
Despite the long hot summer, I have managed to keep alive most of the herbs planted in my garden and some of them seem to have flourished. Tarragon is one example and I have been adding it to mayonnaise which is great with chicken or steak and grilled vegetables such as courgettes or peppers, or mixed into courgettes or carrots which have been peeled into thin ribbons, or cabbage and carrots finely sliced to make a slaw.
I have also added some to white wine vinegar to make a delicious tarragon vinegar.
Lovage has done well too. Fresh lovage leaves are very good for adding flavour to stocks and soups and roasted vegetables or anything that might benefit from a mild celery/curry flavour. I have dried some too, in small bunches hung up in my kitchen. They were nicely dried in about 10 days and ready to stuff into clean jars to be used through the cooler months ahead to flavour stocks and soups and stews.
This drying method works for mint, thyme, marjoram, lemon verbena and oregano too. Keep each type of herb well away from others so that the flavours don’t get muddled. Make sure they are free of any dirt and let them dry until they are quite brittle, usually about 10 days. Once dried, keep each variety in a clean jar. They will keep well until next summer and will brighten all those cooler months ahead.
Other Good Things
I have found a new source for good British cheese from www.westcombedairy.com They produce the excellent Westcombe Cheddar using unpasteurised cow’s milk and a British Ricotta using their own unique recipe. This Ricotta is very special indeed. I am working on some recipes for it and looking forward to using it when I have an occasion worthy of its absolute deliciousness.
Other good products available to buy online are www.therockfish.co.uk for canned sardines amongst other things and www.sundaycharcuterie.co.uk for all kinds of pork charcuterie.
Looking Forward to Autumn
I hope there are a few more sunny days before the season changes and we can at least hope for some of the good things that the Autumn might bring us. A lot of farmers have had a very hard time as a result of the hot weather, amongst other things.
For other late summer recipes see also: –
Oregano and Marjoram and a Simple Tomato Salad
Courgettes with Feta, Chilli and Mint
If you want a healthier and more environmentally friendly diet, a good start would be to cook from scratch, avoid buying ready-processed meals, and so avoid foods with a high sugar and salt content. Have a look at food labels, you will likely be amazed by how much salt and sugar is included and, worse, how many of the ingredients are not recognisable as food.
Sherbhert champions delicious, healthy and sustainable food where its production minimises environmental damage, exploitation, animal suffering and subsequent processing. Sherbhert’s recipes are simple and use mainly UK seasonal produce sourced as locally as possible.
Sherbhert occasionally recommends suppliers entirely because of their good produce and ethos.
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