Hello again!
This month’s recipe is for Olive Branch Strawberry Treacle Tart with Strawberry Ripple Ice Cream which celebrates the best tastes of British summertime – a simple dish but a very special one that will be popular with all the family.
Recipe: Serves 8
Ingredients:
• 10 strawberries, sliced
• 7oz/200gm golden syrup
• 2 tbsps black treacle
• 10 oz/275 gm breadcrumbs
• Zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons
• 2 whole free-range eggs
You will also need an 8in/20cm flan ring
that you have baked or bought in advance
Method:
1. Slice strawberries and scatter onto the pastry case
2. Mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl, then spoon the mixture into the pastry case, covering all the strawberries
3. Place onto a warmed baking sheet and bake in the oven at 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 20 minutes
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before serving with strawberry ripple ice cream.
Quick Strawberry Ripple Ice Cream:
1. Buy a pot of your favourite vanilla ice cream. Remove from freezer in advance and slightly soften by using a spoon.
2. To make the strawberry coulis, use equal amounts of icing sugar and strawberries, adding a squeeze of lemon; 4oz/100gm of each should be enough.
3. Place ingredients in a blender and pureé until smooth. Remove and sieve out the strawberry seeds.
4. Ripple the coulis through the softened vanilla ice cream and return to freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
5. Assemble all ingredients in salad bowl
Sean’s Top Tips
• For extra ‘nutty’ flavour you could make your breadcrumbs for this recipe from our own Rearsby Pumpkin Seed Bread sold at both pubs
• For a really simple and quick strawberry dessert, combine ripe fruit with a high quality balsamic vinegar in a bowl and then offer with vanilla sugar and clotted cream. Give everyone a spoon and let them help themselves from the bowls. Result – a burst of flavours coming together in one.
• Don’t overcomplicate your food – less is more, especially in hot weather
• Spend as much as you can afford on good quality ingredients
• You may not have any black treacle in your food cupboard but most good supermarkets should be able to sell you a small tin
Local Suppliers
Rutland Water Golf Course Fruit Farm
Cousins Nick and Steve Makey have supplied both pubs for some years and also offer ‘table-top’ fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and asparagus grown in the best clean conditions in fully-irrigated bags for both Pick Your Own or Ready Pick; open 10am – 6pm during peak season; telephone order line, directions & information: Tel: 01952 737525.
Askers Bakery
Askers Bakery in Red Lion Street, Stamford was established in 1928, and now the 4th generation of the same family makes all their bread on the premises using the original coal-fired ovens. Their traditional breads make wonderful breadcrumbs for this recipe. Tel: 01780 481933.
Latest News
from The Olive Branch & The Red Lion Inn pubs
Don’t forget to make a note of the dates of Sean’s popular Cookery Demonstrations at both pubs; tickets cost £35 and include a free glass of wine with lunch:
The Olive Branch Pub, Clipsham; Tel: 01780 410355 www.theolivebranchpub.com
Tuesday 1st July & Tuesday 11th November
The Red Lion Inn, Stathern: Tel: 01949 860868 (www.theredlioninn.co.uk) Tuesday 8th July, Tuesday 16th Sept and Tuesday 9th December
And the new Summer Garden Menu at each pub is now in full swing:
a terrific selection of seasonal light dishes served between 2.30pm and 5.30pm on Saturdays and Bank Holiday Mondays until the end of August. Choose from soups, terrines, mussels and spaghetti, pizza and burgers plus some simple but tasty desserts, sorbets and ice creams, English farmhouse cheeses, along with coffees and teas. No bookings will be taken, simply turn up and sit down, either inside or out, depending on the weather.
Sean Hope is the owner/chef, together with business partner, Ben Jones, of the Michelin Pub of the Year 2008, The Olive Branch Pub and Beech House B & B at Clipsham, Rutland, together with the Red Lion Inn at Stathern, Leics.
Got a problem or a query with your cooking? Then just ‘Ask Sean’ e-mail us at localliving@btopenworld.com. We’ll pass your culinary conundrums on to Sean who will very pleased to help you out with whatever’s bothering you.