Strawberry Elderflower and Basil

This is a wonderful celebration of the great British summer with strong strawberry flavours complemented by the basil in a classic combination.

The lemon and elderflower jellies help to cut through the sweet strawberry and the shortbread adds a level of texture to the dish.

Almost all these elements can be prepared in advance – even a couple of days before they are needed so if you’re having a go for a dinner party or to impress the other half, make life easier by getting most of it done and in the fridge or freezer the day before.

The plating up and presentation we’ll leave up to your creativity but we’ve given you some ideas with the photos.

Finish off with some small basil leaves – or try a few mint leaves for an extra twist.

Vanilla Shortbread

100g unsalted butter
50g sugar
150g plain flour
1 vanilla pod (seeds only)

Cut up the butter into small pieces to make it easier to mix.
Add in the sugar and sift the flour into a mixing bowl
Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod and add in
Mix everything together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs
Then squidge it all together into a dough
Leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes
Roll out to 1cm thick and cut into strips (pizza cutter is useful here)
Arrange on a silicone mat or sheet of baking paper and cook at 160C for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Strawberry and champagne sorbet

350 ml Champagne (Prosecco or English sparkling wine are good substitutes)
300 g strawberries pureed (we use a nutribullet)
200 ml of stock syrup
Zest and juice of 1/2 lime

Make the stock syrup by heating sugar with water and the champagne on the stove.
Allow to cool and then add the puree and the lime zest and juice
Mix well then transfer to a tin and pop in the freezer
Mix every 30 minutes for 3 hours to keep it smooth.

Elderflower jelly

375 ml water
50 ml elderflower liqueur (or substitute for cordial)
75 ml elderflower cordial
Agar agar/vegetarian gelatin as per instructions

Mix the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Skim off any impurities and simmer for 5 minutes
Leave to cool
Line a tin with cling film
Pour the slightly cooled mixture into the tin and chill in the fridge to set

Lemon gel

Juice of one lemon
One heaped teaspoon of sugar
Three parts water to one part lemon
Agar agar as per instructions

Mix the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
Skim off any impurities and simmer for 5 minutes
Leave to cool
Line a tin with cling film
Pour the slightly cooled mixture into the tin and chill in the fridge to set

Basil caviar

Large handful of basil leaves
100 ml stock syrup
Agar agar
Chilled oil

Take the basil leaves and add to salted boiling water for 2 minutes
Remove and put in a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process
Squeeze the water from the basil leaves and blend with the syrup
Pass through a fine sieve
Add to a saucepan with the agar agar and extra water if required and simmer for 5 minutes
Leave to cool then
Drop droplets of the liquid into the cold oil – this will turn them into spheres
Once finished, transfer the ‘caviar’ into cold water to rinse off.

Basil oil

Blanch basil leaves in salted boiling water for 2 minutes
Put in a bowl of iced water to stop the cooking process
Squeeze the water out then add to blender with olive oil
Season to taste

Strawberry meringue

12 medium strawberries pureed
2 large organic eggs (whites only)
55g caster sugar
55g icing sugar
Freeze dried strawberries

Beat the egg whites in a non-plastic mixing bowl with an electric whisk until you get stiff peaks (or can tip the bowl upside down without it falling out!)
Add the caster sugar in three batches beating for several seconds between each addition
Sift in the icing sugar in three batches and gently fold into the mixture
Fold in the strawberry puree careful not to overmix
Smooth out onto baking paper or a silicone mat, sprinkle with freeze dried strawberries and bake at 100c (fan assisted) for 45 mins to 1 hour or until the base of the meringue is firm.
Leave to cool and firm up and break apart into jagged pieces.

Balsamic and black pepper macerated strawberries

6 large strawberries
20 mls balsamic vinegar
One heaped tablespoon sugar
Cracked black pepper to taste

Chop the strawberries into large chunks
Mix in with the vinegar and sugar
Cover and leave to macerate for 15 minutes
Mix in the black pepper and leave for 10 more minutes
Serve

Basil ribbons

Handful of large basil leaves

Take several similar sized basil leaves and roll like a cigar
Cut finely across the rolled leaves (around 1-2 mm)
Sprinkle on the dish to serve

On a mission to cut down the meat and try more vegetarian meals we’ve created this pea-based dish in homage to the tasty British staple.  Perfect at this time of year too!

Pea Fritters with Parmentier potatoes, Parmesan Crisp, Pea puree, Basil emulsion, Horseradish creme fraiche, china rose and rambo radish sprouts.

This is a great summer dish, light and colourful.  Use vegetarian versions of Parmesan cheese and edible flowers instead of the sprouts to decorate.

 

Pea Fritters (inspired by healthylittlefoodies.com)

400g frozen petit pois

3 free range organic eggs

200g self raising flour

75g feta cheese crumbled

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Pinch of salt

 

• Boil peas for 3-4 minutes and drain
• Mix flour, eggs, and half the peas in a food processor to make a batter (add a splash of water if the mix is too dry)
• Fold through the remaining peas, feta and parsley
• Fry batter mixture in a splash of oil for a couple of minutes on each side until golden
• For presentation, cut out a circle using a cookie cutter

 

Parmesan Crisp (inspired by myrecipes.com)

50g Veggie equivalent of Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon paprika

Black pepper to taste

 

• Finely grate the vegetarian hard cheese and mix with thyme, black pepper, and paprika.
• Sprinkle a fine layer of the mix onto a baking sheet or silicone sheet and grill for 3-4 minutes until golden.
• Remove and leave for 30 seconds before cutting discs from the mixture – or break into shards when cool.

 

Parmentier potatoes (inspired by bbcgoodfood.com)

3-6 Maris Piper potatoes (or your favourite variety) cut into 1cm cubes

2-3 sprigs of rosemary finely chopped

Sunflower oil

1 tablespoon melted butter

2 tsp dried parsley

Salt and pepper

 

• Cook the cubed potatoes in a frying pan in a tablespoon of sunflower oil stirring to prevent sticking.
• Melt the butter and mix with the parsley
• Transfer the potatoes to a baking tray and combine with the melted butter/parsley mix and sprinkle with the chopped rosemary and seasoning.
• Roast in a hot oven for approximately 30 minutes shaking half-way through.

 

Horseradish Creme Fraiche (inspired by greatbritishchefs.com)

2 tbsp creme fraiche

1 tsp horseradish (or more to taste)

Squeeze of lemon

½ tsp paprika

 

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and chill for 10 minutes

 

Basil Emulsion (inspired by gabekennedy.com)

Bunch of fresh basil

3-4 ice cubes

½ cup olive oil

Juice of ½ a lemon

Pinch of salt

Bowl of iced water

 

• Blanch basil for 30 seconds in boiling water
• Drop into a bowl of iced water to stop further cooking and retain the colour
• Squeeze out the water from the basil and put in a blender with the ice cubes and oil
• Squeeze in the lemon juice and pinch of salt if required and blend well
• Store in a presentation bottle in the fridge
• The emulsion will separate so shake before use.
• Nutri bullets are great for blending this up.

 

Pea and Mint Puree (inspired by greatbritishchefs.com)

400g frozen petit pois

Handful of mint leaves

Knob of butter

• Blanch peas for 2 minutes in salted water
• Add mint leaves and leave for 2 more minutes
• Drain (but reserve the water) and put in a blender
• Add 100ml of the cooking water and blend
• Add more water if required and blend to the desired consistency
• Pass puree through a fine sieve (push through with the back of a ladle) to create a smoother puree
• Add in a knob of butter and blitz in the blender
• Put in the fridge to cool

 

We paired this meal with a Pinot (Pea-no) Grigio from Sainsburys.

 

We caught up with a select group of brewers and pubs who rose to the challenge of answering some beer-related questions to give you an insight into the craft beer movement, tips for home-brewers, and what food you should be co-ordinating with your drinking session. The Kernel Brewery, Redemption and CRATE are all based in London, while Sixpoint and Pacific Standard call Brooklyn home.

What do you think is behind the recent rise of microbreweries and is it here to stay or just a trend?
KERNEL: It is here to stay. And will grow.

SIXPOINT: People have simply realized that there’s more to beer than “fizzy yellow water”, and they’ve been active (and inspired) participants in the craft beer movement. The craft beer world will continue to evolve as it always has; tastes will continue to change, new formulations will be embraced, and the finest liquids will prevail.

REDEMPTION: I think a lot of it is about localism and consumers wanting independent products where they feel more of a connection with the producers. I think there has also been a willingness for beer drinkers to be more adventurous and the quality of beer being produced by microbreweries has improved immeasurably over the past decade. Breweries like Thornbridge, Darkstar and Brewdog have also been instrumental in leading the way and exposing people to great beer with good modern branding helping to attract people who otherwise may not have thought about drinking beers produced by microbreweries.

PACIFIC: Craft beer is definitely not a trend. It’s an example of a larger movement towards better and more socially responsible food and drink. Local, sustainable, and small-scale agriculture, including beer, is something that people are going to be continually interested in because it simply tastes better and has the added benefit of helping the environment as well as environmentally conscious producers.

CRATE: The catalyst for the rise of microbreweries can be attributed to people rediscovering that beer can be hearty and flavourful, and that it comes in so many differing varieties. The variety of beers offered by microbreweries offsets the stock standard bulk brewing of the larger breweries. Now that people have sampled craft beer, I believe a lot of them would struggle to return to the larger, blander, labels.

What’s the key to brewing a good beer and what tips can you give to keen home brewers?
SIXPOINT: The first step is to learn to understand what you like to drink, develop your palate and be adventurous. For home brewers, time on task (our founder had compiled 1000+ homebrew recipes before starting Sixpoint) and attention to every part of the process – and of course the outcome – is absolutely crucial. It is, after all, Mad Science.

REDEMPTION: Cleaning and attention to detail. If you get the basics right you can produce good beer. The science will get you a long way to a drinkable pint but the art of brewing will be developed through experience and have a good palate so you can refine your beers and really bring out the flavours and aromas you are after. Tips to home brewers – clean well have patience.

CRATE: For us, the key to brewing good beer is a combination of using nothing but the best ingredients, and putting a lot of love, care, and passion into it. For the home brewing crowd, I think the best tip is to do what they want to do, and experiment.

KERNEL: I can’t say that I’ve identified any constants across the good beers that I have drunk, apart from the obvious ones of attention to detail, and carrying the right attitude towards what you do.

How do you decide what to call your beers?
REDEMPTION: Depends on the style of beer and our mood whilst brewing them! KERNEL: They are named after their style. And the hops involved, if appropriate; nothing more.

SIXPOINT: We find ideas along many parts of the formulation process; everything from the flavor to the appearance to the moment the idea was conceived. We’ve named beers while on clandestine photo shoots, in deep caverns of ancient breweries, and even during video game battles. Inspiration strikes at unlikely times!

CRATE: The style across our business is to not over complicate things. This can be seen in our hand built bar, on our labels, and in the names of our beers. We like to keep things simple and obvious, while also creative.

What’s the best food to accompany a beer session?
PACIFIC: In my opinion, there’s nothing better than savory Indian food to offset the bitterness of a hoppy beer. But if you want something for a snack at our bar, I’d recommend either our handmade San Luis Obispo beef jerky, which puts East Coast “liquid smoke” jerkies to shame, or our San Francisco “It’s-It” ice cream sandwiches, which go very well with darker beers.

SIXPOINT: Unless you eat the same meal every day, your beer / food pairing should probably be a constant conversation. That said, a good curry with an IPA has always struck our fancy.

REDEMPTION: The obvious one is an IPA with a curry, but I’m a big fan of fish and chips and a good ‘sessionable’ pale ale.

CRATE: CRATE is not only a brewery, we’re also a pizzeria. Pizza is a perfect complement to beer. A sage and truffle pizza is the perfect companion to our IPA.

 

Brewery Profiles

Crate

CRATE Brewery came into being when Tom and Jess, local restaurateurs with the Counter Café, combined forces with Neil, a specialist brewer, and was opened in July, 2012, just before the Olympics kicked off. In keeping with the artistic and creative ethos of Hackney Wick, the largest community of independent artists and art studios in Europe, CRATE Brewery’s converted industrial interior is one of a kind and has been crafted by local designers who reused reclaimed materials from around the Wick. To accompany its range of drinks, CRATE serves up seven different delicious types of stone baked pizzas, including Sage & Truffle Potato, Middle Eastern Lamb, Sweet Potato, Gorgonzola & Walnut and Lemon Chicken Tajine They are online at www.cratebrewery.com or Twitter @cratebrewery

 

Sixpoint

Sixpoint was established in 2004 when the Brew Crew resurrected the Sixpoint Brewers’ Star, as they set up a patchwork of brewing equipment in an 800 square foot garage in a then-dilapidated neighborhood of Brooklyn, NYC called Red Hook. It’s a grassroots upstart brewery founded by a dedicated home brewer. Sixpoint secured a distribution deal throughout Wetherspoons pubs in the UK this year and have three canned varieties available, The Crisp, Sweet Action, and Bengali Tigerand all three pack quite a punch. Find out more at www.sixpoint.com or on Twitter @sixpoint and they also have a beer finder app that you can download from www. sixpoint.com/app 

 

The Kernel

Set up in 2009 The Kernel Brewery in London was established with, according to Evin O’Riordain; ‘hard work, lots of love, and belief that it was worth doing – with lots of help from friends.’ They say their beer ‘forces you to confront and consider what you are drinking’ and you can try it for yourself from the brewery in London every Saturday between 9am and 2pm or they’ll be at the Independent Manchester Beer Convention www. indymanbeercon.co.uk in October 2014. Look the brewery up at www.thekernelbrewery.com 

 

Redemption

Redemption was started in September 2009 and the first brew was ready in January 2010. The brewery was started by Director Andy Moffat at a time when there were very few breweries still left in London. Andy wanted a brewery in North London as there had not been any brewing in North London since Pitfield had moved out many years previous. With a ‘green’ approach to business, their water comes from the local reservoirs in North London’s Lea Valley, an area of natural beauty and tranquillity, and the brewery’s spent grain and hops are donated to local allotments to be used as compost and horse feed You can find the award winning beers in dozens of pubs across London and the South East or buy online at www.redemptionbrewing.co.uk Twitter: @redemptionbrew 

 

Pacific Standard

Opening for business on 5th September 2007, Pacific Standard was a ‘West Coast transplant’ to New York. The owners, Jon Stan and John Rauschenberg, wanted to replicate the feel of a Northern California bar in New York City, complete with West Coast microbrews, West Coast sports, a library, and other touches to make it feel like a laid-back graduate student bar. It was something that, at that time, they say was sorely lacking in the New York City bar scene. Located on Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn the microbrew pub opens until 4am every night with a range of events and even a frequent drinker program! Have a look at www.pacificstandardbrooklyn.com or follow on Twitter @pacificstandard

This article was originally printed in August 2014 and all information was correct at the time of printing.

“Attention to detail, the quality of the flour, the length of time it takes that dough to ferment as well is really important.”

“Attention to detail, the quality of the flour, the length of time it takes that dough to ferment as well is really important.” According to Richard Caver chef and bread enthusiast, and co-founder of Honest Crust; home of what is quite simply the best pizza in Manchester.

“The angle we’ve come at it is that the dough, the crust has to be spot on before you add anything else. Once you’ve got the crust as you want it then you start adding top quality ingredients from wherever you can get your hands on them.” Honest Crust leave no stone unturned in their quest for the ultimate pizza ingredients.

“We’re looking for the best we can find.” Richard explains. “So the mozzarella comes from a dairy down in Somerset made fresh for us every week while the award-winning charcuterie comes from Trealy Farm in Monmouthshire.” Having sampled the crusty goodness of their pizzas on several occasions, they come with an artmuso recommendation.

Richard’s pizza obsession began around 2010 with a trip to San Francisco where he encountered the kind of quality pizza that just did not exist in Manchester at the time. The unique wood burning oven used to lovingly bake the food in little more than 2 or 3 minutes has been built to a bespoke specification by Stefano Ferrara and imported from Naples.

“They are the best of the best, generations of oven builders, all the bricks and cement comes from a particular region near Naples; volcanic ash and all that.”

Honest Crust are moving into a permanent new home in Altrincham Market after an invite from Nick Johnson who took over the running of the market in 2013 and has already established a very chilled vibe there with independent food producers, crafts and vintage goods backed by live music with an open mic stand.

Open every day except Monday and from 12 noon until 10pm, later on weekends, Honest Crust will serve pizza and panuzzo – wood fired Italian sandwiches, plus plates of antipasti with their characteristic quality ingredients. Apart from a permanent base in Altrincham, their mobile pizza oven means they are available for catering at parties, events and pretty much anywhere in the North West. Make mine a pepperoni!

www.honestcrustpizza.co.uk

This article was first published in artmuso August 2014 and all information was correct at the time of publishing.  Honest Crust are now based permanently in the Altrincham Market (Market House) http://www.altrinchammarket.co.uk/ – check for the latest opening times.