Best Season Pickings for July
Plentiful and Tasty! Our monthly newsletter with advice on what is in season, hints, tips and recipes
Welcome back to another week of Foodies Across the Pond. Thank you for your feedback and input, we love the interaction!
Apologies - this is the second email you will have received. I popped into my own inbox at 11pm last night to find that a very peculiar and half finished newsletter had been dispatched to you all! (Did you feel my panic? - Lisa did!)
So this is “Take 2” apologies for any typing errors, and if something doesn’t make sense, please make contact with us. We will hopefully be able to answer any questions.
If you haven’t subscribed to receive our newsletter, we would love you to join us if you think you can cope with the odd slightly wayward post! Enough of the small talk, let’s crack on!
Belt up and find your sunglasses - we are in for a long ride!
IT’S JULY!!
A fabulous month for food lovers - the shelves in the greengrocers and fishmongers are positively bursting with potential!!! Oh, the choices!! Colourful, delicious and sometimes quite overwhelming! Take a deep breath and soak it all in, as in a blink we will be doing a newsletter for Christmas. Enjoy this moment!
Never fear we are here to help guide you through what is in season for the month, and the food that will offer up the best flavour and deliciousness on your table. And if that wasn't enough, you can scroll down and find our suggested recipes.
Yes, we are truly the gift that keeps on giving!
In the UK
Vegetables & Salad
Well - no worries about a lack of choice in July, and I am sure that I have missed some. Bask in the variety!
Aubergines
Beetroot and baby turnips
Broccoli and tender stem broccoli
Celery
Swiss chard & Cavallaro Nero
Chicory
Courgettes & Marrows
Cucumbers
Fennel (Florence)
Globe artichokes
Runner beans French beans & broad beans
Kohlrabi
Spinach
Lettuce, rocket and other salad leaf varieties
New potatoes
Pak choi
Mangetout & peas
Peppers
Radishes
Shallots, spring onions (scallions)
Spinach
Sea purslane & samphire
Tomatoes (loving heritage varieties
Watercress
Foraging
Edible berries like Wimberries & Bilberries are found in heathland and moors this month. I have such fond memories of my Mum’s Wimberry Pie when I was a child and rolling around with laughter as it would turn teeth, lips, and tongues blue when eaten! Sadly with over grazing, they are now not so common, but a real treat when you do find them!
Wild strawberries - the most intense burst of flavour! Consider growing some.
Puffball and Chanterelle Mushrooms - although I have foraged for mushrooms in the past, and both of these are extraordinary when you find them, I would not consider it unless I was with a guide who knew their stuff. However, you may find the bright orange chanterelle or the mad puff ball in a deli.
The leaves, pretty flowers, and seeds of the Mallow plant are edible. Leaves are apparently rich in protein, calcium, iron, and vitamin C and are used for treatment of all sorts of ailments & conditions. If you fancy getting more into the medicinal benefits of herbs - seek advice from an expert.
Of course, there are stacks more gifts to be found in our hedgerows; yarrow, meadowsweet, nettles. If foraging is something you would love to explore, we have some brilliant courses local to Herefordshire and further afield. I won’t bore you by adding the links as I have included them in previous months, but I highly recommend it for a fun and
EDUCATIONAL day!
Herbs
Tis the season of the herb! So many to choose from! The majority of mine are flourishing. (See our previous newsletters).
This week I have planted my horseradish to a monster pot and potted some lemon verbena - a dream of a herb! My marjoram is taking on the roll of garden monster and self-seeding everywhere.
Basil (like Lisa) remains a constant and I grow mine on my kitchen windowsill as hardly a day passes without it being used. At the risk of repeating myself, mint is the other herb I use most days. I will be cutting some to dry, and also to make mint sauce and mint jelly within the next couple of weeks. But it seems to make it into a salad most days!
Fish
Weird weather conditions take their toll on the fisherman’s catch. Oceans are warm, but our weather has been really poor over here. Usually I would say that flatfish are a great bet for July - as they come into shallow waters to spawn when the seas warm. I am finding the cost high - but they are good!!
Definitely pick mackerel and sardines and these are wonderful on the BBQ. Better value for money as well.
Look out for imported Crab and Langoustine, there have been some amazing catches at the fishmonger!
Cheese of the Month
Let’s have a bit of fun, this month. While my cheese guru Helen (Number 25 The Delicatessen) enjoys a well earned holiday, I am going to make a suggestion:
Stinking Bishop
Don’t be fooled by the image, this is no brie. It absolutely lives up to its name, but if you can get past the smell, it is one of the most delicious of cheeses.
Its name is actually derived from a pear “The Stinking Bishop” which is made into Perry (a relation of cider). Traditionally the perry is used to wash the cheese. Soft and oozey, if left to ripen further it will start to walk across your cheeseboard!
I paint a picture that is scary, but honestly, it’s nutty and smooth and so delicious. Fantastic served with Quince or with Cut Comb honey! And the distinctive flavour of the perry washed rind is wonderful. A firm favourite.
Since it’s mentioned by Wallace in the Wallace and Gromit Film, its popularity has grown. It is made locally to us by Charles Martell & Son in Dymock, Gloucestershire, using the milk of a specific breed of Gloucester cow and is available nationwide.
Fruit
I always want to break out into song “Here comes the fruit!” What a wonderful time of year. Time to start filling the space you have made in the freezers and get preserving!
Of course, we are talking about my passion when we mention the word preserves! This is my language and there are a number of recipes in both of our Foodie Cookbooks. I have included below, my recipe for Strawberry Jam, which features in the Foodies Table Cookbook.
Of course, there will be some delicious imported fruit to choose from as well, but my focus is local.
What’s great and in season:
blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants
blackberies
blueberries
cherries - SO GOOD!!
gooseberries (A short growing season - so grab them now).
loganberries, raspberries & tayberries
rhubarb
strawberries (at their best!)
In the US
July is the prime Summer season and everything kicks into high gear! The strawberries are gorgeous and red, the peaches are sweet, all the greens are vibrant and corn finally makes an appearance in markets and grocery stores.
Herbs
I just planted basil in my garden and I’ll always consider it the best herb of summer because you can make summer pesto, and use it in caprese salads with fresh summer tomatoes.
My mint has also taken off and is such a fabulous herb in the Summer. I love using it in salads, mint pesto, sprinkled over roasted potatoes, and muddled into lemonade.
Fruit
Tomatoes, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, boysenberries, peaches, pluots (a fun hybrid of plum and apricot), plums, Rainier cherries (along with the traditional crimson colored cherry) and figs.
Marionberries are well in season now in the PNW — if you see marionberry ice cream I highly recommend picking up a pint! It’s fabulous with a bit of balsamic vinegar drizzled over it.
Meat
As we enter prime grilling season, the most popular meats will be anything that can be grilled. Burgers — ground beef and ground chicken, steaks — flat iron, flank steak, rib eyes, and I’ll include pork butt for everyone with a smoker.
Vegetables
green beans, cucumber, snap peas, turnips, zucchini (and if you’re really lucky, zucchini blossoms), mushrooms (lion’s mane, chanterelle), and, my husband’s personal favorite, cauliflower
Foraging
Unlike Jane, I don’t have much luck with foraging because, living in the suburbs, there’s not much opportunity. However, there ARE blueberry and blackberry bushes planted alongside the roadways, and you will see people out with their buckets, plucking them off to turn them into pies, cobbler and jam.
Fish
The main headliner right now is Copper River Salmon — run, don’t walk, for this insanely delicious salmon! If you’re in the US, it’s only in season until the end of July…….you can thank us later!
This salmon is considered the “wagyu” of salmon because of its buttery flavor. It’s extremely sought after by home cooks, food lovers, top chefs and Michelin star restaurants around the world, and will cost you more than Atlantic and other types of salmon. But it’s absolutely worth it!
Copper River salmon have the most challenging migratory journey to return to their spawning grounds up the Copper River of any salmon or fish. The river is 300 miles long and they have to navigate glaciers, and a drastic increase in elevation. All of this means they need to store extra fat to make the strenuous journey, and that’s why they have a robust flavor and buttery texture. An added bonus is because they need to store extra fat, they contain more omega-3 fatty acids compared to other salmon. So it’s healthy for you AND ridiculously delicious………definitely a “win-win”
The Recipes:
Strawberry Jam
From the Foodies Table
I don't think that there is anything more delicious than strawberry jam, but it is notoriously difficult to get to set. My secret is to have a supply of redcurrant juice on stand by in the freezer. (200ml/7floz) This with lemon juice does the trick for me.
The fresher the strawberries, the better the jam, so consider buying direct from a farm where grown if you are lucky enough but if they smell of gorgeous strawberry ness then they should be reasonably fresh.
Ingredients
1 kilo / 2.4oz fresh strawberries
1 Kilo / 2.4 oz granulated sugar (consider using preserving sugar if you are not using redcurrant juice - see above notes).
2 lemons - juiced
Instructions
Make sure that the strawberries are clean and remove the hulls (stalks). Put the strawberries into a preserving pan with the juice from the lemons. Over a low heat start to cook the strawberries, so that they start to release their juices,
If you are using redcurrant juice, add it now.
When the fruit is soft and the strawberry juice running free, add the sugar. Stir until it has completely dissolved.
Bring the jam to a rolling boil until a setting point is reached.
While the jam is boiling, sterilise your jars and lids. Any other equipment that you may use for potting (jug or ladle, funnel etc).
Pot your jam, seal and label.
Foodie notes:
Do not fret if you cannot get your jam to set. You will not be the first. Strawberries are ridiculously low in pectin, so you are not to be blamed. Blitz it to a puree in a processor and bottle. Use it as strawberry sauce on ice cream, or even better the pavlova on page
Redcurrant juice - easy peasy. Put redcurrants in a pan with a little water to cover and cook down, simmer until soft. Strain through a fine sieve and freeze in 200ml / 7 fl oz batches.
Cassis (Blackcurrant Liqueur)
Ingredients
450g/1lb Blackcurrants - remove the stalks and wash the currants.
600ml / 1 pint Gin or Brandy
Sugar
Crush the blackcurrants to release the juices, with a potato masher. Either divide or place in separate glass jars that have lids, along with your chosen alcohol.
Now you have to practice restraint, pop into a dark cupboard or storage area and leave for about two months. Give the occasional shake if your remember.
After two months, strain the spirit from the fruit. Disregard the fruit. For every 600ml /1pint liquid add 175g/6oz white sugar. Cover and leave for a further two days, stir or agitate the liquid occasionally to ensure that the sugar dissolves.
Strain the liquid through muslin, bottle and set aside to mature for 6 months. The delicious blackcurrant nectar will be mature and delicious!
A great idea for Christmas gifts - what were we saying about Christmas at the beginning????
Cassis Syllabub
Serves 4
Syllabub has been around for centuries and there is a reason for it - it is because it is so delicious. First records find Sille bub in the 17th century! The recipe has changed a little in time, I always marvel at adding the citrus juice and how it starts to thicken.
Ingredients
125ml/4floz Cassis
2 x tablespoons Cognac
50g/ 2oz white (caster) sugar
1 x unwaxed lemon, finely grated rind and juiced.
300ml/ 10floz Double (thick) cream
225g/ 1/2lb blackcurrants
Lemon juice
Runny honey
Toasted almonds to serve
Instructions
THE DAY BEFORE. Combine the Cassis, Cognac, lemon rind and the juice in a small bowl, cover and leave for the flavours to combine.
The next day find 4 glass serving dishes or large wine goblets to serve your syllabub in.
In a food processor whizz up the blackcurrants, add a squeeze of lemon juice. Pass through a fine sieve and then stir through some runny honey to taste. Set to one side.
Stain you Cassis mixture into a large bowl and stir in the sugar, continue to stir until it as dissolved completely. Now for the magic. Stir in the cream slowly then use a balloon whisk to whisk until it has thickened. Don’t over beat, it should be thick and creamy.
Spoon a layer of the syllabub into each glass then a fine swirl of the blackcurrant mix . Add more syllabub and the alternate layers until the glasses are full or you have used all of the mix. Finish with the syllabub.
Serve with toasted almonds on the side.
Scallops with Sea Purslane and Garlic Butter
Sea purslane has a small window of availability so I recommend making extra butter and freezing it!
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 Prepared scallops in shells
50g / 20z Unsalted butter
Sea Purslane (substitute with fresh herbs and 4 capers if needed)
2 x Garlic cloves - grated
1 x tablespoon fresh parsley - finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon Chervil - finely chopped (optional)
Salt and Pepper
Fresh crusty bread to serve.
Instructions
Make the butter first allowing it to chill before needed.
Pop the butter into a small bowl and beat for a minute with a wooden spoon to soften. Pick a leaf from the sea purslane to garnish each scallop and then chop all of the herbs, grate the garlic and add to the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Place the well mixed butter onto a piece of parchment or cling film/wrap. Roll into a sausage shape and chill until firm.
Wash the scallops in their shells carefully under cold water and set aside.
Slice off a piece of the chilled butter and place one piece on top of each scallop it should be about be about 1/2 cm thick and about the same width as the scallop.
When ready to serve, preheat your grill to a medium heat. Place the scallops shells onto a baking sheet and place under the grill. This process will not take long. When the butter has melted and is bubbling around the scallop. Remove from the grill. (About 2 mins depending upon your grill - do not be tempted to overcook). Serve with a hunk of fresh crusty bread to mop up the garlic butter.
Freeze any butter that you have left over or use with another fish dish in the week.
Filo Frittata
Ingredients
1 x pack 270g / 9.5oz Filo (Brick) pastry
1 x pack (80g/3oz) Prosciutto
12 cherry tomatoes – halved
I ball of mozzarella cheese
½ courgette (zucchini)
Oregano– fresh or dried
Basil – fresh
50g/2oz unsalted butter – melted
Some additional butter for greasing tin
3 x free range eggs
150ml/5fl oz milk
Sea salt and freshly ground black
Preheat the oven to 180’c / 350’f /Gas mark 4
Find an oblong roasting tin that is approximately the same width as the pastry. Lightly grease with butter.
Filo is fragile. Carefully lay each slice out and concertina using your fingers.
Lay the filo on it’s side in the roasting tin. Continue, so that all of the pastry is used.
Slice thin strips of the courgette using a potato peeler. Start slotting into the pockets of filo along with the cherry tomato’s nuggets of mozzarella, shreds of the prosciutto and finally the basil. Evenly pour over the melted butter.
Beat the eggs with the milk and pour over the whole mix. Season with salt, pepper and sprinkle on a liberal amount of oregano.
Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and the egg has firmed & set.
Foodie Notes: Top with sliced spring onion or with rocket. A drizzle of Chilli Jam over the top is tasty!
Egg plant Caponata
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds eggplant (1 large heavy one), roasted
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, from the inner, tender stalks (the heart), diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell peppers, diced
Salt to taste
2 ripe tomatoes, preferably romas, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
3 heaping tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped pitted green olives (about 6-8 olives)
2 tablespoons plus a pinch of sugar
3 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (more to taste)
freshly ground pepper to taste
Directions
TO ROAST THE EGGPLANT: Preheat oven to 452 degrees F. Peel and slice the eggplant into thick 3 inch slices. Quarter each slice and add to a parchment lined sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to toss everything together, so the eggplant is evenly coated with olive oil. Roast until golden brown on both sides, about 20 minutes per side. Allow to cool and chop coarsely.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick skillet and add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes, and add the garlic. Cook together for a minute, until the garlic begins to smell fragrant, and add the peppers and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, until just about tender, about 5-8 minutes.
Add another tablespoon of oil and the eggplant, and stir together for another 5 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. The eggplant will fall apart, which is fine. Season to taste.
Add the tomatoes to the pan with about 1/2 teaspoon salt and a pinch of sugar. Cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan often, for 5 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down somewhat and they smell fragrant.
Add the capers, olives, remaining sugar, and vinegar. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 20 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are thoroughly tender and the mixture is quite thick, sweet, and fragrant.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. If possible, cover and chill overnight. Serve at room temperature.
Salmon with Sauce Verte (recipe from The Foodies Table Cookbook)
Ingredients
One 2 pound salmon fillets or Four 8 ounces salmon fillets - this recipe is perfect for Copper River salmon
1 small bottle of champagne
Poaching Liquid:
1-2 bottles of white wine (depending on the depth of your poaching skillet)
1 lemon, cut into thin slices
1/2 yellow onion, cut into thin slices
a few sprigs of parsley
Sauce Verte:
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1/3 cup chopped watercress
1 tablespoon dill, just the fronds, not the stems
1 tablespoon roughly chopped chives
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar (I have also substituted champagne vinegar with is also yummy)
1 cup mayonnaise
Instructions
PREP THE SALMON:
Place the salmon in a bowl and cover with 1/2 bottle of champagne. Marinate it like this for a whole day, or overnight. If you're short on time, marinate for 1-2 hours. Now, if you're wondering "Won't marinating overnight cook the salmon" -- the answer is nope. As long as you're marinade doesn't have citrus or vinegar, you're good to go for leaving the salmon in it overnight.
Make the Sauce Verte: In a medium bowl add all the ingredients. At high speed, beat with electric beater until smooth. You can also make the sauce in a blender if you like a smoother, creamier consistency.
Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours before serving. You can also make the sauce a day ahead which is ideal to give all the flavors a chance to blend together. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
POACH THE SALMON:
Place salmon in large deep skillet and pour enough white wine to completely cover the salmon. And if you have a fish poacher, it's time to pull it out and use it. Add slices of 1 lemon, 1/2 onion and parsley. Bring everything to a low simmer. Depending on the thickness of the fillets, simmer for 5-10 minutes. Watch very carefully every couple of minutes to make sure you don't over cook.
When the salmon looks almost completely cooked through and is still a bit pink in the middle, remove and place on plate and cover with foil. The salmon will continue cooking and stay nice and moist.
Serve the salmon chilled or room temperature and serve with a generous spoonful of sauce over the top.
Grilled Peaches with Vanilla Ice Cream
This just might be the easiest Summer dessert ever! For fun, grill nectarines and apricots along with the peaches. This works just as well in a grill pan on your stove.
Ingredients
6 peaches, halved, pit removed — if you have stubborn peaches and need to cut them off the pit, quarter them…..it works just as well!
1/2 stick of butter, melted
Ground cinnamon
Dark brown sugar (or golden brown)
Vanilla Ice cream
Fresh mint, to garnish
Directions
Brush the peach halves with about 1/4-1/2 of the melted butter and place, cut side down, on a preheated 400-450 degree F/205-230 C grill.
Grill for 2-3 minutes until grill marks show up and you can easily flip the peaches. Flip and grill for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat.
Place peaches in bowls while you make the sugar glaze.
To the rest of the melted butter, add a good sprinkle of cinnamon (about 1 teaspoon) and a big spoonful of brown sugar (1-2 tablespoons, depending on how sweet the peaches are). Mix together and brush over warm peaches.
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and garnish with fresh mint. Or finely chop mint and sprinkle on top. Enjoy!!
And Finally
We both hope that you have a wonderful week ahead, if you try any of the recipes included in this week’s newsletter, do let us know. Send us a photo’?
If you have any suggestions for future topics, do please message or leave a note in the chat. One thing about our Foodies community is that we are so supportive of each other and that is why we love it so much!
If you think that someone else could benefit from a little bit of “Foodie Fun”, please hit the share button here.
Have a fabulous week!
Lisa and Jane xx