Pancakes with Onion and Camembert Filling

Who can resist the wonderful, smooth and creamy flavour of Camembert? Not me, that's for sure. It is one of my favourite cheeses, which I'm always looking for new ways to use for a delicious supper.

My curiosity for where foods originate unearthed a charming story to this delicious cheese. 'Camembert de Normandie' is more than a simple cheese; it has a rich history and has become a symbol of French Gastronomy. It is what is called a 'surface-ripened' cheese, traditionally made from unpasteurised cow's milk, which originated in Camembert, Orne, the largest small village in Normandy, northern France. In 1791 a farmer, Marie Harel, learned from a priest from Brie how to make a soft cheese and Camembert cheese was born.

The cheese we know today is more likely to have it's beginnings in the industrialization of the cheese making process at the end of the 19th century. In the early years the maturation process of this cheese produced a rind of dubious colours developed by chance, but from the early 20th century, the colour become creamy white due to the use of an aqueous suspension of penicillium moulds sprayed on the outside of the cheese before being left to ripen.

Cheese and pancakes are such a quick and easy meat-free meal for during the week.

Ingredients:

For the Pancakes:

15ml olive oil

half a red onion, sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

150g flour

a pinch of salt

2 large eggs

100ml milk

25g butter

85g Camembert, sliced

paprika to sprinkle

For the Sauce:

150ml double cream

half a vegetable stock cube or 15ml liquid vegetable stock concentrate

15ml chopped fresh parsley

a pinch of paprika

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C.

For the pancakes, mix the flour, salt and eggs and half of the milk in a bowl, adding more milk as necessary, until the batter has the consistency of double cream. Heat the butter in an ovenproof frying pan over a high heat until it is foaming. add the batter mixture with a ladle, swirling the pan to spread the mixture evenly over the bottom of the pan. Fry the pancake on both sides for 1-2 minutes until golden brown on both sides. Set aside while you finish making the pancakes. The mixture should make 4 pancakes.

When finished making the pancakes, heat the oil in another frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes until softened.

To assemble the pancakes, put the onions and cheese onto one half of each pancake and sprinkle over a little paprika to taste. Fold the other half of the pancake over the filling and transfer to the pan in which the pancakes were made. Warm 2 pancakes at a time in the oven for 3-4 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.

For the sauce, pour the cream into a pan and crumble the half stock cube into it - or add the liquid stock if using. simmer over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until the liquid has reduced slightly, then stir in the parsley and a pinch of paprika.

To serve, put the filled pancakes onto a warmed serving plate, pour over the sauce. Serve with a salad of green leaves and baby tomatoes.

Chicory Walnut and Stilton Salad

This delectable starter can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. Serve it on a large platter, making sure each chicory leaf is cradling some crumbled stilton, crushed walnuts and dressing – then you can dispense with the cutlery.

Ingredients:

4 heads of chicory

75g stilton

60g walnuts, toasted and lightly crushed

Dressing:

20-25ml runny honey

20-25ml English mustard

50ml walnut oil

50ml olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Trim the bases of the chicory and separate the large outer leaves – save the tiny leaves around the core for another salad. Arrange the leaves around one large or two small platters. Crumble over the stilton and scatter over the crushed walnuts, distributing them evenly among the leaves.

In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the dressing lightly over the salad. Serve immediately as a casual starter or a canapé, with a glass of white wine.

Healthy Aromatic Chicken

The name says it all; this chicken is full of flavour and healthy goodness and is an easy everyday dish to tempt the taste buds. To fill the dish out, add extra vegetables of your choice.

Ingredients:
30ml coriander seed
10ml cumin seed
6 cloves
2ml freshly grated nutmeg
4 chicken breast portions
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 inch fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
300ml chicken stock
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
boiled rice to serve

Method:
In a large non-stick frying pan, dry fry the coriander, cumin and cloves for 2 minutes, or until the spices give off a good aroma. Add the nutmeg and turmeric and heat for another 30-60 seconds.

Remove the spices from the heat and grind together with the ginger in a pestle and mortar to make a paste.

Place the chicken in a large flame-proof saucepan. add the ground spices and ginger paste, the chopped onions, green pepper and the chicken stock. Make sure the chicken is covered by the liquid. If you need to, add a little more water to the stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer over gentle heat for 45-50 minutes until the chicken is tender.

Serve portions of chicken with the sauce on boiled rice.

Crab Cakes with Salad and Hazelnut Dressing

June is a month for crab, and what nicer way to eat this delicate seafood than in crab cakes? The hazelnut dressing adds an extra zing to what is already a delectable morsel. Serve with salad leaves and lime wedges for a tasty starter.

Ingredients:

150ml milk
150ml single cream
1 slice of each - onion, carrot, celery
1 bay leaf
3 black peppercorns
25g butter plus extra for cooling
25g flour
sea salt and ground white pepper to season
2 eggs, beaten
25g Parmesan cheese, coarsely grated
finely grated zest of half a lemon
450g white crab meat in large chunks
5ml chopped hazelnuts
125g ciabatta breadcrumbs
clarified butter or frying
Salad leaves and lime wedges to serve

For the Hazelnut Dressing:

30ml white wine vinegar
10ml runny honey
60ml olive oil
30ml hazelnut oil

Method:

Put the milk, cream, vegetable slices, bay leaf and peppercorns in a pan and slowly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, cover and put to one side to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the milk. Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook gently for 1 minute, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the flavoured milk. Bring to the boil and continue to cook, stirring until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and season with sea salt and ground white pepper to taste. Smear the top with a little extra butter to prevent a skin forming. Allow to cool.

Mix the eggs, cheese and lemon zest into the cold sauce so they are well combined. Very carefully mix in the hazelnuts and chunks of crab meat, taking care not to break up the crab meat. Chill for at least one hour.

Gently coat one large serving spoon of the crab mixture with the breadcrumbs. Scoop the breadcrumbs over and around the crab meat to help shape the cakes. Only mould the cakes sufficiently to make the crumbs stick. Repeat the process with the remaining crab mixture. Put on a baking sheet and chill in the fridge, uncovered, for 2-3 hours.

Heat the clarified butter in a frying pan and fry the crab cakes, turning after 1-2 minutes, until the cakes are golden on each side. Take care not to overcook.

To make the dressing, shake all the ingredients together in a screw-top jar. Serve the cakes with salad leaves. Drizzle with the dressing and add lime wedges on the side.

Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup

This soup is so quick and easy to make any time of the year. It is wonderfully good for you and will keep for up to a week in the fridge, so make ahead of time and use as required.

Ingredients:
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
30ml olive oil
4 large carrots, peeled
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and deseeded
sea slat and freshly ground black pepper
850ml chicken stock
2-3 fresh thyme sprigs, leaves only
a handful of chopped fresh parsley or coriander

Method:
Sweat the onions and garlic in the olive oil over a medium heat in a large pan for about 7 minutes, or until soft.

Chop the carrots and butternut squash into 1 cm cubes and add to the pan. Season with slat and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables start to soften.

Pour in the stock, add the thyme and parsley or coriander and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Use a hand blender to liquidise to a puree and serve hot.

Strawberry Jam

When thinking of strawberries, you are bound to think of strawberry jam. No country larder would be complete without it - come to think of it; no city larder worth speaking of would not have this wonderful preserve in it either. Everybody loves strawberry jam!

Sweet preserves or jams are common and traditional all over Europe. Before sugar became more readily available, in the 18th century, honey would have been used to preserve fruits. Normally jams would have been made when there was a glut of fruit so as to make the fruit last, hopefully, until the fruit season came around again. Although there is not this necessity nowadays, I still make this delicious preserve when there is a glut of strawberries and the prices are amenable. It's just such fun to make.

Even though strawberry jam is perhaps the most popular jam of all, of all fruits that are used to make preserves, strawberries are the most difficult to turn into jam as they lack the natural pectin vital for a good set. To get this jam to set it is essential to use lemon juice to supply the pectin. Redcurrant juice may also be used, as it is in this recipe - it adds a wonderful flavour over the top of the strawberries making this jam so absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:
1.1 kg strawberries
1.3 kg unrefined granulated sugar
150ml redcurrant juice
juice of 1 lemon
15g unsalted butter

Method:
Put the strawberries into a large heavy bottomed pan and heat gently. As the juice starts to come out of the berries, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the redcurrant juice and the lemon juice. Bring the mixture to the boil and remove any scum that rises to the surface. Boil rapidly, testing for setting point every 15 minutes. Take the pan off the heat to do this.

To test with a sugar thermometer: dip the thermometer in hot water, then sink the bulb end into the jam. If the temperature is around 105C, the jam has reached setting point.

To test with the saucer test: keep several small saucers in the fridge. When you think the jam has reached setting point, take the pan off the heat and put a teaspoon of jam on a cold saucer. Let it cool for a few seconds - count to ten - then push the surface at the side with your finger. If the surface wrinkles, the jam is ready, but if the jam moves loosely, it needs to be boiled for a few minutes more and tested again.

When setting point has been reached, add the butter. Allow the jam to cool slightly. Give the jam a stir to evenly distribute the fruit before putting into prepared sterilised jars. Seal and store in your larder for at least 3-4 days before using.

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry shortcake is one of America's favourite desserts. the name derives from being made 'short', a word dating back to the 15th century, which means 'crisp form the use of fat'. In England it is synonymous with Scottish shortbread, a crisp butter-rich biscuit like pastry, but in America it is a rich pastry enclosing fruit, which became popular in the mid 1800s. The traditional shortcake is usually made with a sweetened biscuit pastry, plenty of sliced strawberries and a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Ingredients:
For the Shortcake:
500ml flour
60ml sugar
20ml baking powder
2ml salt
a small grating of nutmeg
1 egg, well beaten
90ml cold water
80-85ml milk

For the strawberries:
1 litre fresh strawberries
200ml brown sugar

To Assemble and Serve:
500ml single cream, whipped to soft peaks

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C.

To prepare the strawberries, wash and hull the fruit. Slice most of the berries, leaving 8-12 whole for garnishing. Place the sliced berries in a bowl and cover with the sugar. Allow the berries to macerate for at least an hour at room temperature.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg and sift into a mixing bowl. Work in the butter with the fingertips, then add the milk and egg. Mix just until the dry ingredients are all Incorporated and the dough is moist. Turn the dough into a buttered and floured 8-9 inch round cake pan and pat into a flat disc. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. To test if it is done, insert a toothpick in the centre; if it comes out with dough attached, lower the heat to 180C and bake for another 5 minutes or so.

Remove from the pan and split horizontally with a serrated knife. Butter the cut side of both layers. Place a layer of half the prepared strawberries on one layer and drizzle over some of the fruit juices. Cover this layer with a layer of cream and add another layer of the rest of the prepared strawberries and the rest of the strawberry juices. Place the second layer of shortcake on top. Garnish with several whole berries and serve with the remaining whipped cream.

Strawberry Yogullies

Yogullies are what I call jellies that have been made with yoghurt. These jellies are wonderful to finish off a summer evening meal or for the kids when out of school for the summer break. What a wonderful way to get them to have at least one of their '5 a day'. Make them a day in advance so they have plenty of time to set.

Ingredients:
6 sheets of gelatine
600ml strawberry and apple juice
250g strawberries
15ml icing sugar
150g Greek yoghurt

Method:
Soak the gelatine in 60ml of cold water for 10 minutes. Heat 150ml of the strawberry and apple juice in a small pan. When hot, remove from the heat and add the gelatine, squeezing out the excess water from the gelatinous mass. Stir until all the gelatine has dissolved. Add the remaining juice and stir well.

Pour 200ml of the juice into a bowl and leave to set in the fridge. Divide the rest of the mixture between 6 small glasses and leave to chill in the fridge for about an hour and a half until almost set.

Keeping 3 small strawberries intact, hull the remaining fruit. Place the hulled fruit in a mini-blender with the icing sugar and most of the yoghurt, reserving about 6 teaspoonfuls for garnish. Pulse until the strawberries are roughly chopped. Stir this yoghurt mixture into the bowl of set jelly and divide between the glasses. Leave to set for a further half an hour.

Serve topped with the reserved yoghurt and half a strawberry each.

Angels and Demons Strawberry Love Pie

This is a recipe that came to me through my mother-in-law. The angels refer to the meringue with its crisp crust and gooey centre; the demons are represented by the wickedly alcoholic chocolate sauce laced through it. It's a wonderful representation of human nature; we all wish to be good like angels, but even angels can fall. There is a little wickedness in all of us, no matter how good we think we are, but love is what matters; represented by the strawberry, love conquers all.

Ingredients:
For the Meringue:
6 egg whites
a pinch of salt
500ml caster sugar
10ml vanilla extract
10ml lemon juice

For the strawberry filling:
150g strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
30ml caster sugar
a pinch of salt

For the Cream Filling:
250ml double cream
2ml vanilla extract
15ml caster sugar

For the Chocolate Sauce:
300g dark chocolate, at least 70-75% cocoa solids, broken into small pieces
150ml double cream
30ml Bramley and Gage Strawberry Liqueur or other strawberry liqueur you may have available

Method:
Preheat the oven to 120C. Grease a 10 inch pie plate.
Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, but not dry. Very gradually add 250ml of sugar, beating well after each addition. Now add the vanilla and lemon juice and finish beating in the rest of the sugar until all the sugar is dissolved and the meringue is very stiff.
Place the meringue in the pie plate, making it higher in the middle in a dome shape. Bake for 90 minutes in the prepared slow oven, then increase the oven heat to 150C for 30 minutes. The meringue will puff up, then when taken out of the oven it will crack as it cools and the centre will sink. Cool thoroughly.

Meanwhile macerate the strawberries in the sugar and a pinch of salt until required.

When the meringue is completely cooled, whip the cream with vanilla and sugar until the stiff peak stage.

To make the chocolate sauce, place the chocolate, cream and liqueur in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the bowl is not in contact with the water. Stir continuously until all the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy.

To assemble the pie, put a layer of a third of the cream into the meringue shell, then a layer of half the strawberries, drizzle over the chocolate sauce, then repeat the layer - cream, strawberries, chocolate sauce - and finish with the remaining cream.

Serve the pie with any remaining chocolate sauce - over each serving dribble it, pour it, drench it, depending on how wicked you like it!

Strawberry and Elderflower Cheesecake

If you are looking for a taste of summer, this is it! The combination of strawberries with elderflower is a seasonal classic - The strawberries ripen at the same time as the elderflowers come into bloom, making them nature's companions. To top it all, the flavours blend so well, I use them together often. Home-made elderflower cordial is the best to use, but there is one available made by Bottle Green, which I use when my personal stock is depleted. They also make a strawberry and elderflower cordial, which you could also use in this recipe.

Ingredients:
For the Base:
75g butter, melted - plus a little for greasing
300g ginger nut biscuits - or chocolate digestive biscuits

For the Strawberry Filling:
300g strawberries, thinly sliced
30ml elderflower cordial
30ml icing sugar

For the Cream Cheese Filling:
15ml gelatine (powdered)
250g smooth cream cheese (room temperature)
300ml double cream
5ml elderflower cordial
3 egg yolks
45g caster sugar

To Decorate:
150-200g strawberries, thinly sliced
A few sprigs of mint

Method:
Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease the sides and base of a round springform tin, 8-9 inch diameter x 3-4 inch deep.

In a blender, pulse the biscuits to a rough crumb, not too fine. In a bowl, mix them with the melted butter. Lightly press into the base of the prepared pan, making the base as smooth as possible. I find using the flat base of a glass handy to compress the base smoothly. Bake for 10-15 minutes and leave to cool.

For the strawberry filling, mix the ingredients together gently and leave for the strawberries to absorb the flavours for 1-2 hours. Drain the strawberries, reserving all the juices.

For the cream cheese filling, place 50ml cold water into a small, wide bottomed heatproof bowl and sprinkle over the gelatine, making sure it is all wet. Set the bowl over a pan of hot water - not boiling water - and allow the gelatine to melt. It should not get too hot or the gelatine looses its setting ability.

In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese to make sure it is all smooth. In another bowl, lightly whip the cream and elderflower cordial. Using an electric mixer or whisk, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale, thick and double in volume. Carefully fold in the cream cheese, followed by the cream. Mix the reserved strawberry juices into the dissolved gelatine, sieve to remove any lumps. Fold a spoonful of the cream mixture into the gelatine mixture. When this is well blended, gently fold in the remaining cream mixture.

Spread the prepared strawberries over the middle of the biscuit base, leaving a small edge. Spoon the cream over the strawberries and level the surface, spreading the cream right to the edge. Put the pan in the fridge to set over night.

When you are ready to serve, dip a knife in hot water, release the spring on the pan and run the knife around the edge of the tin. Ease off the base with a warm palette knife and transfer the cheese cake to a serving dish. Decorate with the sliced strawberries and sprigs of mint.

Easy Jam Biscuits

These delightful little biscuits go down a treat, wonderful for afternoon tea or kiddies parties. But it won't be long before you are making more as they don't last very long ---

everybody loves them.

Ingredients:
80g butter at room temperature
80ml caster sugar
30ml milk
2ml vanilla extract
250ml flour
5ml baking powder
80ml custard powder
strawberry jam

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and creamy. Add the milk and vanilla extract and beat until well combined. Add the custard powder and flour a little at a time, folding in until all is blended together with the butter mixture and you have a soft dough.

Taking a heaped tablespoonful of dough, roll it into a little ball and place it on a baking sheet. Press the end of a wooden spoon into the center of each to make a small indentation, making sure it does not go all the way through the dough. Fill the indentation with strawberry jam. Repeat the process until all the dough is used up. Make sure there is enough space between each dough-ball for it to spread.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool slightly on the tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Red Berry Meringue Pie

This pie has no pastry, so cuts down on calorie intake in that respect, making it quite a healthy pudding. It still contains some sugar, but the sweetness of the meringue is overshadowed by the sharp taste of the fruit. It has virtually no fat as the only fat, a healthy monounsaturated fat that tends to improve the 'good' cholesterol levels in the body, comes from the almonds, which add extra crunch and texture to this delicious dessert.

Ingredients:
100g unblanched almonds
175g strawberries, washed, drained and hulled
175g raspberries, washed and drained
175g red currants, washed and drained
3 egg whites
175g caster sugar

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C.

Divide the almonds between 4 ramekins, placing them on the bottom of each. Mix the berries together and put on top of the almonds, filling the ramekins to only half way up.

With an electric whisk, whisk the egg whites in a clean glass bowl until they form stiff peaks. Add half the sugar and whisk again until the mixture is glossy. Fold in the remaining sugar and divide the meringue between the four ramekins.

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving.

Summer Fruit Charlotte

Chill out this summer with this cool light dessert;

it needs time to set but is definitely worth the wait.

Ingredients:
100g caster sugar
250g strawberries, sliced
175g raspberries
1 pack sponge fingers
2 sheets gelatine
500g Greek yoghurt
2ml vanilla extract
a few extra berries for garnish

Method:
Place 75g of sugar in a small pan with 100ml water. Heat gently, stirring until dissolved. Add the strawberries and raspberries to the pan. Take off the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Strain into a shallow dish, reserving the fruit.

Dip the sponge fingers one by one into the syrup and use to line the base and sides of a 1 litre pudding basin, cutting the sponges to fit. In another pan, soak the gelatine in about 50ml cold water for about 5 minutes until soft, then warm gently until melted.

Place the yoghurt in a bowl with the vanilla extract and the remaining sugar, then beat in the melted gelatine. Place half this mixture in the basin, add the reserved fruit, cover with the rest of the yoghurt mixture and top with any left over sponge fingers. Drizzle any remaining syrup around the edges and chill for 4 hours.

To serve, invert onto a plate, remove the basin and top with some extra berries.

Strawberry Ice Cream

Strawberries are more than good for you;

they are magic little berries full of healthy goodness.

Just 5 strawberries provide an average adult with their daily requirement of vitamin C, which not only boosts the immune system, but also fights free radicals and helps prevent heart disease and cancer. Strawberries are also rich in the antioxidant, ellagic acid, which has powerful anticancer effects. All the more reason to eat this wonderful scrumptious fruit.

This ice cream, perfect for a warm summer evening, makes a little fruit go a long way. Prepare it the day before for the best results.

Ingredients:
250g strawberries
75g icing sugar
juice of half a lemon
150ml double cream
75ml single cream
6-8 large strawberries to garnish

Method:
Hull and wash the strawberries. Drain them thoroughly and cut them into small pieces. Put them in a liquidiser with the icing sugar and lemon juice and blitz them to a puree. Whisk the two creams until thick, but not too stiff. Blend the cream into the strawberry puree. Spoon the strawberry mixture into a plastic freezer container, cover with a lid and leave to freeze for 12 hours.

One or two hours before serving, remove the ice cream from the freezer and thaw slightly in the fridge. Scoop the ice cream into individual glasses and decorate with slices of fresh strawberry.

Fruit and Vegetables in June

The abundance of fresh food in June makes cooking a pleasure. This month heralds midsummer, with the longest day and plenty of sunshine. The promise of long summer evenings provides the ideal time for out door living and good eating.

June keeps up the good work that May began with asparagus remaining the star vegetable, with lower prices than May, but with quality every bit as good, if not better. I have noticed that as we approached June, the spears grew fatter and more succulent, all the better for pigging out on! Make the most of them as they don't last for much longer.

Jersey Royals, those gorgeous little spuds, are also still available, but make the most of them this month as they will also be ending their season at the end of this month. I use them often for a quick salad; boiled and covered in herb butter, they are the quintessential accompaniment of a grilled steak or chop on the braai or barbecue.

Broad beans are also continue in their availability; they are likely to be larger than they were in May so skinning them is a good idea. Use them for extra filling and nutritious salads and stews. Summer cabbages are also in their peak season, tender enough for a stir-fry. Cauliflowers are also available now, but are still a little on the pricey side; their price should come down as the month wears on.

New UK vegetables this month include courgettes and mangetouts, which should get steadily more plentiful as the month progresses. Think about using courgettes cooked on the braai, halved lengthwise and brushed with olive oil. You may want to try them in salads too, where they add a lovely nuttiness and crunchy texture. Salads are of course in vogue this month to accompany outdoor living with Baby Gem lettuces, tangy spring onions, crunchy radishes, cucumbers and lots of tomato varieties becoming widely available. Cherry tomatoes make such colourful additions to a green salad and there are also some delightful little berry tomatoes available now, which are no bigger than blueberries and just as tasty as their bigger cousins; give them a try some time.

Junes fruit basket begins its summer bounty this month. Apricots are starting to ripen, getting the orange hue that indicates good texture and flavour. Gooseberries are also coming along nicely with the best of this fruit arriving in about the middle of the month, but this year looks to be coming sooner because of the unseasonable warm spring. Among imports from the continent should be melons from Spain, including honeydew and cantaloupe, and peaches from Italy. Cherries are another June speciality, with the first supplies coming from Europe, to be followed later in the month by good fruit from British orchards. Raspberries also make a showing at the beginning of this month, along with red and black currants.

But the star among fruit this month, of course, is the strawberry. It is the quintessential summer fruit, forever associated with the Wimbledon tennis season. How could we ever do without strawberries and champers in this season of sunshine!

In recent years a lot of investment in money and time has been made in trying to find varieties that extend the season of this fruit. Some of the modern varieties have been developed to show resistance to disease and for long shelf life, sadly sacrificing flavour. Varieties have been created to look good, but as with any fruit, the proof is in the tasting. With the season progressing as fast as it does, the same variety can taste sharp one week and gloriously sweet the next.

There are three critical elements when it comes to proper strawberries with the perfect balance of sweet and sharp. The first and most important is the variety. It is rare to find a large variety, like for instance an Elsanta, that thrills; big it might be but size counts for very little. The small strawberries like the Mara des Bois, on the other hand, nearly always bursts with stunning flavour, is richly scented and totally bursting with the tang that a strawberry is supposed to possess.

The second critical element is freshness. The shorter the time from plant to plate, the better the strawberry tastes. Time, even in relatively small doses, takes its toll. Only a couple of days away from the plant the fruit already become dull, the goodness dissipates and they all taste mediocre. In practice this means growing your own is best; if you can't do that then pick your own at an open farm or at least buy from a farm shop or farmers market where you can be assured that the fruit has been picked that very same day, or at most, the previous day. It's up to you how quickly you can eat them.

The third element is the right degree of sunshine - plenty of sunshine but not overly hot - as the berries redden to plump ripeness. A little rain is fine, but too much moisture swells the berries to an ungainly, watery mass, diluting the taste and encouraging the berries to rot.

Since there is little we can do about the weather, it makes sense to concentrate on flavour and freshness. As with all the best fruit, the trick to always enjoying good strawberries through the season is to choose the varieties that are at their peak as they ripen through the season.

Look for strawberries that are red from crown to tip, and as always, rely on taste rather than looks alone. Remember, even a strawberry that is a little sharp can be improved with a little sugar.

Chicken Tikka Masala

When we came to the UK, we found that curries were given some strange names here, 'Chicken Tikka' being one of them. Not wanting to appear ignorant, I asked a Hindu friend back in Durban what a tikka was. When she indicated her forehead, I was totally nonplussed. I thought she was indicating brains, and I wasn't into eating chicken brains; they are too small to be of any significance and who wants to eat brains? Not me, that's for sure!

When she figured that I was asking her about food she laughed and explained: A tikka is the mark worn on the forehead by a Hindu married woman and, simply translated, it is a 'piece'. But when referring to food, it is pieces of meat. So a chicken tikka masala, I surmised, is pieces of chicken in a spiced paste or masala - well that's a curry isn't it? So why the fancy name?

With a bit more investigating I found that this description - pieces of chicken in a spiced paste - needed more elaboration: small cubes of chicken marinated in a yoghurt spice mix, then threaded on skewers and grilled over coals, or more particularly in a tandoor oven. Well, in my book, that's called 'Tandoori Murgh'. However, it seems this is still not quite what the dish has evolved into here in Britain, perhaps because it's not so easy to live an outdoor lifestyle in a cold, wet and miserable place like the UK is.

The first time we went to an 'Indian' in England - by that I refer to the British way of speaking about eating in an Indian restaurant - I decided I had to order Chicken Tikka, more out of curiosity than anything else. I was sorely disappointed though as what I was served I would have called a simple yoghurt-chicken curry - chicken pieces in a yoghurt-curry sauce - no skewers, no grilling, just big chunks of chicken in sauce! Go figure!

To cut a long story short, it appears that everyone has their own idea of what 'Chicken Tikka', supposedly the nation's favourite curry, should be. So I thought the best way to tackle it was to share a few recipes under their relevant names and you can make up your mind how to make a

'Chicken Tikka Masala'

Charga or South African Chicken Tikka (Chicken Braai)

Ingredients:
2 whole chickens
15ml chilli powder
5ml chopped ginger
5ml chopped garlic
15ml green pawpaw pulp (unripe papaya)
30ml yoghurt
salt to taste

Method:
Cut each chicken into four portions and make cuts across, but not through the thicker parts of the meat. Smear well with chilli powder, ginger, garlic and salt. Allow to marinade for 34 hours.

Two hours before cooking, mix yoghurt, green pawpaw pulp and lemon juice and smear over the chicken. Leave to marinade. Cook under the grill, on a cast iron grill, or best of all, on a braai.


Tandoori Murgh

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
30ml oil
30ml melted ghee
1 green chilli, chopped fine
5ml ginger, chopped
5ml garlic, chopped
5ml salt
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
2ml ground white pepper
30ml single cream
juice of 1 lemon
1 pineapple cut into 6 wedges

Method:
Preheat the oven to 200C.

Butterfly the chicken. Mix the oil and ghee together. Make a paste of the spices with cream, lemon juice and about 15ml oil/ghee mixture to make it sticky. Smear this paste over the chicken and allow it to marinate for 2-3 hours.

Place the marinated chicken in a deep-lidded roasting pan and bake covered in the oven for half an hour. Remove the lid and place the pan directly under the grill. Pour 15ml oil/ghee mixture over the chicken at 5 minute intervals until the chicken juices have evaporated and the chicken is cooked through. To check that the chicken is done, cut between a leg and breast; there should be no pinkness and any running juices should be clear.

Place wedges of pineapple around the chicken and braise under the grill for a few more minutes, removing before the pineapple looses colour. Serve immediately.


Makhan Murgh or Butter Chicken

Ingredients:
For the Tikka Marinade:
15-20ml lemon juice
100-120ml Greek yoghurt
2-3 cloves of garlic, made into a paste
1 inch root ginger, grated
2ml red chilli powder or tandoori masala
2-3ml paprika
10ml ground cumin
15ml vegetable oil
5ml salt

For the chicken curry:
6 deboned, skinless chicken thighs, cut across, but not right through the thicker parts of the meat.
2 inches root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
8 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
30ml vegetable oil
80-100g butter
2 black cardamom pods
4 whole cloves
8 green cardamom pods
1 inch piece of cassia bark
500g tomatoes, pureed
15ml tomato paste
2-4 small green chillies, whole but pierced
80-100ml single cream
10ml sugar
1-2ml red chilli powder or tandoori masala
5ml paprika
5ml garam masala
chopped coriander leaves to garnish

Method:
Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade, add the chicken and leave in the fridge to marinate for 3-4 hours, or overnight if possible. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

In a mini blender, blitz together the ginger and garlic for the curry, using a little water to make a paste. Meanwhile heat the oil and half the butter in a large non-stick saucepan. Add the whole spices and, once they start to sizzle, add the ginger and garlic paste and cook until the moisture has evaporated and the garlic odour is mellow and it looks grainy.

Add the tomatoes and tomato paste to the pan and cook down for about 20 minutes until the resulting paste releases oil. Reduce the heat and brown the paste for 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently. The paste should darken considerably. Pour in 250ml of water and bring to the boil. Remove the pan from the heat and pass the paste through a sieve, pressing the pulp to extract as much liquid as possible from the tomatoes and spices. Discard the solids and set the liquid aside.

Heat the oven to 240C, with the grill on as well if possible. Place the chicken in a foil lined tray on the uppermost level of the oven and cook for 8 minutes or until slightly charred. Remove from the oven. Cut the meat into large chunks.

Heat the remaining butter and add the green chillies, the prepared sauce, some salt and a good splash of water and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Mix in the cream, sugar, chilli powder, paprika and garam masala. Add the chicken to finish the cooking. Simmer, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is lovely and creamy. If the sauce starts to get dry, add a splash of water and mix in. Test for seasoning. Transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle over with the chopped coriander leaves.


Chicken Tikka Pineapple Skewers with Masala Sauce

Ingredients:

For the Marinade:

750g chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch cubes
3ml turmeric
juice of half a lime
100g Greek yoghurt
2ml garam masala
5ml ginger, grated
5ml garlic grated
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground coriander
5ml red chilli powder
10ml tomato paste
20-25ml vegetable oil

For the Skewers:

wooden skewers, soaked in water
5-6 x 1cm slices pineapple cut into quarters
50ml light brown granulated sugar
3ml red chilli powder
2ml garam masala

For the masala sauce:

2ml ground cumin
15ml butter
2 inch piece root ginger, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 x 1cm slices of pineapple, shredded
15-20ml chopped fresh coriander

Method:

To make the marinade, Put the chicken cubes in a bowl and mix in the turmeric and lime juice, blending well. Set aside for about 30 minutes. Mix the remaining ingredients for the marinade with the chicken and season with sea salt. Cover the bowl with cling film and put in the fridge for at least 6 hours, overnight if possible.

Preheat the grill with the door shut to make it as hot as possible. Mix together the sugar, red chilli pepper and garam masala and sprinkle this over the pineapple pieces. Thread the chicken cubes on the prepared skewers, putting a piece of pineapple between each cube. Lightly grease a baking sheet and lay the chicken skewers on it, leaving space between each skewer. Grill until you have charring on the edges of the chicken and the sugar on the pineapple is caramelising - about 4-6 minutes. Make sure the chicken does not overcook or the chicken will be too dry. Remove, cover with foil and set aside in a warm place wile you make the masala sauce.

Heat a large frying pan and add the ground cumin and butter, moving the spice through the melting butter all the time so as to not let it burn. When the butter begins to froth, stir in the ginger, garlic and green chillies and fry until the garlic changes colour. Stir in the chopped onion and fry until soft. Add the shredded pineapple and stir into the onion. When the pineapple softens into the onion, add the chopped coriander, season to taste and serve with the chicken skewers.