Eton Mess

A classic English desert that is a mix of strawberries, whipped cream and meringues.
I used bought meringues as I was at a local fete and there were plenty of home made ones on sale.
First make the syrup - hull and slice a couple of dozen strawberries add to a pan on a low heat with a couple of dessert spoons of caster sugar and a splash of balsamic or other good quality vinegar.
Cook until the fruit releases all its juices and the sugar has dissolved. Place in a blender and blitz to a puree. Return to the pan and re heat stirring occasionally. Leave to cool.
Hull and half the remaining strawberries - reserve a half dozen or so pieces.
Place the rest in a bowl with a splash of white or rose wine, a squeeze of lemon juice and some caster sugar too taste. Stir and place in a cool place to macerate.
Whip double cream until it is thick.
Break up the meringues into bowls, add dollops of cream, macerated strawberries and "mess up".
Pour over strawberry syrup and sprinkle with the reserved strawberries - mess up again if you wish and add more ingredients.
When you think its enough of a mess serve!

.

Sea Bass en Papillote with Sea Samphire.

En Papillote means to cook in a foil parcel. This way the fish steams in its own oven with whatever vegetables or liquids you choose to use creating your own stock as it cooks.
On this recipe I cut the carrots and other vegetables very finely so they cooked at the same time as the fish - roughly 12-15 mins.

Sea Samphire grown in salt water and is exposed at low tide when it can be picked. It's best to take the tops of the more mature spikes as the lower parts can get a little woody.
It goes very well with fish as do other shoreline foragable vegetables like sea spinach or sea purslane.

First create you foil parcel with tin foil - best to double it up and make sure its large enough to hold the fillet and be sealed up too.
Firstly raising the sides so it can hold all the ingredients and liquid.
Cut half a small carrot, half a stick of celery and a small piece of fennel into fine battens and place in the foil.
Rub the Bass fillet with olive oil and season. Place on top of the vegetable battens as this will allow it to cook more evenly.
Add a small dash of white wine, some finely sliced garlic if using and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Seal and place on a baking tray.
Cook in a pre heated oven at 180 degrees for 12-15mins depending on what fish you are using and the fillet size.
While the fish is cooing bring a saucepan of unsalted water to the boil.
Blanche the washed sea samphire for about a minute, drain and roll in olive oil or butter with a dash of lemon juice.
Plate the fish, cooking vegetables and samphire - pour the cooking juices from the fish over the fillet and serve.

Prawns with Tomatoes, Garlic and White Wine.

Finely chop a couple of cloves of garlic and lightly fry in olive oil being careful not to colour it as this will make it go bitter.
Add some de-seeded and chopped tomatoes and cook to soften.
Adda glug of white wine and cook off the alcohol.
Reduce the heat and simmer to cook through.
Add the prawns and cook until the are pink and scatter with finely chopped parsley.
Serve with lemon wedges.

Rock Samphire with Bacon and Cockles.

On a recent trip to Pembrokeshire in South Wales I finally got to sample Rock Samphire something I have wanted to taste for years.
It was growing in abundance on the rocks and cliff faces around the beaches and coves.
Rock Samphire is completely different to Marsh or Sea Samphire and is also from a different plant family.
The Sea version grows on mud flats that are covered by the sea at high tide and it is exposed at low tide for picking and can only grow in this tidal area.
Rock Samphire on the other hand grows out of the crevices and cracks in the rocks above the shoreline mainly in rugged coastal areas like Cornwall and South Wales. 

Bring a pan of unsalted water to the boil and add the washed samphire. Simmer for around fifteen mins until it has tenderized.
Drain and leave to cool.
Finely chop a shallot and soften in oil, add lardons or chopped smoked bacon and fry until they start to colour.
Add a knob of butter - when melted add the samphire and roll in the butter.Cook for 2-3 mins then add the cockles to heat through.
Finish with some finely chopped dill and parsley.