Seven summery recipes to try this bank holiday weekend

As the seasons change, so too should our rotation of dishes at home. Here’s seven easy recipes for all the family to welcome the warm weather, writes Hannah Twiggs

Wednesday 26 May 2021 09:45 EDT
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There’s a delicious combo of sweet and spicy in this fruity chicken dish
There’s a delicious combo of sweet and spicy in this fruity chicken dish (Sophie Rushton-Smith)

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After a challenging year and more than enough bad weather, we’re all looking for easy ways to make summer a little more delicious. Now the weather is starting to look up, it’s time to refresh our palates.

From spicy pineapple summer chicken to passionfruit and mango tarts, here’s seven recipes from The Cherry Tree, the award-winning British preserves producer, that are easy to make and will go down a treat with family and friends as the weather heats up.

A twist on a classic summer salad
A twist on a classic summer salad (Georgi Georgiev)

A twist on a classic summer salad. Use The Cherry Tree Smoked Cheddar and their fantastic award-winning Hot Garlic Pickle to lift up this classic dish to a new level.

By: Georgi Georgiev

Makes: 4 servings

Prep time: 80 mins | Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients

For the croquettes:

4 tbsp/55g unsalted butter

75g very finely chopped onion

100g all-purpose flour

100g The Cherry Tree Smoked Cheddar

2 tsp smoked paprika

20g or large tbsp of The Cherry Tree Hot Garlic Pickle

375ml whole milk

60ml double thick cream

330g finely shredded skinless, boneless roasted chicken or shop-bought rotisserie chicken

2 tsp salt

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

⅛ tsp freshly ground white or black pepper

65g panko breadcrumbs

1 large egg

Canola oil, for frying

280g of mix leaves salad

For the dressing:

20g of olive oil

10g balsamic vinegar

Method

First, prepare the croquettes.

Make the béchamel: melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onion and the hot garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and soft but not at all browned, about 15 minutes. Add ⅓ cup flour and cook, whisking continuously, just until the raw flour smell dissipates, about 3 minute. Continue whisking while adding the milk a little at a time to prevent the mixture from clumping. Whisk in the cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then boil for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking the whole time. Add the smoked paprika, cheese, chicken, salt, nutmeg and pepper and stir for 2 minutes to draw out some of the moisture. Spread the mixture on a shallow baking tray and refrigerate, uncovered, until cold.

Shape and fry the croquettes: roll 1 heaping tablespoon of the croquette mixture into a football shape. It should be about 5cm long and 2.5cm in diameter at its thickest point. Repeat with the remaining mixture. If the mixture has softened in the process, refrigerate until firm. Process the panko in a food processor into fine crumbs, then transfer to a shallow dish. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon milk in another shallow dish and place the remaining ⅓ cup flour in a third dish. Working with 4 or 5 pieces at a time, coat in flour and shake off excess, then coat with egg and let excess drip off. Finally, dredge in the panko to completely cover.

Transfer to a wax paper-lined baking tray. At this point, you can freeze the coated croquettes. When rock hard, transfer to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

When ready to cook: fill a deep frying pan with canola oil to a depth of 1.5cm. Heat over high heat until you see ripples forming on the surface. Drop in one croquette to test the oil temperature. If it does not begin to sizzle immediately, then remove the croquette right away and wait until the oil gets hot enough. Add just enough croquettes to fit in a single layer without crowding and reduce the heat to medium. Fry, using a fork or spoon to carefully turn the croquettes to brown on all sides, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining croquettes.

Cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. You don’t want to burn your tongue, and the croquettes taste great when completely cooled, too.

Serve the croquettes with mixed leaves salad dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or one of The Cherry Tree salad dressings; Spiced Mango Dressing works well with this dish.

Spiced Delica pumpkin filo pie

What to do with some leftover baked pumpkin? Chop it up, add hot and spicy chutney, and make a pie
What to do with some leftover baked pumpkin? Chop it up, add hot and spicy chutney, and make a pie (Sophie Rushton-Smith)

By: Sophie Rushton-Smith

Ingredients

400g cooked pumpkin

50g Kashmiri chutney⁠

Sea salt and black pepper

8 sheets of filo pastry⁠

Olive oil or melted butter

Nigella and sesame seeds

Method

Peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds and strands. Cut into 4cm chunks, mix with 2 tablespoons olive oil, a generous grind of black pepper and a pinch of sea salt. Roast at 220C for about 10-15 mins (until soft when pierced with a sharp knife).

When cool, chop the pumpkin finely (don’t puree) and mix with the chutney. Taste and add more chutney and seasoning if necessary.

Lay two filo sheets next to each other. Brush lightly with the oil or melted butter, then top with the other two sheets. Lightly oil/butter again.⁠

Spoon half of the pumpkin along the filo and roll up into a tube (don’t overfill). Repeat with the other four sheets. Coil the tube around itself into a spiral. Add the second coil and place on a round pie dish. Brush with oil, sprinkle with sesame and nigella seeds and bake for 30 min at 220C/200C fan or until golden.⁠

A delightful little tart
A delightful little tart (Sophie Rushton-Smith)

Crisp pastry, creamy mango and passion fruit filling, and clouds of caramelised meringue. A delightful little tart that’s perfect for afternoon tea or for an after dinner pudding.

By: Sophie Rushton-Smith

Makes: 4-6 servings

Prep time: 60 mins | Cooking time: 21 mins

Ingredients

For the meringue:

100g egg whites (from 3 medium eggs)

180g caster sugar

⅛ tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla paste

For the mascarpone passionfruit curd:

2 Alphonso mangoes

60g The Cherry Tree Passion Fruit Curd

150g mascarpone

Zest and juice from ½ lime

1 passionfruit

Physalis (optional)

Method

Line 4 individual loose-bottom baking tins (10-12cm) or 1 larger (20cm) tin with the pastry. Prick the base, line with baking parchment, fill with baking beans, and blind bake at 180C for 15 mins. Remove the baking beans and parchment, return to the oven for another 6 mins or until the pastry is golden and cooked through. Leave to cool completely.

For the meringue, pour 3cm water into a small saucepan and place on a medium heat. Put the egg whites, salt and sugar in the bowl of a standard mixer and place on top of the saucepan (the water must not touch the base of the bowl). Hand whisk constantly for 5-7 mins, until the meringue becomes pale and foamy. When the temperature reaches 71C, return the bowl to the mixer stand, add the vanilla paste, and whisk on a high speed for 5 mins, until the meringue stiffens and is cool to the touch. Spoon the meringue into an icing bag fitted with a 1cm round nozzle.

For the filling, cut both sides off 1 mango, scoop out the flesh (90-100g) and blitz to a smooth puree.

Beat the mango with the mascarpone, Passion fruit Curd and lime juice. Add more lime to taste.

Cut both sides off the second mango, remove the cheeks and slice finely.

Spread a layer of Passion Fruit Curd over the base of the tarts. Spoon in the passion fruit and mango mascarpone, and decorate with fans of the sliced mango. Pipe the meringue onto the tart and briefly blow torch to caramelise (or place under a very hot grill for a few seconds).

Sprinkle with the lime zest and physalis and serve straight away.

The perfect way to end spring
The perfect way to end spring (Jaina Patel)

The perfect way to end spring with these sweet and zingy cookie cups. Featuring a shortbread cookie base, rich and velvety Cherry Tree Passionfruit Curd and vanilla whipped cream.

By: Jaina Patel

Makes: 6 cookie cups

Prep time: 45 mins | Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

For the cookie cups:

50g caster sugar

105g cold salted butter, cubed

150g plain flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

100g Cherry Tree Preserves Passionfruit Curd

For the whipped cream:

100ml double cream

25g icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

Raspberries for topping

Tip: These cookie cups would also taste fantastic filled with Strawberry With Marc de Champagne Extra Jam for a strawberry shortcake feel.

Method

For the cookie cups:

1. Grease and flour a non-stick cupcake tray.

2. Place butter and sugar into a bowl and mix with your hands to form a breadcrumb like texture.

3. Add sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, then knead together gently to form a dough.

4. Separate the dough into 6 equal balls and place one into each cupcake cavity, then use a mini rolling pin to flatten the sides and base and form a cup shape.

5. Freeze the tray for 30 mins, and in the meantime preheat the oven to 375F/170C fan.

6. Bake the cookie cups for 20 mins, rotating the tray half-way through.

7. Remove the tray from the oven and use a mini rolling pin to flatten the centre and reform the cup shape. Allow to cool for 10 mins, then use a knife to gently release each cup from the sides and place on a wire rack for a further 20 mins.

To serve:

1. Spoon or pipe some Cherry Tree Preserves Passionfruit Curd into the centre of each cup.

2. Use a handheld mixer to whisk together the cream, icing sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract on medium speed until stiff peaks are formed.

3. Place the cream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip, and pipe on top of each cup then finish with a raspberry.

4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Double raspberry parfait pots

These pots are vegan and gluten-free
These pots are vegan and gluten-free (Niki Behjou)

Vegan and gluten free, this simple and easy no-bake dessert is a quick and delicious recipe for everyone to enjoy.

By: Niki Behjou

Makes: 2 servings

Prep time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients

Small punnet of fresh/frozen raspberries

Up to 5 tbsp of The Cherry Jam Raspberry Extra Jam

Up to 5 tbsp of soya yoghurt (can also use Greek yoghurt too)

Up to 4 tbsp of oat granola

Freeze dried raspberry pieces and powder, for garnish (optional)

A sprig of mint, for garnish

Method

Simply spoon layers of your granola, raspberries, chosen yoghurt and extra raspberry jam between two pots and repeat the layers until you fill your pot.

Garnish with extra raspberries, freeze dried raspberry powder (if using) and a sprig of mint. Best served on the day you make the dessert so it's nice and fresh.

Rhubarb, cherry and almond cake

Use up seasonal rhubarb in this cake
Use up seasonal rhubarb in this cake (Sophie Rushton-Smith)

Matching seasonal rhubarb and Cherry with Port Extra Jam⁠ in this deep and deliciously moreish cake.

By: Sophie Rushton-Smith

Makes: 8 servings

Prep time: 30 mins | Cooking time: 90 mins

Ingredients

For the cake:

125g unsalted butter (at room temperature)⁠⠀

125g golden caster sugar⁠⠀

3 large free-range eggs, beaten lightly⁠⠀

125g self-raising flour⁠⠀

40g ground almonds⁠⠀

2 tsp vanilla extract⁠⠀

Zest from 1 large orange⁠⠀

2 tbsp sour cream (or milk or cream)⁠⠀

4-5 tbsp Cherry with Port Extra Jam⁠⠀

400g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces, plus 3 tbsp caster sugar⁠⠀

For the almond crumble:

150g plain flour⁠⠀

90g cold unsalted butter, cubed⁠⠀

90g soft brown sugar⁠⠀

90g flaked almonds⁠⠀

To serve⁠:

Icing sugar (optional)⁠⠀

Raspberry powder (optional)⁠⠀

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C conventional/160C fan.⁠⠀

Butter a 23cm springform cake tin (the tall kind) and line the base with parchment paper.⁠⠀

Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating between each addition. Add a tablespoon of the weighed flour if the mix looks like it might curdle.⁠⠀

Gently fold the almonds, vanilla extract, orange zest, flour and sour cream into the mix using a spatula or metal spoon. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin. Add dollops of the cherry jam over the cake. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar with the rhubarb and scatter over the top. ⁠⠀

Rub together the butter and flour until it resemble breadcrumbs. Stir through the sugar and almonds, and sprinkle over the cake.⁠⠀

Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes. Test the cake is cooked: a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake for a couple of seconds should come out clean. ⁠⠀

Leave to cool then dust with icing sugar and raspberry powder. Serve with raspberries and cream.

This tasty dish is quick to prepare
This tasty dish is quick to prepare (Sophie Rushton-Smith)

There’s a delicious combination of sweet and spicy in this quick to prepare and tasty dish.

By: Sophie Rushton-Smith

Makes: 4 servings

Prep time: 15 mins | Cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients

For the chicken:

8 free-range chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)⁠

Half to two-thirds of a jar of Chilli and Pineapple Chutney ⁠

4 banana shallots (or 2 red onions), sliced into quarters⁠

2 tbsp olive oil⁠

Sea salt and black pepper⁠

Coriander leaves (half a small bunch)⁠

For the pineapple salsa⁠:

1 small pineapple, diced⁠

2 fresh red or green chillies, finely chopped⁠

1 red, yellow or green pepper, finely chopped⁠

½ red onion, rinsed in cold water, finely chopped⁠

Small bunch of coriander, leaves chopped (stems too, if you wish)⁠

½ pomegranate (kernals)⁠

1 or 2 limes, zest and juice⁠

½ tsp sea salt ⁠

Olive oil⁠

Method

Mix the chutney and olive oil in a non-reactive bowl with ½ teaspoon sea salt and a generous grind of black pepper, then add the chicken and mix thoroughly. Leave to marinate for a couple of hours (ideally overnight).⁠

Heat the oven to 190C/160C fan.

Place the chicken and onion in an oven-proof dish large enough to accommodate the chicken in one layer. Drizzle the chicken with a little more olive oil.⁠

Roast for 45 minutes, until the chicken is golden and cooked thoroughly.⁠ Sprinkle with coriander.

While the chicken is cooking, mix the chutney ingredients together, season to taste.

Serve with pitta or flatbreads and a green salad.

For more delicious recipes using their award-winning preserves, visit The Cherry Tree’s website, here.

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