Flash fixes for past-best berries

Letting berries go slightly past their prime is easy to do. Here are some simple ideas, – but if you’re really short on time just freeze berries to use in smoothies and baking:

1 BERRY GIN GRANITA

– whizz 2 cups fresh or frozen berries in a blender with 100ml gin, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 400ml water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Pour into a freezer-proof vessel and freeze for 4-6 hours until solid. Use a fork to scrape the ice into granita. Serve immediately.

2 BERRY SHRUB FOR COCKTAILS

– search “shrub” on dish.co.nz for my basic shrub cordial recipe. Try boysenberry and black pepper, strawberry and chilli, or raspberry and rosemary.

The recipe works with stonefruit too.

3 CHEAT’S BERRY JAM

– sprinkle berries with raw sugar and lemon zest and roast for 15-20 minutes until sticky and soft. Serve with ice cream or Greek yoghurt or on scones or pancakes.

4 STRAWBERRY VINAIGRETTE

– whizz 1 cup strawberries with

½ cup white vinegar, juice of ½ a lemon, 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon honey. Season and use to dress summer salads.