SEASONAL PLEASURES: SUMMER
Chef and restaurateur Paul Ainsworth on strawberries, barbecues and festivals
As a child, summer was all about that wonderfully long six-week holiday. I always think about sun-baked grass, strawberries, barbecues, motoring festivals and hot weather. Some of my fondest memories were Sunday drives to the strawberry field to go picking for a few hours with my family. I would eat the strawberries as I picked them and, by the end, always have an empty punnet. You really can’t beat ripe British strawberries!
Cornish strawberries are best to buy until mid-September. For a quick and easy summer salad all you need is a few juicy tomatoes, a handful of strawberries, fresh burrata – slice and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, pepper, and some basil leaves. I love the salty/sweet combination, it really enhances the flavour. My tip for picking strawberries is always make sure they are fragrant – if you can’t smell a perfume coming off them there isn’t going to be much flavour. At The Mariners in Rock we are currently serving a Strawberry ‘Roly poly’ – steamed brown butter pudding, it’s one of our bestsellers. We put the brown butter in the sponge and poach the strawberries to turn them into jam. Another favourite dessert using strawberries has to be trifle – whipped Cornish cream, homemade custard, sponge fingers soaked in sherry
and of course, a poached strawberry compote. For a little extra flavour, roast a handful of hazelnuts in the oven, let them cool down, chop them up and sprinkle over your trifle. It is definitely a crowd pleaser!
BARBECUE DELIGHTS
One of the first signs of summer I always remember is Dad at the grill cooking sausages and burgers and holding a cold pint of lager whilst my sister and I played in the garden. A barbecue favourite for me is mackerel on toast. Grill the mackerel fillets then slice your favourite loaf of bread, drizzle with olive oil, rub with garlic and add to the grill. Chop spring onions, red onion, green and red chilli, coriander and a few ripe English tomatoes and leave to marinate. At Caffè Rojano we serve a delicious dish on our Small Plates menu – line-caught BBQ mackerel with chargrilled sourdough, chilli and pickled onion salsa. I also love cooking jacket potatoes on the BBQ. To get great results prick the potato all over, rub in really rich extra virgin olive oil and season well with Cornish sea salt. Wrap them in tin foil, pierce the foil to allow the heat, and some of the smoke, in from the embers, and cook over a medium heat with the BBQ lid on. A hit with kids as well as adults…
FESTIVAL FUN
Summer also meant going to festivals with my dad, whether it be steam rallies, motorbike fayres or vintage car events. It was such a highlight of the year – listening to great Country and Western music, looking at the incredible vehicles, enjoying a fun day out with Dad. This summer, I’m so excited to be launching my own festival, Travelling Feast, from 6-20 August. The essence of what we are trying to do is the same as the festivals I use to go to – creating a ‘feel-good factor’ day out with amazing food, great music and brilliant locations! After a tough 14 months I am hoping Travelling Feast is something for people to look forward to, sharing good times with friends and family again. We will be stopping off at incredible locations across Cornwall, including breath-taking clifftops, stunning beaches and exquisite country estates – come and join us! Find out more at travellingfeast.co.uk.