Three summer recipes from Florence Knight

One of London's top chefs, Florence Knight shares three berry-based summery recipes from cured salmon to granita
Top chef: Florence Knight
Kate Lough31 July 2015

Florence Knight is head chef at Polpetto, one of our five star restaurants, the author of A Cook and Her Cupboard and one of London's most exciting chefs. Below, she shares three fruity recipes that are perfect for balmy summer days.

Blackberry cured salmon

Maldon sea salt or ground rock salt works particularly well for marinating the fish, while the blackberries add sweetness and turn the salmon a vibrant deep purple. I like to eat this thinly sliced on slightly toasted rye bread with a spoonful of crème fraiche. This generously serves six people and it’s always best to make more, as it keeps well wrapped in the fridge for up to a week. It’s very simple to prepare, the hardest part is waiting thirteen hours for the perfect results.

Ingredients

1 sustainable salmon fillet skin on, scaled and pin boned about 900 grm

250g blackberries

375g light brown muscovado sugar

250g sea salt flakes

zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

2 tbsp gin

Method

Put the blackberries in a bowl and mash them into the salt and sugar. Zest over the lemon and stir gin through the mixture.

Stretch two large pieces of cling film over a work surface and lay the salmon fillet onto it, skin side down. Brush your hand along the fillet to check for any little pin bones, pinching them out with a pair of tweezers.

Pour the cure mixture generously over the fillet, wrap in cling film and leave on a tray in the fridge for thirteen hours.

In the morning, rinse off the marinade under cold running water and pat the fillet dry.

Bring the fish to room temperature and slice to serve on warm butter toast.

Wrap any uneaten salmon in cling film and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Berkswell, blackbery and apple jelly

This jelly is sweet and wobbly, as a jelly should be, but I like to eat it as a savoury dessert with a thick piece of crumbly English cheese.

Ingredients (Makes approx 1 kg)

1 kg blackberries

450 g cooking apples, cored and finely chopped

4 bay leaves, washed and torn

Preserving jam sugar

Method

Carefully wash the blackberries and apples. Place all the fruit and bay leaves into a preserving pan with 600ml/1 pint water and cook over a low heat gently for about 30 minutes until soft and very mushy.

Strain the pulp through a nylon sieve set over a bowl. Measure the resulting liquid and return it to the pan, adding 500g of sugar for each 500ml of liquor.

Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, bring the mixture to the boil and then reduce to a simmer, stirring regularly for 40-60 minutes. Check the bubbling mixture is ready by drawing a wooden spoon across the bottom of the preserving pan leaving a clean line.

As soon as it is ready, pour the hot jelly into sterlised small jars, cover with waxed discs and seal. Skim away any scum from the top of the jelly and fill the jam jars to the brim. Cover, seal and label. Store in a cool, dark place until required.

Alternatively pour the mixture into a greased mold that can be turned out for presentation. Best served with a few sliced of Kirkhams Lancashire cheese or cold, sliced roast beef.

STRAWBERIES & ELDERFLOWER GRANITA

Granita is at its best when eaten the moment it is ready. However, it will keep quite happily for several days in the freezer, if needed, although it will solidify considerably. In this eventuality, take it out of the freezer about an hour before you want to eat it, leave to defrost slightly, then beat again with a fork and pop it back in the freezer until needed.

Ingredients

500ml elderflower cordial

500ml water

1 punnet of strawberries, about 450g

140g thick double cream

Method

Mix the cordial with the water, pour it into a deep-sided dish and place it in the freezer. After half-an-hour or so, break up any ice that has formed in the tray with the teeth of a fork - the crystals will form first on the outside, so scrape them into the center of the tray. Repeat every half-hour or so, until the whole tray is full of rough ice crystals.

Angle a small sharp knife and cut, in a circular motion, around the green leafy top of the strawberry and into the pale flesh directly underneath, discard this part. Halve any larger strawberries but leave the smaller ones whole. Lightly whip the cream.

To serve, fold the strawberries into the cream, spoon into six pretty glasses and top with a generous spoonful of granita.

More food and drink recipes

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Florence Knight has created a Taste of Summer Menu on behalf of British Summer Fruits; seasonalberries.co.uk

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