Articles

5 showstopping recipes to attain berry bliss

By TASTE, 2 February 2016

From a quick ceviche to a genius cheat’s ice-cream cake, Hannah Lewry shares five bursting-with-flavour recipes featuring three of your favourite berries

Juicy, bright and packed with flavour, berries sure are a highlight of summer. While delicious enjoyed on their own, they’re a welcome addition to dishes both sweet and savoury and marry well with a range of ingredients. Think basil, caramel, chocolate, chilli, cream, ginger, goat's cheese, honey, lemon, lime, mint, soya and vanilla. But before you start cooking and baking up a storm with berries, here are a few useful tips to enjoy them at their best.

• Store berries in a colander (or any other container that allows air to circulate) in the fridge. Don’t keep them in the vegetable drawer; the air is too humid.

• Rinse berries just before you use them. Too much water increases the likeliness of mould.

• Eat them as soon as possible – berries don’t ripen after picking. If you really can’t use them in time, freeze in a single layer (so they don’t stick together) in an airtight container and use to make smoothies or for baking.

BERRY TREASURE

STRAWBERRIES
They can be frozen and used to make smoothies or milkshakes. Or add them to drinks instead of ice to chill them and add summery flavour at the same time.

RASPBERRIES
Try blending them with sherry vinegar and white pepper to make a deliciously tangy oil-free salad dressing. Use liberally.

BLUEBERRIES
The perfect partner to maple syrup and bacon, pan-fry with the maple syrup and bacon until sticky, then serve with pancakes or flapjacks.

Berries