Delicious UK August 2017

THE TECHNIQUE Making sorbets The sugar syrup is the key to a sorbet’s smooth texture. Our three recipes here use a 1:1 ratio of sugar to water, which gives a smooth finish. Sugar lowers the freezing temperature of water – if the sugar content is too high, it won’t freeze at all. Churning is also important – without a proper churn the sorbet mixture might separate and freeze unevenly. Sorbets will keep for up to a month in the freezer, in an airtight plastic lidded container, to help avoid freezer burn. If you don’t have an ice cream machine, freeze sorbet in a plastic container for 1 hour, then whizz in a food processor. Freeze and whizz again at 30-60 minute intervals 3-4 more times, then leave until it’s completely…

LOVE YOUR FREEZER… Some foods hold up better than others in the freezer. A good rule of thumb is that food with little texture and a high water content such as soups and stews freeze and defrost easily, as do pasta bakes and pies. Cooked dishes made with lower-fat dairy and cream cheese or white sauces tend to split if frozen. It doesn’t mean you can’t freeze them, but the texture may end up grainy. Bread freezes well and thaws quickly – especially sliced for toast; rolls are best crisped-up for a few minutes in the oven. All meat, fish and seafood can be frozen uncooked, as long as they haven’t been previously frozen. Most foods can be frozen for up to 6 months, unless otherwise stated. ICE AND A…

RECIPE: JEN BEDLOE. PHOTOGRAPH: KATE WHITAKER. FOOD STYLING: LOTTIE COVELL. STYLING: TONY HUTCHINSON The five-minute recipe Summery watermelon and feta salad SERVES 8-10 AS A SIDE SALAD. HANDS ON TIME 10 MIN Cut 1 ripe mini watermelon into quarters, then slice into rough triangles (no need to peel). Arrange on a platter and scatter over ½ cucumber (halved lengthways, seeds removed, then cut into half moons), 75g mixed radishes, thinly sliced, 200g barrel aged feta cheese, roughly sliced, a handful of fresh mint leaves, shredded, a handful of fresh basil leaves (any large leaves torn), and the zest of 1 unwaxed lemon. Season with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle with a glug of fruity Greek olive oil and a little balsamic glaze. Add a handful of pitted kalamata olives,…

– that’s the feeling we’ve tried to capture on every page of this issue. For me, long days mean escaping outside at any opportunity – if not early, when the dew is evaporating away, then in late afternoon when the light is goldenpink and the heat of the day has passed. If you need food inspiration to go with your outdoor moments, we have two menus in this issue: one from food writer in residence Eleonora Galasso (p58), the other from the south of France (p42), where the food team shopped in markets, then conjured up recipes with the bounty they found there. Both menus are a feast for the senses, championing summer’s best, from plump tomatoes to sparkly-eyed fish and fuzzy-skinned apricots oozing with juice. Among many other joys,…

WORDS: KAREN BARNES. PHOTOGRAPHS: ALAMY, ISTOCK Picnic with a view Greenwich Park in southeast London has one of the city’s best views, from the top of the hill near the Royal Observatory, down over the World Heritage Site of Maritime Greenwich and the timeless River Thames, with the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf as a backdrop. Pack a feast into a wicker basket, shake out a blanket and enjoy – preferably as the sun dips low and the sky turns show-off pink (park closes at 9.30pm). Grow your own There’s no better time to catch veg patch fever than during National Allotment Week (14–20 August). Visit nsalg.org.uk for a list of allotment shows around the country. Need more inspiration? Read how food writer Olia Hercules started out on her path to…

RECIPES THAT WORK Every recipe is rigorously tested by our food team, using state-of-the-art Fisher & Paykel ovens and hobs, so you can be confident they work every time. INGREDIENTS We aim to use easy-to-find seasonal ingredients. We’ll tell you where to find any unusual ingredients and/or what to substitute them with. We use higher-welfare meat for testing, supplied by The Ginger Pig (thegingerpig.co.uk). This symbol next to an ingredient means there are more ideas for using it on our Loose Ends page. HONEST COOKING TIMES Unlike many magazines, our timings include prep such as chopping. Hands-on time is when you’re chopping, stirring or frying. Oven/simmering time is when you can leave the dish in the oven or on the hob. Indicates a vegetarian recipe. Indicates a vegan recipe. Indicates…