Seasonal food to cook in June
BY READERS DIGEST
1st Jan 2015 Recipes
June brings with it a fresh crop of refreshing fruit and vegetables to perfectly complement the season's best fish and meat. Here's how to use June's bounty to create delicious, seasonal meals.
The season of plenty
The horn of plenty is well and truly filled in June when home produce is at its best and its most economical. Fish, seafoods, salads, vegetables and fruit are all of excellent quality, allowing for enjoyable cooking sessions and varied eating.
Check out our A-Z of white fish or shellfish for some inspiration.
It makes sense to use garden-fresh asparagus, peas, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, radishes and a variety of salad leaves to full advantage by focusing the meal on them; for example, lightly cooked mixed fresh vegetables with a little herb butter and some warm crusty bread make an excellent supper or light lunch.
Make the most of your fresh June vegetables with these 10 fresh salad recipes.
For main meals, include several different vegetables or new potatoes and a salad with grilled fish or poached salmon steaks. Concentrate on serving vegetables with light cooking juices or simple dressings rather than heavy sauces or thickened gravies.
Freeze your assets
Although preserving food is traditionally an autumn activity, the availability of freezers in most homes, coupled with access to the increasingly popular pick-your-own farms, means that now is the time to start stocking up on the most successful freezer candidates, such as peas, beans and soft fruit.
Plan ahead by checking the contents of the freezer, ensuring there is space for new produce, and pick only as much as you can process on the same day.
Simple pleasures
The real culinary celebration of June is one of the simplest—strawberries and cream, with just a dusting of icing sugar.
When there is a good crop of fruit, a jam-making session provides the perfect excuse for preparing a Sunday cream tea to sample the new preserve, complete with home-baked scones and clotted cream.
Why not also try a pitcher of refreshing strawberry lemonade, jam tarts or an indulgent chili chocolate strawberry smoothie? Get the recipes here.
Don't fancy strawberry jam? Rhubarb, blackberries, and chilis also make delicious preserves.
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