Dreamy Fig Ice-cream

Fresh figs truly make the best ice-cream & it's really, really simple to make.

Being such a fragile fruit they often go off quicker than we can use them or they ripen all in a rush.

So...firstly- they freeze really well & can be slow baked any time of the year from frozen.

Secondly, the fresh fruit slow bakes so beautifully- just uses as is or...best of all, turn those succulent baked figs in to the most delicious ice-cream you've ever tasted.

So many different varieties & colours in the fig world.

They can be simmered in a pot..

you can find the recipe for simmered figs just here.
Or, you can spread them in a baking dish & bake them for an hour- an hour & a half on 120-130 C until they look much like this...

Each time I bake figs they come out a little different but always so delicious.

So here's the basic recipe for the ice-cream:

Slow bake as many figs as you have to work with.

Cool- blend with a hand mixer or in a small processor, bullet etc until fairly smooth.

The balance is 1/2 & 1/2 to get the texture of the ice-cream just right.

1 cup of baked fig pulp to 1 c of whipped cream

To the cream add 1 tsp of vanilla essence & either honey or maple syrup to taste.

To a 2 cup ice-cream I would probably add a tbsp of honey/maple syrup.

But taste it & see what you think.

No, no don't eat it all- it needs to go in the freezer first!

Ginger is a nice edition on occasion.

Freeze in a flatfish dish with a lid.

Serves perfectly, straight from the freezer & really doesn't require much else.

Just that simple.
Love Katie x

Pickled Myoga Ginger Flowers & Sushi Ginger

Myoga ginger is a Japanese woodland ginger that is used mostly for the edible flowers that appear in early autumn. These flowers are rather peculiar as they grow at ground level which is most surprising indeed.

Pick the flower buds and remove any tough outer layers.

Give them a little wash and pat dry.

Slice 8-10 buds finely which ever way takes your fancy.

Bring to the boil in a little pot:
1/2 C of apple cider vinegar & 1/ 2 C of rice wine vinegar (or just one or the other- your preference).
Add 1/4 C raw sugar & 1/2 tsp good salt.

Stir to dissolve.

Pour this mixture over the sliced ginger & add some red shiso leaves (also known as beefsteak) if you have them.
Leave to cool and infuse for several hours, or overnight.
Store in the fridge.

If you want to make more to keep just make the pickle into a sterilised jar with a plastic lid and seal. Keeps well for ages.

The red things in the colander are hyacinth beans and the green ones are Peans.

I added the few hyacinth beans & some shiso leaves to this pickle.

Very quickly the ginger is pickled & turns a wonderful pink colour and tastes amazing- perfect unami flavours.

 Lovely with radicchio..

 and fresh figs, feta, gynura bi-colour (red vegetable- tastes like gingery spinach) and avocado.

Any left over pickle juice can be used to make vinaigrette dressings. 

Just as easily made, is Sushi pickled ginger.

if I had realised sooner, just how easy it is to make Gari or Amazu Shoga, I would have made it years ago.

Peel & finely slice around 250 grams of good, tender looking fresh ginger root.

Put in to a bowl & sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsps sea salt. Stand for 30 minutes & then transfer in to a clean jar of a suitable size.

Bring 1 cup of good rice wine vinegar & 1/3 c sugar to the boil- stirring as you go to dissolve the sugar. I used a fine raw organic sugar.

Pour the hot vinegar over the ginger in the jar. Cool. Put on the lid & store in the fridge for a day or so until well pickled. The rice vinegar will turn the ginger pink quite quickly, but for a deeper shade you can also add a few Red shiso leaves.

Red shiso is a really tasty & interesting summer annual herb that we find delicious.

Red Shiso

Katie X

Picnic Food Inspiration

Sometimes, all that is required, is simply the inspiration....

Elderberry Elixir

Elderberry elixir is a glorious thing- so deliciously, fragrant and immune boosting too.

In contrast to the delicate creamy elder flowers with their musky, distinctive fragrance, the berries that ripen through late January and all through February are dark staining and powerful medicine. 

I have made syrups with the elder berries and even tried them raw, but they do not agree with me in that state, so instead, each year, I make an elixir- which is very simple and utterly delicious.

The berries must be as ripe as possible- dark and black, so you have to nab them just before the birds get to them. If they are not quite ripe all over just leave them in a bowl for a day or two & they will soon darken up. 

Remove the berries from their clusters with your fingers or a fork. I don't worry too much about the odd stalk. Fill any sized jar with the berries to around two thirds full, pour in some brandy until  the berries are just covered and then add honey to taste. You'll need a good lot of honey as elderberries have no natural sweetness of their own.

Leave in a cool dark place for a good month to 6 weeks before eating.

So all you need is a jar with a good lid, the elderberries, brandy and honey.

The first year I poured off the elixir and bottled it.
Now I just leave it all in together, as I find the berries are also then edible having been "marinated" nicely and are utterly delicious.
The elixir can then be taken by the spoonful, diluted in to water, fizzy water or added in to a hot drink of fruity tea. Drizzled over ice cream or added in to a berry cheesecake also works very nicely.

The elixir is then ready just in time for autumn and helpful for buoying the immune system as we head in to cooler weather. Elder flowers and berries are lovely medicine and provide useful and unique nutrients too. 

http://bearmedicineherbals.com/another-gratuitous-elderberry-post.html

You can also see how to make a simple elderflower fizz just here.