Growing: Fruit and nut trees

In December's The Simple Things, Cinead McTernan explores the world of fruit and nut trees and selects the species most suitable for a domestic garden. Here, we pick out some of our favourite fruit and nut recipes from previous issues.

Spiced pickled quince

Looks stunning in the jar and goes well with soft goats’ cheese or cold meat.

400g granulated sugar
700ml cider vinegar
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp coriander leaves
1 bay leaf
4 quinces

1. Put sugar, vinegar, peppercorns and herbs into a large saucepan and bring slowly to the boil.

2. Peel, core and quarter the quinces; cut each quarter into three and place in the liquid. Bring back to the boil and then turn the heat down and simmer for 40 mins. The quince will soften and turn a rich pink colour.

3. Allow to cool slightly and then spoon into sterilised jars before pouring the liquor over and sealing. They’ll keep for a couple of months.

Recipe by Lia Leendertz, taken from issue 29 (November 2014 - buy back issue now)

Quick walnut tart

This is very fine if you make your own pastry, but once in a while shop-bought pastry can make the difference between making something and not.

240g sugar
180ml double cream
2 tbsp good honey
1 tsp fennel seed, ground
1 tsp cinnamon, ground
200g walnuts
500g sweet pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160/350F. 

2 Add sugar to a pan on a moderate heat. Stir as it starts to turn to caramel, and once or twice more until all the sugar turns.

3 With the pan still on the heat, slowly pour in the cream, stirring as you do – it will form ribbons but keep going and it will become smooth. Stir in the honey, fennel, cinnamon and nuts. Leave to cool while you prepare the pastry case.

4 Butter and flour a 22-24cm tart tin.

5 On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to 5mm thick and line the tin.

6 Spike the pastry using a fork and bake for 10 mins. Brush pastry with beaten egg, and bake another 7 mins.

7 Spoon the nut mixture evenly into the tart and bake for about 30 mins in the centre of the oven. Let cool for 10 mins, before removing the side of the tin and leaving to cool on a rack.

Recipe by Mark Diacono, taken from issue 40 (October 2015 - buy back issue now)

Recipe by Lia Leendertz, photography by Kirstie Young

Gianduja liqueur

This chocolate and hazelnut liqueur is definitely worth the effort of spending a little time with the nutcracker. Gianduja is the forerunner of nutella, a chocolate and hazelnut paste created in Turin during the Napoleonic era, when a resourceful chocolatier mixed his limited supply of cacao with hazelnuts to make it stretch further. This is adapted from a recipe in Andrew Schloss’s Homemade Liqueurs and Infused Spirits. Siphoned off into pretty little bottles, it makes wonderful Christmas presents.

450g hazelnuts
200g cacao nibs
750ml vodka (40% proof)
300ml simple syrup* (you can buy this but it’s easy to make, see below)

1 In a large, dry frying pan, toast the hazelnuts until they start to take colour, then tip them into a cloth and rub off as many of the skins as you can easily get to come off.

2 Pour the cacao nibs into the frying pan and toast briefly, until the aroma hits your nose. Tip out into a cool bowl.

3 In batches, grind hazelnuts and cacao nibs in a food processor until they are the texture of coarse sand (you could use a pestle and mortar instead, but this will obviously take some time). Tip everything into a large, sealable jar and pour on the vodka. Stir well.

4 After around ten days, strain the mixture into a sterilised and cooled jar. Use a colander lined with muslin, and when the bulk of the liquid has passed through, suspend the muslin above the jar and let it drip through for an hour or so. Don’t squeeze or press on the mixture to extract more liquid, as this will cloud the liqueur.

5 Stir in the cooled simple syrup and it is then ready to drink, or to store for up to a year.

*To make the simple syrup
1 I always use American ‘cups’ measurements for making syrup, because you need an equal volume of water and sugar and this is the most straightforward way to measure them. You will need around 1¼ cups each of sugar and water. But if you prefer, this equates to around 300ml water and about 200g sugar.
2 Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and warm through gently until the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat and simmer for a minute. Take off the heat and allow to cool.

Recipe by Lia Leendertz, taken from issue 39 (September 2015 - buy back issue now)

Medlar jelly

Little accompanies rich meats and cheese as well as a good jelly. This deep amber preserve has just the right mix of sharp and sweet, with a fruity edge

1kg medlars, quartered (ideally around half bletted, half not)
juice of half–1 lemon
around 500g caster sugar
1 vanilla pod (optional)

1. Put the medlars in a large pan and pour in just enough water to cover. Add the juice of half a lemon, more if you fancy a sharper flavour. Bring to the boil, lower the temperature and simmer for an hour.

2. Leave to strain overnight through a jelly bag or muslin into a bowl.

3. Put a small plate into the fridge to chill. Measure the juice and pour it into a clean pan. For each 500ml of juice, add 375g of caster sugar.

4. Split the vanilla pod along its length and add to the liquid. Warm gently, stirring as the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to a rolling boil, then boil unstirred, for 5 mins.

5. Turn off the heat and test for the setting point by spooning a few drops onto the cold plate, leaving it for a minute then pushing it with your finger. It should wrinkle. If not, test again in 5 mins.

6. Pour the jelly into warm, sterilised jars and seal. It will keep in a cool, dark place for at least a year, often much longer. Once open, store in fridge - it should last months.

Recipe by Mark Diacono, taken from issue 41 (November 2015 - buy back issue now) 

Almond butter

If you want to make homemade almond butter, you just need almonds and a food processor. Head over to digital editor Lottie Storey's blog - Oyster & Pearl - for a very easy recipe.

December's The Simple Things is full of festive makes and bakes, wreaths of hawthorn and bay, and twinkly lights a-plenty. Buy, download or subscribe now.

Recipe: Sea salt hot chocolate

This deliciously thick hot chocolate is the perfect combination of sweet and salty, and was deemed beautiful enough to be our November cover star. You can make it with milk, white or dark chocolate and adjust the salt to your own taste.

For a salted caramel hot chocolate and a richer flavour, use a caramel chocolate such as Caramac.

Sea salt hot chocolate

SERVES 2

250 ml milk
250 ml double cream
100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
1 tbsp caster sugar
1⁄2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 egg yolk

1 Place the milk, cream and chopped chocolate in a saucepan with the sugar and salt, and heat over low heat until the chocolate has melted, whisking all the time.

2 Taste to see whether you need to add a little more salt for an extra salty kick. Remove from the heat and whisk in the egg yolk to thicken the hot chocolate.

3 Pass it through a sieve, then pour into two cups and serve immediately. 

Read more:

From the November issue

Buttered bourbon mulled cider

Chocolate recipes

Fancy sea salt hot chocolate, cinder toffee and firepit cakes, a celebration of toast plus ways to tell a good story around the fire, subversive cross stitch and how to keep your herbs going over winter? Oh and bibliotherapy, crafternoons and a poem about beautiful librarians. 

All this in our November COMFORT issue. You'll find us in even more Waitrose and Sainsbury's stores this month plus WH Smiths, Tesco and good independents. We're on sale now somewhere near you.

November's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

Recipe: Danish dream cake

In 1965, a young girl baked her grandmother’s secret family recipe in a competition and won, and the cake has been a Danish favourite ever since... 

DANISH DREAM CAKE

Serves 10–12

for the cake:
3 eggs
225g caster sugar
1 ⁄ 2 tsp vanilla sugar
225g plain flour or cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
150ml whole milk
75g butter, melted

for the topping:
100g butter
150g desiccated coconut
250g cups dark brown sugar
75ml whole milk
a pinch of salt

equipment:
23cm springform or round cake tin, greased and lined with baking parchment

1 Preheat the oven to 190/Fan 170/375.

2 In the bowl of a food mixer, whisk the eggs, caster sugar and vanilla sugar on high speed for a few mins, until white and light. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.

3 Carefully fold the flour into the egg mixture. Mix the milk with the melted butter in a jug and carefully pour into the batter, folding it in until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin.

4 Bake for 35–40 mins or until almost done (try not to open the oven door for the first 20 mins of the total baking time).

5 To make the topping, gently melt all the ingredients in a saucepan together.

6 Remove the cake from the oven and carefully spread the topping all over the cake.

7 Return to the oven. Turn up the heat to 200C/Fan 180/400F and bake for a further 5 mins. Allow to cool before eating.

Read more:

From the November issue

Cake recipes

Download our Copenhagen city guide

Fancy sea salt hot chocolate, cinder toffee and firepit cakes, a celebration of toast plus ways to tell a good story around the fire, subversive cross stitch and how to keep your herbs going over winter? Oh and bibliotherapy, crafternoons and a poem about beautiful librarians. 

All this in our November COMFORT issue. You'll find us in even more Waitrose and Sainsbury's stores this month plus WH Smiths, Tesco and good independents. We're on sale now somewhere near you.

November's The Simple Things is out now - buy, download or subscribe.

Recipe: Mandarin, pear and ginger cake

A sticky but fresh-tasting cake, that’s just as good with a glass of ginger beer or lemonade as with a cup of tea. And this is one that would make an ideal Bonfire Night bake.

MANDARIN, PEAR AND GINGER CAKE

Makes 18 slices

9 small pears, peeled and cored
juice of 1⁄2 lemon
350g plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp ground allspice
1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 tbsp milk
100g mandarin marmalade
100g black treacle
175g golden syrup
175g light muscovado sugar
175g butter
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
50g medium oatmeal
2 large eggs

1 Preheat the oven to 170C/Fan 150C/325F. Line a 20cm by 5cm square deep cake tin with non-stick baking parchment. Keep the pears in a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice until needed.

2 Put the flour and spices into a large bowl. In a cup, mix the bicarbonate of soda with the
milk and set aside. Mix 2 tbsp of marmalade with 1 tbsp of black treacle, then set aside.

3 Place the remaining marmalade in a pan with the remaining treacle and the syrup, sugar, butter and ginger. Pour in 150ml water and heat gently until melted.

4 Beat the marmalade mixture into the spiced flour along with the oatmeal, followed by the eggs and milk. Pour a thin layer of the cake mixture over the base of the tin and bake in a preheated oven for 10 mins.

5 Drain the pears. Take the tin out of the oven and push the pears into the base. Pour the remaining cake mixture around them and return to the oven for 1 hour 25 minutes.

6 Warm the reserved marmalade and treacle mixture in a small saucepan and brush over the hot cake to glaze. Serve warm or cold.


Recipe from The Seasonal Cookbook by Bonne Maman (Simon & Schuster). Photography by Miles New

Read more:

From the October issue

Bonfire Night posts

Cake recipes

October's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

Recipe: Roasted root vegetables with a fruit vinegar glaze

The addition of fruit vinegar to a pan of roasted vegetables gives them a little extra something. The bright colour and sweet-and- sour tang are a feast for the eyes and the taste buds alike. You can mix and match with other vegetables such as fennel or sweet potato, and serve on its own or with a roast or some chops. 

ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES

SERVES 4
1.5kg mixed carrot, parsnip, beetroot and celeriac (in whatever proportions you like)
2 sprigs thyme
75ml olive oil
25g butter
2 red onions, peeled and cut into 6 wedges
1 bulb garlic, broken into individual cloves, skin on
3 tbsp raspberry vinegar* 
salt and pepper

1 Heat the oven to 200C/ Fan 180/400F. Peel the root vegetables and cut them into largish chunks. 
2 Put them in a roasting
dish with the thyme, pour over the olive oil and mix well to coat the vegetables. 
3 Add the butter in small pieces over the top and season with salt and pepper. 
4 Roast for half an hour, then add the onion and garlic cloves.
5 Turn the vegetables and baste them, ensuring that everything is well coated and browning evenly.
6 Roast for another half an hour, then splash in the fruit vinegar, mixing well.
7 Cook for 10 mins, until the vegetables are soft in the centre and coated with a shiny, caramelised glaze.

* For a raspberry vinegar recipe, also from Fern Verrow, visit thesimplethings.com/blog/raspberryvinegar

Recipe from Fern Verrow: Recipes from the Farm Kitchen by Jane Scotter and Harry Astley (Quadrille).


For beautiful enamelware, have a look at The Stuff of Life, The Simple Things’ shop. Here are four picks.

Clockwise from top left:

Enamel coffee pot / Enamel espresso cups / Four season bowls / White enamel cutlery

Read more:

From the October issue

Autumn recipes

From The Stuff of Life

October's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

Recipe: Rosehip syrup and Sloe gin

Transform your autumn walks into an altogether more productive and entertaining outing by foraging for ingredients to use in your own beers, wines and spirits.

This month, says wild food expert and brewer Andy Hamilton, is the ideal time to find fruits and plants among the hedgerows and use them to create home brews.

“In October, rosehips* are plentiful and they’re great in cocktails,” says Andy. “Simply boil a handful in 550ml water, strain, and then stir in 500g sugar until fully dissolved. Allow to cool, add a splash of vodka (which acts as a preservative) and refrigerate.” (Straining twice will ensure that none of the fine hairs inside the hips remain.)

Perhaps one of the easiest fruits to identify is sloes. “If you stumble upon some sloes, fill a jar with them, cover with the strongest vodka you can get hold of and seal. To make a sloe gin like no other, leave for six months, strain, then leave for another two years. Just try it without sugar, you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” Andy promises.  

* Rosehips look like small red berries. They have a distinctive shape and are only found growing on rose bushes. They are not to be confused with other small red berries, which may be poisonous. Try to pick wild hips away from roads as they will be less likely to have been exposed to exhaust or other pollutants. If you pick from your own garden, make sure they are from plants that haven't been sprayed with pesticides.

Read more:

From the October issue

More foraged fruit recipes

Recipe: Saffron G&Ts

October's The Simple Things is on sale- buy, download or subscribe now.

Recipe: Smoked toffee apple bourbon

What’s the only thing better than a sticky toffee apple? This tipsy toffee apple brew, especially when sipped beside the fire

There are a few stages to this, but once made the syrups will last a few weeks in the fridge, so there’s no need to rush through it. The first step is to make a simple syrup, which you will then use to make a caramelised simple syrup that will give the bourbon a beautiful toffee taste.
 

Simple syrup

‘Cups’ are used here not in any exact way, but merely to show that we want the volume of sugar and water to be the same, and so you may as well pour each into the same cup to measure out.

2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar

1 Heat water and sugar gently in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer until the liquid turns clear.

2 When completely cool, pour into a jar and store in the fridge.
 

Caramelised simple syrup

This caramelised syrup recipe is adapted from Homemade Liqueurs and Infused Spirits by Andrew Schloss (Storey Publishing).

1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups simple syrup

1 Heat the sugar in a small saucepan on a medium-high heat until it starts to turn brown at the edges. Stir with a wooden spoon. The sugar will turn lumpy. Keep on stirring for a few mins until it turns deep orange and completely liquid.

2 Stand back and carefully pour in the simple syrup. The mixture will bubble furiously and the sugar will turn solid. Keep heating and stirring and the lump of caramelised sugar will slowly dissolve into the syrup.

3 When cool, pour through a strainer into a jar and store in the fridge. Eat the pieces of caramel left behind in the strainer.
 

Bourbon

This infused bourbon combines the tastes and scents of the moment. Caramelised simple syrup is combined with grated apple and the whole given a note of smokiness with the addition of a teaspoon or so of Lapsang Souchong tea.

3 apples
360ml caramelised simple syrup
480ml bourbon
2 cinnamon sticks
2 tsp lapsang souchong

1 Grate the apples into a large, sterilised, sealable jar and pour in the syrup.

2 Muddle together and then add all the other ingredients and mix well. Leave to infuse for five days.

3 After five days, strain through a muslin into another sterilised, sealable jar. Leave to drip through the muslin for a few hours rather than squeezing it, for a clearer result.

4 You can drink immediately, or seal and store somewhere cool and dark for up to a year. 

Read more:

From the October issue

Seed to Stove recipes

Warming drinks

October's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

Recipe: Raspberry vinegar

From Fern Verrow: Recipes from a Biodynamic Farm by Jane Scotter and Harry Astley. 

Raspberry vinegar

Makes 6 x 250ml bottles

1kg berries
600ml cider vinegar
granulated sugar

Always use the freshest fruit you can get hold of, but remember it doesn’t matter what the fruit looks like, as you’re going to mash it up for its juice. It is important that the fruit is dry, especially if you are using strawberries and raspberries, so try not to wash it. You can also use a mixture of elderberries and wild blackberries for a foraged, more savoury vinegar.

1 Put the berries into a large ceramic or glass bowl. Add the vinegar and gently crush the fruit with a potato masher or a large fork. Cover tightly and leave in a cool room for at least 5 days, stirring once each day.

2 Line a sieve with a piece of sterilised muslin, set it over a bowl and pour the fruit and vinegar into it. Tie the corners of the muslin together and suspend the bag over the bowl for 12 hours for the juice to drip through.

3 Measure the juice and allow 450g sugar for every 500ml. Put the juice and sugar into a large stainless steel saucepan, place over a low heat and slowly bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Boil for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to cool. Pour into sterilised bottles and seal straightaway. It should keep for at least a year. 

Read more:

From the October issue

Preserving recipes

Fruit recipes

Recipe: Hardwick lamb curry in a hurry

Lamb curry and a decent beer is hard to beat. This is camping-friendly lamb curry doesn’t take hours and all goes in one pot. If you are in the Lake District, seek out Herdwick lamb and a local ale for a campsite meal to remember. Discover more in Pitch Up Eat Local by Ali Ray (AA Publishing). 

Herdwick Lamb Curry in a Hurry

Serves 4

vegetable oil
2 tsp each of ground turmeric and garam masala
1 tsp each of ground cumin, ground coriander and chilli powder
500g lamb leg steak, cut into bite-sized cubes
a small handful of green beans (about 8), trimmed and cut in half
a bunch of spring onions, sliced, including the green bits
350g basmati rice
1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
100ml vegetable stock (made with a cube)
a small bunch of fresh coriander (mint will also work nicely), chopped
salt and pepper
a big knob of butter

1 Heat a glug of oil in a large saucepan with a lid, and stir in the spices for a minute.

2 Add the lamb, beans and spring onions, and jostle them about in the pan so that the lamb browns, about 2 minutes.

3 Now add the rice to the pan, stir well, and then add the coconut milk and the stock.  Bring up to the boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer, put the lid on and leave for 10 minutes.

4 After 10 minutes, check that the rice has cooked, but don’t stir it. If it’s not done, let it cook for another couple of minutes.

5 When ready, stir in the fresh coriander (or mint), keeping a little back to garnish at the end.  Season with salt and pepper, then add the butter and gently stir through.

6 Serve with the remaining herbs sprinkled on top, accompanied by a good local ale. 

Read more: 

From the October issue

Camping recipes

Curry recipes

Recipe: Smoked garlic and tomato relish

This relish will use up your tomato glut and, possibly, tempt you to buy some cheese and biscuits to go with it.

Says Lia Leendertz, ‘I made this relish with some smoked garlic I picked up at my local greengrocer which gave a gentle smoky taste, but it works well with ordinary garlic, too.’

Makes 4 jars
1 onion
6 smoked garlic cloves, sliced oil for frying
1 green chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
800g chopped tomatoes, seeds removed
200ml red wine vinegar
200g sugar
50g capers, rinsed

1 In a large pan, heat a little oil and gently fry the onions until they start to soften. Add the garlic and chilli and slowly soften these too.
2 When the onion is turning translucent add the tomatoes, stir and cook gently for a few minutes. Then pour in the vinegar and the sugar.
3 On a low heat, stir to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer. Simmer and stir for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until the mixture turns jammy. It is ready when you can draw a brief line across the bottom with a wooden spoon.
4 Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the capers and add plenty of salt and pepper, to taste. Pour into warmed jars and seal. 

Sterilising for preserves
If you don’t sterilise your jars before you seal your preserves then they will quickly go off. I tend to go a bit belt and braces and use both sterilising tablets and a warm oven. This usually involves dissolving sterilising tablets in warm water and then bathing the jars in the water for around ten minutes, but check instructions on your particular product. I then rinse them off (you don’t have to, but they can leave a slight taste) and put them in a low oven for about half an hour. This has the added benefit that the jars come out completely dry and warm, so you can pour warm preserve into them and get a better seal. Seal while still warm, label when cold.

September's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

Read more

From the September issue

Seed to Stove recipes

Tomato recipes

Recipe: Veg patch curry

British veg patch meets Indian flavours for a fusion curry with a taste of mellow sunshine

A celebration of early autumn’s harvest. Use fresh, seasonal veg from your patch or local farm shop for this delicious veg patch curry.

Serves 4–6
1kg fresh tomatoes
350g onions
1 bulb of garlic
4 bay leaves
5cm piece of ginger
2 red chillies
1 star anise
200g coconut milk
small pumpkin or squash
handful of French or runner beans
2 courgettes or yellow summer squash
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 corn on the cob
2 tsp fennel seeds
handful of fresh coriander or parsley

1 Preheat your oven to 200C/Fan 180/400F.
2 Halve the tomatoes – or quarter them if you’re using bigger ones. Peel and chop the onions into halves or quarters. Tumble everything into a large roasting tin.
3 Slice 1cm from the pointy tip of your garlic. Put it into the tin, still whole, with the bay leaves. Roast for 30 mins or until the tomatoes have a golden edge to them.
4 Remove the bulb of garlic and bay leaves. Tip tomatoes and onions into a food processor or blender. Squeeze in the garlic cloves from the bulb.
5 Peel and roughly chop the ginger. Thinly slice the chillies. Grind the star anise to a powder. Add the ginger, a good pinch of the chilli and the star anise, plus the coconut milk, to the tomato-and-onion mixture. Blend until smooth.
6 Gently simmer the sauce on the hob while you cook the veg.
7 Cut pumpkin (or squash), beans and courgette into bite-sized hunks. Peel the summer squash if you like. The skin is edible if it’s not too thick.
8 Season the vegetables and toss with a little oil. Grill your veg on the barbecue until it’s lightly charred all over. Or if you prefer, set a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the veg to the pan in a single layer when it’s smoking hot – don’t add any oil to the pan. Cook the veg in batches until it’s tender and lightly charred all over. To get the pumpkin and squash soft, you may have to add a few splashes of water. Put the veg in a low oven or next to the barbecue to keep it warm. 9 Cut the corn kernels from the cob. Fry the sweetcorn, remaining chilli pieces and fennel seeds in a little oil until fragrant and a little crisp around the edges.
10 Spoon the simmered curry sauce into a large bowl or platter. Arrange the grilled or griddled veg on top. Finish with the sizzled and spiced sweetcorn and some fresh herbs.

Turn to page 24 of September's The Simple Things for the rest of this Indian summer menu, including Saffron G&Ts, Herb & spiced lamb lollies with cardamom yoghurt, Golden roti, Thyme and griddled spring onion rice, and Rosy apple tarts.

September's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

Read more:

From the September issue

Autumn roots

More Gathering recipes

Recipe: Spanish Tomato Toast

Start the day like you’re in a Spanish café. This simple breakfast makes good use of this month’s glut of tomatoes and extends that summer feeling long after your holiday is over. Very ripe tomatoes and good quality olive oil are a must. 

SPANISH TOMATO TOAST

Serves 2

2 large or 4 small ripe tomatoes (cherry tomatoes won’t work here)
pinch of salt
glug of extra virgin
olive oil
4 slices sourdough bread

1 Using a large box grater, or something similar, carefully grate the juicy tomatoes into a bowl. Grate until you can’t grate any more, avoiding knuckle
scrapes as best you can. 
2 Addapinchofsaltanda good glug of olive oil, and mix together to make a tomato ‘nectar’. Let the flavours combine while you char the bread.
3 Get a griddle pan nice and hot over a high heat, then char the bread for 2–3 minutes on each side. When all the bread is toasted, take it to the table along with your tomato nectar and spoon some over your toast.

Recipe from Breakfast: Morning, Noon & Night by Fern Green (Hardie Grant). Photography by Danielle Wood

For more ways to use a tomato surplus, turn to page 38 of September’s The Simple Things for Lia Leendertz’s tomato relish recipe.

September's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

READ MORE:

How to ripen tomatoes indoors

Breakfast recipes

More from the September issue

Recipe: Raspberry fruit leather

Use this recipe as a template for all kinds of fruit leathers – it works really well with strawberries, apricots and nectarines too. Essentially, all it entails is making a thick, gloopy purée of fruit and sugar and then drying it out very slowly in the oven until you have a pliable leather as clear and vivid as a stained glass window. Remember to add the lemon juice if you are using fruit that is likely to discolour.

Makes 2 sheets
A little groundnut oil for greasing the tins
500g raspberries
500g peeled, cored and chopped cooking apples
Juice of 1 lemon
130g honey

1. Preheat the oven to 70°C/Gas 1/4. Line two baking sheets of about 24cmx30cm with foil or several layers of clingfilm; lightly oil with groundnut oil.  
2. Put the berries, apples and lemon juice into a pan. Cook gently, partially covered at first, until soft and pulpy, about 20 minutes. Rub through a sieve or mouli into a bowl. You should have about 700g smooth fruit purée. Add the honey and mix well.  
3. Divide between two baking sheets, shaking the tins and smoothing with a spatula so the purée reaches right up to the edges. Place in the oven for 6-10 hours.
4. The leather should be a little tacky but no longer sticky and should peel easily off the clingfilm or foil. Leave to cool completely then roll up the leather in greaseproof paper or cling film and store in an airtight container in a cool place. Use within two months. Alternatively, you can freeze it, well sealed, for up to a year. 

Turn to page 120 of September's The Simple things (on sale 29 August 2015) for Postcards from the Hedge, where Mark Diacono is picking peppercorns and harvesting honey.

Read more

Autumn jam recipes

More Postcards from the Hedge recipes

More from the September issue

September's The Simple Things is on sale today - buy, download or subscribe now.

Recipe: Barbecue baked apples

This is a super-simple way to cook. Local apples are everywhere now, and are an easy but delicious dessert for campers.

BBQ Baked Apples

You’ll need a lidded barbecue to make this delicious apple dessert. Or it can be cooked in the embers of a campfire. 

Serves 4

4 eating apples
1 large knob of butter
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
a handful each of sultanas and chopped nuts
2 tsp demerara sugar
a splash of booze if there’s some around (rum, brandy, cider but – NOT beer or wine!)

1Core the apples, leaving the bottom 2cm in if possible. If that’s too hard, take the whole core out, cut the bottom 2cm off the core and plug it back into the bottom of the apple. This is to stop all the melted butter flowing out later.

2Score a line around the centre of the apple.

3Put the butter, light brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.  Mix in the nuts and sultanas. Use your hands if it’s easier to blend it all up into a lumpy paste.

4Push some of the mixture into each apple until it’s all used up.

5Place each apple on the centre of a large double-thickness square of foil. Sprinkle a little demerara sugar and some rum or brandy (if using) over the top, then wrap each apple up tight in its own square of foil.

6Put the foil parcels on your barbecue away from the direct heat and close the lid. You’ll need to rotate the apples occasionally to enable them to cook evenly.

7They will take about 20 minutes to cook and go soft enough to eat (you don’t want them mushy), but this will depend on the size of apples and your heat source, so keep an eye on them. Serve with cream or plain yoghurt.

Recipe from Pitch Up, Eat Local by Ali Ray (AA Publishing with The Camping and Caravanning Club). 

Turn to page 72 of September's The Simple Things for Under Canvas, highlighting secluded, riverside camping pitches. On sale 29 August 2015.

Read more camping posts from The Simple Things...

• Recipes: The Picnic Loaf, Sunshine Hash, Campfire Beef & Beans
• How to pitch a tent like a pro
• Britain's best wild camping spots

September's The Simple Things is on sale today - buy, download or subscribe now.

Recipe: Homemade whole milk yoghurt

Making your own yoghurt is very straightforward and tremendously satisfying. It’s not necessarily cheaper than buying it in, but it is a lovely thing to do. The milk powder thickens the yoghurt, but if you prefer a creamier yogurt still, you can substitute 100ml of the milk with single cream.

Makes approx. 500 ml
2 heaped tablespoons organic live yoghurt
500 ml organic whole milk
3 tablespoons milk powder

Equipment

digital thermometer
1-litre Thermos flask

It is vital that everything is spotlessly clean when making yoghurt. To ensure your equipment is in perfect condition, place the whisk and metal spoon inside the mixing bowl and fill it to the brim with boiling water before use. Dip the thermometer tip in, too. Pour the water away, dry the equipment using a clean tea towel or kitchen paper before using.

1.     Place the yoghurt in a spotlessly clean large glass or ceramic mixing bowl and allow it to come up to room temperature (approximately 20–30 minutes).

2.     Pour the milk into a clean saucepan and heat very gently over a very low heat until it reaches exactly 46C – don’t let it get any warmer than this or it will kill the live cultures in the yoghurt when the two are combined. Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle the milk powder over the surface and whisk it in thoroughly. Carefully pour the warm milk over the yoghurt in the bowl and stir well with a metal spoon.

3.     Pour the yoghurt into the Thermos flask. Screw on the lid and set aside on the kitchen work surface overnight.

4.     By morning your milk should have thickened and turned into yoghurt. Decant it into jars or a Tupperware container, cover with clingfilm or a lid and store in the fridge. Eat within five days.

Recipe from Fermented by Charlotte Pike, photography by Tara Fisher (Kyle Books)

Use this yogurt to make the LEMON AND RASPBERRY YOGHURT LOAF CAKE recipe on page 59 of September's The Simple Things. On sale - 26 August 2015.

Read more:

More from the September issue

More cake recipes

More yoghurt ideas

September's The Simple Things is on sale today - buy, download or subscribe now.

Afternoon Tea Week: Violet scones with honeyed cream recipe

Celebrate Afternoon Tea Week 2015 with a recipe for Violet scones with honeyed cream

Parma Violets can taste soapy, but violet flowers, used sparingly and baked, are far subtler.
The honeyed cream is what provides the real sweetness here. It’s thick and indulgent and removes the need for jam or butter, although a dollop of lemon curd goes well if you have a really sweet tooth. If you don’t have violets, use lavender, rosemary or rose petals.

Makes 12 scones

50g butter, plus extra for greasing
225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
25g sugar
150ml milk, plus extra for glazing 1 tsp vanilla extract
3 violet flowers, chopped, plus extra for serving
100g clotted cream
2 tbsp runny honey

1 Preheat the oven to 225C/Fan 205/435F and grease and line a large baking tray. In a food processor, mix together flour, butter and sugar until it resembles breadcrumbs. Pour in the milk and vanilla extract and beat to a stiff dough. Add the violets and give a final few pulses of the processor to combine them into the mixture.

2 Lightly dust your worktop with flour, and place the dough in the middle, sprinkling a little flour over the top. Roll out the dough to about 2cm thick. Take a 5cm round cutter and cut out discs, placing them on the baking tray. Roll the leftover dough out again and cut out more rounds, repeating until the dough is used. Try not to roll the dough too many times as this will lead to tough scones. Brush the top of each with a dab of milk and place the tray in the oven for 12-15 mins until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

3 Just before serving, put the cream in a bowl and fold in the honey – you want a ripple effect – and top with a few violet petals. Cut the scones and spread a bit of cream on top.

Recipes from The Herb & Flower Cookbook: Plant, Grow and Eat by Pip McCormac (Quadrille). Photography by Yuki Sugiura 

And if you're inspired to eat more flowers, head to our Petal Power Pinterest board for a sweet and beautiful selection of ideas:

Follow The Simple Things's board Edible flowers | Petal power on Pinterest.

Read more:

Afternoon tea posts

More from the August 2015 issue

Three more edible flower recipes

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August's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download, subscribe or look inside now!

Recipe: Pink lemonade

No August afternoon is complete without lemonade, and the pink variety is pretty as a picture.

Makes about 1.2 litres

grated zest and juice of six large unwaxed lemons
1 small punnet raspberries, crushed through a sieve 
150g caster sugar
1l boiling water
extra slices of lemon to serve

1 Place the lemon zest and juice in a large bowl, add the crushed raspberries and caster sugar and stir in the boiling water until the sugar has dissolved.

2 Leave the mixture to cool, then cover and place in the fridge overnight.

3 Sieve to remove the grated zest, pour into bottles and chill in the fridge. Serve over ice with extra slices of lemon.

4 To keep it cool for a picnic, pour over a handful of ice cubes in a thermos flask. Or you can freeze the lemonade in plastic bottles (filled three-quarters full). The frozen lemonade will gradually defrost, keeping everything else cool.

Recipe from Beside the Seaside by Carolyn Caldicott, photography by Chris Caldicott (Pimpernel Press) 

Read more:

• More from the August issue
• Drinks recipes
• Picnic ideas

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The Stuff of Life: The Linen Works

It’s been a few short months since we first opened the doors of our online shop, The Stuff of Life. Although the paint is barely dry we are fast filling our shelves with some great products. I’m going to be regularly popping over here to the blog to bring you some of my shop picks for the season.

For me, this is the season for eating alfresco whenever the opportunity arises. Doesn’t even the most modest of meals always taste better when eaten outdoors? Picnics and lingering garden dinners are what the warmer longer days call for. When eating outside I still like to 'set the table' and make the simplest of meals an occasion: a simple cloth and napkins is all it takes. Our shop features a generous choice of table linen, including a beautiful range of Italian washed-linen in soft muted colours by The Linen Works. From the pretty Dot Linen and the fresh Arles Stripe to the timeless Linen Hemstitch, the quality of all the designs are second to none. To be quite honest, once you’ve owned a real linen table cloth, you’re never cover your table with anything else.

Click here see the full collection, which also includes bedding and clothing.

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Credits: Top image | Parisian Blue Dot Linen Tablecloth, Piped Linen Cushion, Piped Parisian Blue Dot Linen Cushion | Arles Striped Placemat, Arles Striped Napkin | Arles Striped Hand Towel |Linen Hemstitch Napkin | Linen Artisan Pinny

Find many more beautiful and useful things at The Stuff of Life shop - shop.thesimplethings.com

August's The Simple Things is on sale - buy, download or subscribe now.

Recipe: Guacamole

As well as being the king of dips, guacamole is delicious in pitta pockets, burritos and wraps. Don’t even consider picnicking without it.

Serves 2

1 large ripe avocado (150g)
1 large tomato, deseeded and finely chopped (80g)
1 small red onion, finely chopped (80g)
1 red or green chilli (optional)
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1tsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lime, or to taste

1 Mash the avocado with a fork and mix in the tomato, red onion and chilli, if using.

2 Mix in the coriander and parsley (if using) and season with extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and plenty of lime juice.

One to try: Place a flour tortilla in a dry frying pan, spread over the guacamole with a sprinkling of grated cheese and fold over to form a semi-circle. Fry on both sides for a couple of minutes until golden brown and the cheese has melted. 

Recipe from Thrive On Five by Nina & Jo Littler and Randi Glenn (Quadrille, £16.99)
Photography by Dan Jones

Read more:

Pack the perfect picnic

Recipe for fruity slaw plus picnic picks from The Simple Things shop

Try a Picnic Loaf

Recipe: Jostaberry Ripple Ice-cream

Ever wondered exactly what a jostaberry is? It is, in fact, a cross between a gooseberry and a blackcurrant – and the best of both. Jostaberries grow on a large bush with leaves and flowers similar to those of blackcurrant bushes, without the sharp needles of a gooseberry bush. The size of small marbles, with bright-green flesh and reddish-black skins, they have a flavour that swings more towards the blackcurrant. Their star attribute is not only their taste but their outstanding performance in the kitchen. When they are cooked for pies, fools and suchlike, their strong, concentrated flavour really shines. You could, of course, substitute blackcurrants in this recipe.

SERVES 6

For the vanilla ice cream

400ml milk
200ml double cream
1 vanilla pod
6 egg yolks, beaten
100g granulated sugar

For the ripple

400g jostaberries
200g granulated sugar

1 Put the milk and cream in a saucepan. Slit the vanilla pod open lengthwise, scrape out the seeds and put the seeds and pod in the pan. Heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until it is just too hot to put your finger in; do not allow it to boil.

2 Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl. When the milk mixture is hot enough, pour it on to the eggs and sugar, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the pan and heat gently, stirring, until it is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon. This can take up to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool, then chill for at least 2 hours.

3 For the ripple, put the berries and sugar in a pan, cover and cook gently, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar (there’s no need to top and tail the fruit, as the sauce will be strained once cooked). Once the fruit has split its skins and the juices are flowing, remove from the heat. Allow it to cool a little, then blitz in a food processor.

4 Strain through a sieve to remove the skin and pips, leaving the syrup to drip through until you are left with a dry pulp in the sieve. Cover the syrup and chill for a few hours.

5 Give the custard a good whisk to ensure it hasn’t separated, then churn it in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When it is thick and almost frozen, pour the syrup into the machine and allow it to streak the ice cream as much or as little as you wish.

7 Transfer to a plastic container and freeze. Soften slightly before serving.

Recipe from Fern Verrow by Jane Scotter and Harry Astley. Photography by Tessa Traeger (Quadrille).

This recipe features in August's issue of The Simple Things - out 29 July 2015. 

More ice cream recipes

Blackcurrant leaf ice lollies

Peppermint chocolate chip ice cream

Easiest strawberry ice cream ever

Roasted strawberry and coconut milk lollies 

Berry coconut ice lollies