‘Pickled Cherry Bruschetta’ - an Italian twist packed with healthy vitamins and bursting with flavour!
‘Cherry French Toast Sandwich’ - a quick and easy take on the more traditional French toast.
‘Cherry and Cacao Fro-yo’ - a super refreshing, healthier alternative to ice cream
Please find a link to hi-res imagery here/full recipes below..
Recipe 1: Pickled Cherry Bruschetta
A jar of jam and food on a white surface
This Pickled Cherry Bruschetta is packed full with healthy vitamins and uses ricotta, walnuts and olive oil to provide a source of protein, calcium, fibre and healthy fats.
This year’s British cherry harvest is extra sweet, making for a delicious contrast with the tart pickling and creamy ricotta.
The dish contains 250g of fresh cherries, full of nutrients, with 3% of your daily requirement of iron, 7% of your daily requirement of copper, and 8% of your daily requirement of vitamin C.
Serves: 8-10.
Makes 2 x 250g jars of 1 x 500g jar of pickled cherries
Time: 30 minutes prep plus pickling time.
Ingredients for the pickled cherries:
100ml white wine vinegar
85ml water
50g caster sugar
2 bay leaves
250g fresh British cherries, de-stalked and pitted
2 crushed juniper berries
5 peppercorns
Ingredients for the bruschetta:
1 ciabatta loaf, sliced
200g ricotta or a plant based alternative
50g walnuts
Fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil for brushing and 1 tsp for the walnuts
Method for pickling:
Firstly, start with pickling your cherries. It is best to do this around a week in advance at least, and once made they will keep in sterilised sealed jars for months – meaning you can hang on to cherry season for even longer! (Once opened, store in your fridge).
To sterilise your jars, wash with hot soapy water then put in a low oven for around 10-15 minutes.
Pour the white wine vinegar, bay leaves, peppercorns, juniper berries, caster sugar and water into a pan and simmer for around 10 minutes.
Whilst this is cooking, de stalk and pit your cherries. Pack the cherries into the sterilised jar/s and pour over the vinegar mix, ensuring all cherries are covered. Tightly seal and leave in a cool dark place for at least a week.
Method for making the bruschetta:
First, preheat the oven to around 180c.
Spread the walnuts out on a tray lined with baking paper.
Toss in a tsp of olive oil and toast for around 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Next, slice your ciabatta at a slight angle, into 1cm slices. Lightly brush with olive oil on each side and place under a hot grill until evenly golden.
Put the ricotta in a bowl with a pinch of salt and whisk until light and fluffy.
Spread a teaspoon over each of the ciabatta toasts and top with the pickled cherries, crumbled walnuts, fresh thyme and black pepper.
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Recipe 2: Cherry French Toast Sandwich
This Cherry French Toast is a quick and easy brunch recipe that makes the most out of fresh juicy British cherries and is a healthier take on the breakfast classic.
With lots of extra sweet cherries available this season, there is no better time to add an extra flavourful punch to your french toast this summer.
This recipe can be also made with any bread or milk you choose, so you can give it your own individual twist.
Serves: 1.
Time: 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 slices of bread (stale bread works especially well)
1 egg or a vegan egg alternative
50ml milk or plant based milk
5-6 British cherries, de stalked and stoned
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp lighter Crème Fraîche or a plant based alternative
1 tbsp agave
Spray of oil for cooking
Method:
Roughly chop your cherries and add to a pan with a teaspoon of brown sugar.
Briefly stir and heat on a medium heat for around ten minutes until they are broken down and syrupy.
Allow to cool slightly.
In a shallow bowl, crack in your egg and pour in the milk.
Whisk well and dip each side of your bread in the egg mix.
In a separate small bowl add your Crème Fraîche and agave syrup and stir in the cherries.
Heat a pan over a medium heat and cover with a little spray oil
In the heated pan, lay down one slice of the bread before topping evenly with the cherry mix and placing the second slice on top, and pressing down gently.
Cook for 3-4 minutes, then flip the bread over and repeat.
Remove from the heat and enjoy!
***
Recipe 3: Cherry Cacao Fro-Yo
Our Cherry and Cacao Fro-yo is a delicious, yet healthier summer treat that you don’t need an ice cream maker to produce!
The sweetness of the cherries with the smooth acidity of the yoghurt creates a perfectly balanced alternative to ice-cream.
You can even improvise with a cake or la oaf tin to freeze in, so there’s no fancy equipment necessary and minimal prep time, too!
All you need is freeze time!
Serves: 10.
Time: 50 mins - 1 hour prep time, 3-4 hours freezing time.
Ingredients:
175g British cherries, de-stalked, pitted and roughly chopped
1 tsp brown sugar
Juice of half a lemon
750g natural or Greek yoghurt, or a plant based yoghurt
125ml milk or plant based milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
30g sugar (this can also be substituted for the equivalent in stevia for an even healthier treat)
1-2 tbsp cacao nibs for sprinkling
You will also need a small loaf tin or 7-8 inch cake tin
Method:
Put your loaf tin or cake tin into the freezer.
In a medium bowl add your yoghurt, milk, sugar or stevia, vanilla and stir well.
Chill in the freezer whilst you complete the next steps.
Empty your cherries and brown sugar into a pan and simmer on a medium heat for 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the juice of half a lemon and leave to cool.
Remove the tin and yoghurt mix from the freezer and pour the yoghurt into the tin.
Stir every 20-30 minutes and when it’s starting to thicken considerably, swirl through your cherry mix.
Leave to freeze for at least 3-4 hours before serving
Sprinkle your fro-yo with cacao nibs for a crunchy topping!
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