J’AIME MAY/JUNE 2023

JACK’S FAVOURITE ASPARAGUS DISH,
FEATURING AN AGED PARMESAN CUSTARD
AND YUZU GEL
“I vac-pac my strawberries in a nice vinegar for a
few hours and then just slice them to serve; pair
with a lemon curd, lemon verbena shoots and a nice
strawberry sorbet for a delicious dessert which shows
off the produce to its best.
“Locally, we’ve also got Manor Farm, which are well
known for their strawberries and other berries, and
there are plenty of pick-your-own places around here
so you can always get beautifully fresh produce.”
Gooseberries are another quintessentially British
berry which are ready to pick - but one which seems
to have fallen out of favour.
“A gooseberry fool is the classic thing to do with
them, but they really complement seafood and I
make a lovely langoustine dish which includes a rich
Mangalitza pork black pudding, gooseberry compote
and fresh sliced gooseberries.”
When it comes to foraging, you’ve just got time to
find the last of the wild garlic before moving onto the
next big find - elderflower.
“Garlic is fully out now,” says Jack. “It’s been very
early this year which means it might be finished by
late May, so it’s all about preserving what’s left now
so you’re prepared for the hunger gap.
“When it comes to elderflower, it’s great for cordials
and vinegars, and you could also make elderflower
gin. I’d pair it with either rice vinegar or white
wine vinegar, something which won’t overpower
the elderflower flavour. It’s great to use in salad
dressings, and it goes really nicely with fish dishes
too. You could use it elderflower vinegar to slightly
cure scallops, and then add some fresh or pickled
elderflower to just cut through the richness.
“A word of warning though; if you suffer from
hayfever stay away from elderflower because it will
set you off terribly!”
A slightly more unusual ingredient to add even more
colour to summer dishes are edible wildflowers,
which can be used like herbs and for garnishes.
“It’s like an extension of using herbs,” says Jack.
“Nasturtiums are great because they’re completely
edible; you can use the leaves like a herb, and the
flowers to add colour.”
When it comes to meat and fish, British crab is
coming into its own now.
“It’s all about those lighter dishes, and crab is perfect
at this time of year - we get ours from the south
coast, and they’re a great size now. Crab is lovely
paired with fresh citrus such as yuzu, which really
brings out the sweetness. Black garlic is lovely too,
rather than wild garlic, or even a bit of beetroot
which keeps it nice and fresh.
“Summer really is a chef ’s favourite time of year,”
adds Jack. “There’s so much amazing British
produce available.”
Jack’s top
seasonal tips:
Forage for: Elderflower - it’s perfect for
cordials, vinegars and just for garnish
Cook it now: You just can’t beat fresh,
local asparagus, while British berries
are at their best as we head into the
warmer months - Wimbledon favourite
strawberries and cream are the epitome
of a British summer
FORAGED ELDERFLOWER CAN BE USED TO
MAKE DELICIOUS VINEGARS AND CORDIALS
28 www.jaimemagazine.com