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Traditionally, ducks in Britain were bred in Aylesbury, but now most duck production takes place in Lincolnshire. Even though duck is farmed and available all year round, it's at Easter and Christmas that larger, fresh birds are available. It's true that duck has a hefty layer of fat but don't let that put you off. The fat ensures that the meat underneath is tender and flavoursome and most of it melts away during cooking, leaving a crisp brown skin. Whole roast duck is delicious served with a fruity sauce; traditionally these are based on orange or plum, but try a sauce made with blueberries or cherries instead. Duck breast portions make an elegant dinner party main course, seared skin-side down and served with seasonal stir-fried vegetables. Try duck confit made with the leg portions, where the fat melts away leaving succulent flesh that falls off the bone. If the calories don't worry you, then don't discard the melted fat. Store it in a jar in the fridge and use it fto make the most delicious roast or sauté potatoes.
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Roast Duck
Duck in Grappa Sauce Served with Sweet Mash Potato
Duck with Red Wine Sauce and Blue Cheese Gnocchi
Sea trout, or salmon trout, is a fish that combines the best features of the trout's delicate and tender texture and the salmon's fine flavour and pink flesh. Sea trout are so called because they swim to the sea to feed and fatten up before returning to the fresh water of the river to spawn. The result is a delicious fish that can be poached in wine with herbs, baked in foil, baked covered in yogurt and cream, or pan-fried in butter with capers and served with new potatoes.
The true British asparagus season is very short, lasting for about six weeks from mid-April to mid-June. Asparagus is available from different parts of the world all year round but British asparagus is well worth waiting for. In fact, a small area in the Cotswolds is renowned for the quality of its asparagus and each year the season is celebrated with a festival. The week of festivities includes special asparagus menus at local pubs and hotels, competitions to cut and tie the fastest bundle and a parade and auction. All the best asparagus is cut for this auction and chefs, restaurateurs and those in the know travel from miles around to bid for this luxurious vegetable. Luckily, you can enjoy British asparagus for about £1 per bundle at the height of the season.
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Asparagus Rissotto
May sees the first cherries appearing from different parts of the world but unfortunately they are at their most expensive at this time. It's worth buying a few just to whet the appetite until we get into June and July, when domestic cherries become available and the price comes down. Nothing could be better than a bowl of sweet cherries, but sweet and sour varieties are excellent in pies, preserves, compotes or sauces to accompany duckling. There are traditional cherry recipes all over the world; sour cherries are made into a hot or cold soup in parts of Eastern Europe, Germany is famous for kirsch (a distilled cherry spirit) and, of course, Black Forest gateau, while the French make clafoutis, a hearty and delicious batter pudding made with sweet cherries.
Whats in season information taken from the BBC food website.
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