Charlotte's Basket - July

What I'm cooking with this month, and five recipes to try this weekend

The very first runner beans this summer

Hello, July. It’s been a busy start to the month so far. Last week, I had an interesting time at Groundswell, learning more about regenerative farming and food production, and this week, I have been working on an additional strand to my work I will be announcing shortly.

Free subscribers will notice I have been writing a little less frequently. This is because I’ve had quite a lot on, and I’ve given priority to my paid subscriber newsletter. If you’ve not subscribed to that, I’d love you to consider doing so. The link is below.

There will be fewer free newsletters over the summer. I’m expecting to be out for a couple of weeks on jury service, and I shall be heading to Scotland again for work (and hopefully a trip for a holiday, too).

The plentiful rain has helped our garden produce enormously, and we have quite a lot of vegetables and salad ready to pick now. The runner beans were ready first, and we’ve had rainbow chard, a variety of kales, lettuce and loganberries available this week.

The beetroot is a little small, but very delicious, and I’ll be sure to try and pick it before the slugs get to it this year. We have a few very tiny courgettes, and tomatoes and borlotti beans still to come.

In the shops, we’ve found some amazing apricots, which I made into a wonderful frangipane tart. It was so good, I made it twice. And I found some very good cherries from Natoora, which were a real treat.

And, in time for the weekend, here are five recipes I really hope you might like to try making this weekend.

• Here is my toasted fig leaf ice cream recipe. It’s amazing.

• This slow-cooked runner bean recipe is lovely and so easy. Cooking beans (and indeed courgettes) slowly can be really delicious, even if it may seem counter-intuitive. Always make sure you season beans really well to bring out the flavour.

• I love this rainbow chard recipe with tomatoes and olives from Yotam Ottolenghi.

• This simple, easy recipe for a fresh cherry cake from Diana Henry is lovely and so achievable, even for non-bakers.

• If you are able to get your hands on some perfectly ripe apricots, I recommend the below idea from Sally Clarke (credit: here):

  One of my most favourite dishes is also the most simple;

  perfectly ripe, they may be sliced into wedges and placed in 

  and amongst salad leaves, with a simple dressing of fabulous olive oil, 

  sea salt and pepper and a splash of citrus juice or vinegar.  

  Served alongside a soft goat cheese or  some ricotta perhaps,

  with toasted ciabatta, or a selection of cold meats,

  this can make the most pleasing lunch or supper dish. 

  Simply finished with a few toasted pinenuts and snipped chive blossoms.

  this dish becomes the prettiest plate of all.