SUMMER DESSERT.

No Bake Berry Pie

Have made this several times and enjoy it each time!  Usually wait til later in the summer for the best berries, but this year could not wait.  It is a Cooks Illustrated recipe, so I cannot post the link but it is pretty simple, here it is briefly:

• Make crumb crust with 9 Graham crackers and 2T butter, bake at 350 for 15 mins, cool.
• Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 3T cornstarch, pinch salt in medium saucepan.
• Puree 2.5 cups mixed berries in food processor (then strain if you like, I don't)
• Add puree to saucepan, mix, bring to boil over medium heat, stirring, til thick.
• Remove from heat add juice from one lemon, set aside to cool slightly.
• Melt 2T redcurrant jelly. Mix with 3.5 cups mixed berries.
• Pour puree onto base, top with berries and put in fridge for at least 2 hours.
• Serve with whipped cream, I add 1T sugar to 1cup cream and 1t vanilla.

Difficult to cut small slices with this pie, so really only serves 8.  Can easily make 'fuller', more graham crackers, more fruit and glaze, you should get 10 slices at least that way.


There were going to be a bunch of kids at this event, my son requested chocolate covered strawberries. Seemed like a good idea to continue the berry theme and always practical to have something the teenagers can grab as they fancy.  Had not made them before so did a bit of research.  First recipe I came across added butter or shortening to the chocolate.  Did not like the idea of that at all so continued digging.  Soon found this recipe and it worked treat.  I read some of the comments added and used the directions for tempering the chocolate which someone had added, it was fun and a first for me.  I did not bother with the whole toothpick part. Recipe rather casually said to put them onto wax paper to cool.  I was a little concerned about this, having heard this is the tricky part of making these.  It worked a charm, they came off very easily and looked and tasted wonderful, well as wonderful as forced strawberries can be, which sadly we have all got used to! I did some of each milk and dark chocolate, hopefully pleasing all.
Took this to a Memorial Day dinner party at the Tavernas and had one of the beast meals I have had in a while!  We had a Mediterranean style meal, steak kebabs with a Tzatziki style sauce, orzo salad (courtesy of the Muirheads) and a green salad with peaches and Parma ham, thanks to Jules.  All brilliant, but the star of the evening was definitely the Grilled Chickpea Flatbread.  I'm not sure I would have been brave enough to plan to grill these in a dinner party situation, but that's the Tavernas for you!  It helps that both of them cook and so does their 15 year old son.  Another memorable day with friends.
If I find the recipe for the steak marinade I will post it as it was really excellent.  I have now added the Fine Cooking website and All Recipes to the webistes I use.  You have to create an account for the Fine cooking one, takes 2 minutes and is worth it.

WELCOME HOME CHELSEY DINNER!

Always pressure when cooking for the chef, Dave. Self imposed, of course, he is always very complimentary and appreciative. So, time to reach for the tried and tested, a few simple ingredients found in Ligurian Braised Chicken. Cut this out of NY Times Dining In/Out a few years ago and have enjoyed it often. Another advantage was I could pre-cook on Sunday as I was working on Tuesday the day they arrived. It was good, served with SMASHED NEW POTATOES and roasted green and yelllow squash. Not bad, Dave had seconds and the left overs for lunch the next day - clearly it was edible! Dessert was a Pavlova variation that I found in this month's Gourmet, Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Berries. Again, made the meringue and lemon curd on Sunday and put it together very quickly after dinner. It was great, not sure I will do a regular pavlova ever again! Finished the evening with some epoisse, we introduced Dave to this cheese and he is as big a fan as us.