BRAMBLES (or blackberries, as they are better known down south) are the largest of our wild hedgerow fruits. They have been part of our diet for thousands of years and are an excellent source of iron and vitamin C.
Brambles should be eaten straight after picking, as they don't keep long (you can store them in the fridge, in a single layer and lightly covered, for a couple of days).
They are traditionally used in jams, preserves, pies and crumbles, but also g
o well with game and fatty meats.
The following recipes have a strong American influence, as the fruit is widely cultivated in the USA.
1 BRAMBLES WITH MINT AND LEMON TEA SYRUP 1 mint tea bag; 25g fresh mint; 1 thick slice of lemon; 2 tbsp sugar; 400g brambles; plain Greek yoghurt
Pour 75ml of boiling water over the tea bag, mint leaves and lemon. Steep until tepid. Strain this tea and stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Cool.
Pour the tea over the brambles and gently stir to coat. Serve with yoghurt spooned on top. A little chopped fresh mint stirred through the yoghurt is very good.
2 BRAMBLE COBBLER 100g butter; 200g self-raising flour; 225g caster sugar; 500ml milk; grated zest of 1 lemon; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 300g brambles
Preheat the oven to 175ûC/gas 3 and melt the butter in a 30cm x 23cm baking tin. In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, milk, zest and vanilla to make a slightly lumpy batter. Pour into the pan containing the melted butter. Do not mix together. Drop the brambles into the batter and bake until golden brown (about an hour).
3 SPICY BRAMBLE RIBS 1 tbsp chilli powder; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tsp salt; 1kg pork ribs; 250g brambles; 125ml ketchup; 125ml honey; 25mm peeled fresh ginger, minced; 1 tbsp light soy sauce; 2 tsp Tabasco
Preheat the oven to 200ûC/gas 6. Mix the chilli powder, garlic and salt in a bowl, then rub this mixture into the ribs. Place on a large baking sheet, meaty-side up, and bake for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, purée the remaining ingredients in a blender until almost smooth. Strain this into a heavy saucepan, discarding any solids. Stirring frequently, cook over a medium-high heat until reduced by half (about five minutes). Season to taste.
Brush the cooked ribs with enough sauce to coat, then return to the oven until the sauce browns and forms a thick glaze (about ten minutes longer). Cut into individual ribs and serve with the remaining bramble sauce.
4 BRAMBLE CHEESE SQUARES 180g plain flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 100g butter; 100g cheddar cheese, grated; 250g sugar-free blackberry jam
Preheat the oven to 175ûC/gas 3. Sift the flour with the baking powder, salt and sugar. Cut the butter and cheese into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside half of these cheese crumbs and pat the remaining mixture into a 20cm square baking tin. Spread the jam evenly over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese crumbs. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Once cool, cut into squares.
5 SOUTHERN BRAMBLE SHRUB 450g brambles; 500ml red-wine vinegar; 450g caster sugar
Place the brambles in a non-metallic bowl and add the vinegar. Cover and refrigerate for three to four days. Strain the mixture into a saucepan, pressing the fruit to extract all the liquid. Discard any solids. Stir in the sugar. Boil for two to three minutes, then remove from the heat and allow to cool. Store in a tightly covered jar.
Mix one part bramble concentrate with four parts cold water, then serve over ice.
The full article contains 631 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
