LOVE LOCAL
SWEET SAVOURY…
The wonders of fabulous fruit in savoury cooking
Words by Katy Hofstede-Smith F
ruit in savoury dishes is nothing new; some of the all-time classics perfectly marry meat and fruit, such as duck with cherries, pork
with apple and the 1970s classic of chicken and apricots. While these are fantastic combinations, there are other, more modern alternatives that are defi nitely worth trying. Stone fruits, pineapple, melons and
mangoes hold up well with strong, salty fl avours or spiced dishes, while more delicately fl avoured fruits, such as pears, apples and cherries work well with more subtle dishes, adding another fl avour profi le. In some cultures, it is a given that fruit is
included in savoury dishes. Middle Eastern cooking, such as Moroccan tagines with prunes, preserved lemons, dried apricots or couscous fl avoured with orange and raisins, or Iranian dishes with pomegranates scattered everywhere, dried cherries and sweet grapes mixed through grain salads, fully embraces the concept of savoury fruit and is an ideal place to start for those unsure how to approach it. In contrast, the delicately balanced yet powerful sauce of the Chinese sweet and sour is dependent on its fruit and just wouldn’t work without it. Make it at home and it will sing with the fresh sweetness of the fruit against the tartness of the vinegar. Griddling stone fruit, such as peaches
or plums, brings out a lovely savoury note. Brush them with olive oil infused with basil, rosemary or mint to add extra fl avour and cook until clear char marks are visible. Serve
40 | THE WEST COUNTRY FOODLOVER “Melons, pineapples and
mangoes with their intense sweetness work well with salty or spicy dishes”
grilled peaches with prosciutto, blue cheese and walnuts in a salad with green beans and almonds, or as a side to a heavily spiced roast pork belly. Mix charred plums with tomatoes, tarragon and ricotta or feta together with a vinaigrette dressing or use to make a tangy sauce to accompany Middle Eastern-spiced roast duck. Melons, pineapples and mangoes with their
intense sweetness work well with salty or spicy dishes. Pineapple or mango salsas mixed with lots of herbs and spice work fantastically against strong fl avours, such as Mexican or Indian. Try pairing pulled pork tacos with a spicy pineapple salsa, grilled pineapple and BBQ marinated chicken skewers, T ai fried
rice with pineapple and prawns, caramelised mango with jerk chicken, spicy mango and coriander sauce with vegetarian rice paper rolls or served with cold meats and fi sh. Watermelon, feta and mint salad is a terrifi c
combination and great for hot days as is a watermelon gazpacho. Sweeter melons, such as cantaloupe and honeydew, work well with cured meats, crab, courgettes, cucumbers, olives and tangy vinaigrette. Pears and apples, being less sweet, take
on savoury fl avours particularly well. T inly sliced pears work well atop a crispy-based pizza with gorgonzola and rocket, lightly pickled as a side to a cheese board or in a typically Middle Eastern style paired with tomatoes in a simple sauce to serve alongside heavily spiced meat. Apples make an amazing soup teamed with another star, such as celeriac, butternut squash or curried parsnip, with their texture adding a rich smoothness to the dish. T ere are other ways to cook with apples, including curried apple salad with spiced chickpeas, pork and apple burgers, or apple and cheddar quiche. Sharper fruits, such as rhubarb and
gooseberry, work well with oily fi sh and pork dishes, blackberries alongside game is a delicious combination and blackcurrant is an amazing partner to salmon in a gravadlax or alongside fennel and dill in a salad. With so many diff erent ways to incorporate fruit into main dishes, maybe it’s time to experiment with a few new modern classics in the making.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
