Pimm’s No 1 and lemonade is the perfect summer drink, enjoyed at weddings, parties or just on the terrace watching clouds of dancing midges as the sun sets. This is a refreshing dessert, the spearmint from our own herb garden giving it a great taste.
Serves 4
■ 2 sheets gelatine
■ 350ml (10fl oz) lemonade
■ 150ml (5fl oz) Pimm’s
■ 1 lemon
■ 70g (2 3⁄4oz) strawberries
■ 10g (1⁄2oz) spearmint
■ 70g (2 3⁄4oz) raspberries
■ 70g (2 3⁄4oz) cucumber, deseeded and cut into 1cm (1⁄2in) dice
■ 40g (1 1⁄2oz) blueberries
■ 1 small apple, peeled and cut into 1cm (1⁄2in) dice
Soften the gelatine in enough cold water to cover. In a pan, heat the lemonade and Pimm’s with the juice and zest of the lemon.
In the meantime, quarter the strawberries and shred the mint.
Remove the liquid from the heat when hot and add the gelatine; stir until it has all melted.
Allow the liquid to cool a little.
Place some fruit, cucumber and mint in the bottom of a glass and pour the liquid in until a quarter full and allow to set in the fridge before doing the next layer of fruit and liquid.
Leave in the fridge overnight for best results.
For the spearmint water ice
■ 2 lemons
■ 150g (5oz) sugar
■ 420ml (15fl oz) water
■ 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
■ 100g (31⁄2oz) spearmint, shredded
Zest and juice the lemons. Heat the sugar, water, juice and zest until the sugar has melted. Cool before adding the egg whites and spearmint. Churn in a sorbet machine for 40 minutes.
More food in The Field
Salad of heritage tomatoes with mozarella and gazpacho of vegetables
Ballotine of sea trout with caper and cucumber ketchup, herb and potato salad and brown shrimp fritters