Summer Cooking

We have more delicious local produce in our baskets in the kitchen.

Firstly Isabel, another neighbour, has just brought us some delicious aubergines and courgettes from their campo plot, and Luz`s shop in the village has just started selling delicious peaches and apricots. ( She is also selling rather glam beach bags with flamingos on , lilos and bags of ice now -a sure sign that summer has arrived, even for the Spanish, who shiver and say its ` un poco frio` when the temperature plummets to a mere 25 degrees!).

So I am going to cook a (new for me) one pot recipe, from Diana Henry`s book, ` Bird in the Hand`. It is roast chicken with peaches, honey and lavender, but I am going to substitute the lavender  (this is Spain not France ha ha), with rosemary.

 Firstly because I think the flavour will work well; its astringent taste will marry with the sweetness of the peaches,  and secondly, because just a few metres down the road is the most glorious rosemary ,prolifically trailing down over a wall. It is in constant bloom here due to the climate. I have never seen it planted like this, and it grows there like mad, so if I pinch a few stalks it will go unnoticed!

I thought that I would slice the aubergines and courgettes very finely with potatoes and saute them in olive oil to go with the chicken. So that will be Monday`s supper , and I will report back with the results and the recipe.

As for the velvety skinned apricots, ( we will be making the most of their short season),I think I will make a simple, sweet apricot and almond tart, as I have found the best ready-made puff pastry, (the only pastry that I don’t make myself I might add!),in the cool cabinet of Mercadona supermarket. It`s in a sheet, and comes packaged with parchment paper, and its been a great success so far.