Grower's Guide - October - written by Chef Consultant, Celia Brooks
Summer’s Last Gasp - Blackberries
While The Great British Summer of ’25 shattered records as the hottest ever recorded, with multiple heatwaves, farmers and foragers had to get to work harvesting earlier than usual. The hedgerows exploded with ripe wild blackberries as early as July in places and it was a fabulous bumper crop. However, most of the wild bushes ran out of steam in August, and the season finished early.
But summer lives on in the form of cultivated blackberries, which are still being picked right through October in the UK. Snap them up wherever you can and try this easy preserving trick to make summer last throughout the year: process them into a strained puree for freezing. Rinse the blackberries and chuck them in a saucepan. Cook them down to a slurry with a wee bit of water - a few spoonfuls of sugar or maple syrup is optional. Strain through a fine sieve, cool and freeze in small quantities. Voila - you have a dazzling, nutritious purple puree that you can use to brighten up a multitude of treats.
For an instant dessert, thaw some blackberry puree and fold it through whipped cream sweetened with elderflower cordial for a fool - finish with a few lavender blossoms to make it a totally floral sensation. Swirl it into or on top of a cheesecake. Dribble it over vanilla ice cream. Whole blackberries - fresh or frozen - can be paired with pears or apples in crumbles, galettes and tarts. Add the berries to cake batter for purple-flecked teatime joy - then stir some puree into the icing mixture for a flamboyant frosting.
Blackberries are rammed with immune-boosting antioxidants that protect you from toxins as you conquer the world, so they’re ideal for a healthy breakfast. Add fresh or frozen berries or a few frozen or thawed spoonfuls of vitamin-packed puree (above) to your daily smoothie, or stir through yoghurt with honey.
On the savoury side, fresh blackberries pair well with pork, game, fluffy cream cheeses such as goat’s curd, and leafy salads with walnuts and a tangy-sweet vinaigrette. Try the sharp Georgian blackberry sauce, shown below, with chicken or roast vegetables - it’s a revelation!
Georgian blackberry sauce: In a blender, combine a couple of large handfuls of blackberries with a small clove of garlic, sea salt, a squeeze of lemon, hot chilli flakes, and a handful each of dill and mint. Blend until smooth, then taste for seasoning. Press through a fine sieve.
Blackberry Cocktail / Mocktail: Muddle a few blackberries with mint and lime, then mix with agave syrup and top up with sparkling water, plus gin or vodka for a cocktail. Add ice and enjoy.
Blackberry smoothie: In a blender, combine blackberries (fresh or frozen), Greek yoghurt, honey, milk and cloudy apple juice. Blend until smooth, then press though a fine sieve.
Hot Berry Gratin
From “Low-Carb & Gluten-Free Vegetarian” by Celia Brooks, published by Pavilion Books
To enjoy this at its absolute best, a powerful grill / broiler is the key, so that the berries are quickly heated to the point of nearly bursting – then they collapse on the tongue.
Serves 6
Ingredients
400g mixed berries, especially blackberries, raspberries, blueberries
1 tbsp icing sugar or sweetener of choice
150g cream cheese
75ml whipping cream
3 tbsp icing sugar or sweetener of choice
coarsely grated zest of 1 lemon
juice of half a lemon (2 Tbsp approx)
Method
1) Heat the grill / broiler to its highest setting. Place the berries in a gratin dish and toss 1 Tbsp icing sugar through them.
2) Beat together the cream cheese, cream, 3 tbsp icing sugar, and lemon juice. Spoon over the berries in an even layer covering most of the surface, leaving a border of berries around the edge. Sprinkle the lemon zest over the top.
3) Place under a hot grill for about 5 minutes, or until the topping is patched with gold and the berries are swollen. Serve immediately.
