Food & Drink

Damson Cobbler

Recipes from Suzanne James | www.suzannejames.co.uk

This is a classic English version of a fruit cobbler, a little time consuming (as you need to stew the damsons and remove the stones), but the end result makes it more than worthwhile.

Ingredients

• 2lb (900g) damsons • 4oz (100g) caster sugar • 2 tablespoons elderflower cordial • 6 demerara sugar cubes, crushed coarsely, or • 1 heaped teaspoon loose sugar For the topping • 8oz (225) plain flour, sifted • ½ teaspoon salt • 3 level teaspoons baking powder • 4oz (110g) ice-cold butter or margarine, cut into chunks • 6fl oz (170ml) buttermilk or fresh milk You will also need a baking dish approximately 9” in diameter and 2½” deep (23cm and 6cm deep).

Method

1) Stew the fruit in a pan with a little water and sugar until soft, leave to cool and remove the stones – you may want to wear gloves to avoid staining your fingers! 2) Arrange the damsons, sugar and elderflower cordial in the baking dish. 3) Place the sifted flour, salt, baking power and butter into a food processor. 4) Pulse the processor (i.e. turn it on and off quickly) several times until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. 5) Pour in the buttermilk (or milk) and switch on again briefly until you have a thick, very sticky dough. 6) Spoon tablespoons of the mixture over the fruit – you can do this as haphazardly as you like. 7) Finally sprinkle the crushed sugar over the top of the dough, and put the dish on a high self in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until it is a crusty golden brown. 8) Serve it warm from the oven with Ice Cream.

In Season This Month

Fruit, Nuts & Fungi - Apples, Apricot, Aubergine, Blackberries, Blackcurrants, Blueberries, Loganberries, Peaches, Plums, Raspberries, Redcurrants, Strawberries, White currants, Cobnuts, Hazelnuts, Quince Vegetables & Herbs - Artichokes, Aubergines, Beetroot, Broccoli, Cabbages, Carrots, Cauliflower, Chard, Courgettes, Cucumber, Fennel, French Beans, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Lamb’s Lettuce, Onions, Pak Choi, Peas (inc. Sugar Snaps) Potatoes, Radishes, Rocket, Runner Beans, Salsify, Scorzonera, Samphire, Sorrel, Spinach, Sweetcorn, Tomatoes, Watercress Meat & Game - Lamb, Rabbit, Venison, Wood Pigeon Fish & Shellfish - Black Bream, Crab (brown, hen & Spider), Signal Crayfish, Grey Mullet, Lobster, Mackerel, Pollack, Prawns, Scallops, Sea Bass, Squid, Trout (river – brown and rainbow) Going Out Of Season - Blackberries, Blueberries, Cherry, Mange tout, Peach, Redcurrant, Strawberries (many of these towards the month)

Open Events for Years 3, 4 and 5 (ages 7 - 9) entry

Please visit the Admissions section of our website to book a place for one of our Autumn Open Events. Find out more about our holistic approach to education from the Master, Head of the Junior School and members of staff, including the many opportunities in Sport, Drama, Music and Art. All applications to Year 3 are automatically considered for Academic Scholarships. The offer of a place in the Junior School is the offer of a place at Dulwich College to age 18.

Visit www.dulwich.org.uk/admissions or please call the Junior School Registrar on 020 8299 8432. We look forward to hearing from you.

Open Events for Year 7 and Year 9 entry

Please visit the Admissions section of our website to book a place for one of our Autumn Open Events. Find out more about our holistic approach to education from the Master and members of staff, including the many opportunities in Sport, Drama, Music and Art, and details about how to apply for a Bursary. All applications are automatically considered for Academic Scholarships. Visit www.dulwich.org.uk/admissions or please call the Registrar on 020 8299 9263. We look forward to hearing from you.