Pucker up

These key sour elements can help you serve up lip-smacking dishes

Asqueeze of lemon elevates a dish from bland to beautiful. Whether it’s malt vinegar on a chip buttie or kimchi on a trendy burger, sour flavours create balance and interest. Lighter sours such as lemon, lime, or white wine vinegar are a perfect match with delicate fish, salads and chicken, whereas heartier vegetables and red meats can withstand punchy pickles, heavy sour cream or dark balsamic vinegar. Sourness naturally counteracts sweet or spicy foods but remember – a little goes a long way.

Yogurt

A tangy swirl of natural yogurt is an excellent dressing for spiced stews, curries or tagines. It’s a great overnight marinade too, as the active bacteria tenderises meat proteins and adds flavour. Try kefir or buttermilk as lighter alternatives, or sour cream for richness.

Citrus

Lemon, lime and orange are classic citrus sours; try blending them 50:50 for more nuanced dressings. Look out for grapefruit or blood oranges when they are in season and substitute them in your cooking. For example, make lemon meringue pie with different citrus curds.

Vinegar

Wine vinegars are good all-rounders; add a splash to pep up stews and soups. Apple cider and sherry vinegars have a delicate, fruity taste so are ideal for lighter meats, fish and salads. Balsamic is more robust so use it to deglaze a pan or in an Italian dressing.

Pickles

A side order of kimchi, sauerkraut or pickled vegetables adds premium value. Try ‘quickles’: bring equal parts of white wine vinegar and water to the boil then add sliced onion, fennel or carrots with cumin or coriander seeds. Leave off the heat for 30 mins, drain and serve.

Sour Cherry Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients

For the mousse

• 500ml semi skimmed milk

• 240g Carte D’Or® Chocolate Mousse

For the sour cherries

• 150g caster sugar

• 40ml white wine vinegar

• 1 star anise

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• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 tins whole cherries, drained

For the chantilly cream

• 300ml whipping cream

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 16g icing sugar

To assemble

• 500g chocolate brownies

Serves 10

Thai Hot and Sour Soup

Ingredients

• 70g banana shallots, halved lengthways

• 25g red chillies

• 45g fresh lemongrass, crushed

• 500ml Knorr® Professional Blue Dragon Pad Thai Sauce

• 4g lime leaves

Method

• 150g dried chestnut mushrooms

• 150g morning glory or Tenderstem broccoli, trimmed

• 100g baby corn, trimmed and halved lengthways

• 150g dried rice noodles

• 150g pak choi, thinly sliced

• 4 spring onions, sliced

1. Char the shallots, whole chillies and lemongrass in a hot cast iron pan for 5 mins. Add the pad Thai sauce, 1.5l water and the lime leaves, then bring to the boil. Simmer for 40 mins.

2. Rehydrate the mushrooms according to pack instructions. Blanch the morning glory or broccoli and baby corn in boiling water and refresh in ice cold water.

3. Cook the noodles according to instructions and drain.

4. Place a portion of noodles, sliced pak choi, spring onions, baby corn, mushrooms and morning glory/ broccoli into each bowl.

5. Top with the hot and sour soup and serve.

Jack Sour

Ingredients

• 50ml Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7®

• 25ml fresh lemon juice

• 15ml simple syrup

• 2 dashes Angostura® bitters

Serves 1

• 1 egg white

• Orange slice and cherry, to garnish

Method

1. Mousse: whisk the milk and mousse mix with an electric mixer for 2 mins on low, followed by 5 mins on high.

2. Cherries: heat the sugar and vinegar together until it turns a light caramel colour. Reduce the heat and add the star anise, cinnamon and cherries. Cover and warm through on low for 5 mins. Cool and keep chilled.

3. Cream: whisk the cream and vanilla to soft peaks. Sift in the icing sugar and fold through.

4. To assemble: cut the brownies into small cubes and place at the base of each dessert glass. Top with a few cherries and juice. Pipe or spoon the chocolate mousse on top and follow with a quenelle or piped chantilly cream. Garnish with a couple of sour cherries.

Serves 10

Orange Spritz

Method

Half fill a cocktail shaker with cubed ice. Add all ingredients and shake vigorously for 20-30 secs. Half fill a rocks glass with cubed ice. Strain the liquid into the glass. Garnish with orange slice and cherry.