This week’s theme celebrates one of the UK’s best homegrown products and yielded an array of twists on classics. From well-known French dishes to Italian staples, it seems that no dish is impervious to anglicising with a drop of cider ...
Cider and cheddar fondue from LeftoverLiz, for example, seemed a world away from its French cousin, but with less fuss and, dare I say it, a touch more modern style. Then the apple fritters inspired by a Swiss hotel from Suzanne Anderegg had an added sour note from the dry cider and an extra crispness to the batter, too. Moreish doesn’t cover it.
The same can be said for Alice Shields’ cider, cheese and onion tear-and-share bread, which also kept well for a couple of days, gently warmed in the oven just before serving. And I recommend making double the quantity of Marmaduke Scarlet’s slow-braised onions. Eat first with your Sunday roast, then use them in sandwiches along with the leftover meat. Midweek, an English-style risotto with pearl barley, ham and cider from Bryony Timms (served with a glass of cider on the side) was a warming summer supper.
The winner, though, was so simple and effective that, once tried I’m certain it will become a constant in your summer repertoire. I cooked TwinnyDip’s marinated salmon under the grill twice this week, and am looking forward to giving it a go on the barbecue this weekend – as much of a crowd-pleaser as a glass of crisp cider on a rare sunny bank holiday.
The winning recipe: cider and salt grilled salmon with fennel and courgette slaw
This recipe requires fish with a strong, robust flavour that can withstand the slightly longer marinating time. Salmon and mackerel both work well.
TwinnyDip, via GuardianWitness
Serves 4
4 salmon fillets, about 120–180g each
200ml cider (enough to cover the fish fillets)
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp caster sugar
200g fennel, finely sliced
200g courgette, cut lengthways into ribbons
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
Black pepper, to taste
1 Put the fish fillets in a plastic container, skin-side up. Mix the cider, salt and caster sugar in a bowl. Pour it over the fillets, making sure they are sufficiently covered by the cider marinade. Cover and refrigerate for between 3 and 8 hours.
2 In the meantime, prepare the slaw. Put the courgette in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with salt and mix well. Stand for 30 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
3 Mix the fennel with the drained courgette, olive oil and cider vinegar. Season with black pepper, to taste, then chill, if not eating immediately.
4 When you are ready to eat, discard the marinade, then pat the fish dry with kitchen towel. Cook under a hot grill/on a hot barbecue skin-side down for 8-10 minutes. Serve with the fennel and courgette slaw on the side.
This loaf is the perfect accompaniment to soup or pasta. The cider adds a tartness that balances out the rich, creamy cheddar.
Alice Shields, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire
Makes 10-12
For the dough
400g strong white flour
100g rye flour
7g dried yeast
2 tsp salt
350ml cider
For the filling
1 red onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
2 tbsp English mustard
100g mature cheddar cheese, grated
1 Place both the flours in a bowl and rub in the yeast with your fingertips. Add the salt and the cider, then knead for 5-10 minutes, until you have a smooth dough. Cover with a tea towel or clingfilm and leave to rise for around 1 hour, or until it has almost doubled in size.
2 Meanwhile, soften the onions over a low heat, then set aside to cool.
3 When the dough has risen, roll it into a long rectangle. Spread on the mustard, then sprinkle with the onions and most of the grated cheese. Roll the dough into a sausage shape and cut into 10-12 pieces.
4 Transfer the rolls to an oiled baking tray, making sure you leave a slight gap between each one. Leave to prove again, for around 20 minutes, or until slightly risen.
5 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. When the rolls have risen, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for around 20 minutes, or until golden on top.
Apple cider fritters
As a child, apple fritters had an almost legendary quality; they never failed to be mentioned in the story of my parents’ honeymoon. While camping in the Canadian Rockies, a bear stole their bacon, so they checked in to a Swiss hotel at Lake Louise where they were served the “best apple fritters in the world”.
Suzanne Anderegg, via GuardianWitness
Serves 6-8
175g plain flour
125g cornflour
1 tsp baking powder
300-350ml cider
4 apples, cored and sliced into rings
Sunflower oil, for frying
Caster sugar and cinnamon, for sprinkling
1 Put the flour, cornflour and baking powder in a large bowl and stir together until it is blended and there are no lumps. Add the cider slowly and mix until a smooth batter is formed. Add the apple rings to the bowl and carefully stir until they are coated.
2 Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium-high heat to 180C/350F, or until a breadcrumb quickly toasts when you drop it in. Cook the rings in batches by carefully placing 4 of the apple rings into the oil so that they do not overlap (or cook more if you are using a larger pan). Turn the apple rings over while they cook so they become golden brown all over. Remove each ring once cooked and place on some kitchen paper to drain and cool. Repeat with the rest of the apple rings.
3 To serve, sprinkle the apple fritters with caster sugar and cinnamon, then eat while still warm.
Somerset fondue
I bought my fondue set in a French Monoprix in 1977. That was the year I had fondue at dinner parties for entree, main and dessert. On my return to the UK, I could neither afford nor easily source gruyere or emmental so instead, I made this very English version with mature Cheddar, dry cider and sherry.
LeftoverLiz, via GuardianWitness
Serves 4
1 garlic clove
200ml dry cider
350g mature grated cheddar
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp sherry
1 tsp mustard
1 tbsp chopped chives
To serve
1 garlic baguette, sliced and each slice halved again
A selection of charcuterie
Pitted black and green olives
1 Cut the garlic clove in half, dip in some salt and rub around the inside of a saucepan or fondue pan. Heat the cider in the pan until bubbling and stir in the cheese, stirring until melted.
2 Mix the cornflour, sherry and mustard together and pour into the cheese mixture, stirring until thickened.
3 Adjust the seasoning, add the chopped chives and serve with the garlic bread on long forks for dipping, along with cold meats and olives.
Slow-cooked onions braised in cider
This was an accompaniment to last Sunday’s roast pork; onions slowly braised in cider and topped with cheesy breadcrumbs (it’s pretty good with roast chicken too).
Marmaduke Scarlet, via GuardianWitness
Serves 3-4 as a side dish
30g butter
500g onions, peeled and quartered
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
Salt and black pepper
250ml dry cider
250ml chicken stock
50g breadcrumbs
2 tbsp grated parmesan
1 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Gently melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and ½ tsp salt. Fry over a low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions begin to colour.
2 Add the cider and chicken stock. Bring to the boil. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish and bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Check the seasoning. Much of the liquid will have evaporated and the onions will have collapsed.
3 Combine the breadcrumbs with the parmesan and a little salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the top and continue to bake for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
Pearl barley “risotto” with ham and cider
I invented this dish having stumbled upon some leftover ham at Mum’s and some of my uncle’s exceedingly dry homebrew. It turns out cider makes a very tasty alternative to white wine and stock, with pearl barley instead of arborio rice. Sorry Italy.
Bryony Timms, Iffley, Oxford
Serves 2
1 onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
Olive oil
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
150g pearl barley
250ml dry cider
A handful of leftover cooked ham, torn into pieces
A handful of parmesan, grated
1 Fry the onion and celery in the olive oil until soft, then add the crushed garlic and fennel seeds and cook for a minute or two, avoiding browning.
2 Stir in the barley and fry for a minute. Pour over the cider so that it covers the barley, and turn the heat down. Allow the barley to cook, stirring frequently and making sure it doesn’t dry out, topping up with cider as needed.
3 When the barley is cooked, after about 30 minutes, add the leftover ham and parmesan to taste, mixing well. Serve immediately.
