JUNE 8 2019 LISTENER 39
or 2 forks to mash the butter into
the oats until the mixture resembles
coarse crumbs. Spread the crumble to
completely cover the apples. Pat the
topping gently until even.
Bake in the preheated oven until
golden brown and bubbling at the
sides – about 40 minutes. Serve with
whipped cream, yogurt or a combina-
tion of the two.
Serves 4.
Wine match: a sweet riesling.JANE GRIGSON’S TARTE DE CAMBRAI
4 large pears
2 lemons, juice and zest
butter for greasing
10 level tbsp (150g) self-raising flour
6 level tbsp (100g) caster sugar
4 tbsp (60ml) grapeseed oilLIZ(^) C
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ost bookshops devote lots of
space to an endless stream of
cookbooks. The most popular
subjects are vegetarian and vegan
cooking, reflecting the growing
trend towards meat-free meals.
They are closely followed by diet
books, which are often relegated to bargain bins
when a new fad comes along.
Younger cooks are not buying many books;
they tend, instead, to find ideas online. It’s easy to
think of an ingredient for the basis of an even-
ing meal, then check out the thousands of online
suggestions. But, unfortunately, untested and
unsatisfactory recipes lurk among the brilliant
ideas, so look for recipes from well-regarded writers
or trusted websites.
Over the past few decades, exceptional food
writers have shaped the way we eat, and it’s a
shame so many of their books are out of print.
Among my favourites are battered books by UK
writers Elizabeth David and Jane Grigson, who
wrote in the second half of last century. David
wrote glowingly about the foods of the sunny
Mediterranean as Britain emerged from post-war
gloom, and Jane Grigson’s Fruit Book and Vegetable
Book, both seminal works, are as fresh and current
as any new book.
One of the reasons these cooks stood out was
because they emphasised seasonality, something
that is lost on many of today’s cooks. The downfall
of our supermarket system is that people believe
they can get any food almost any time, so many do
not know when fruits and vegetables are in peak
season and therefore cheaper and fresher.
Apples and pears are at their best now, and
with these fragrant fruits in mind, I turned to
Jane Grigson’s Fruit Book for inspiration for desserts
to savour over Queen’s Birthday weekend.
Then, when a friend gave me some delicious
old-fashioned apples from his family orchard, I
could think of nothing better than a classic apple
crumble.
Grigson writes about seeking really good
traditional cooking apples and, in her wonderfully
opinionated way, says, “In the matter of vegetables
and fruit, we seem often to be reduced to a steady
bottom of horticultural plonk.” Oh dear!
Her pear tart recipe came from a shopkeeper in
France where Grigson and her family holidayed
every summer. She notes it can also be made with
apples and that the top can be made “extra good”
with a scattering of blanched, slivered almonds
before it goes into the oven.APPLE AND RASPBERRY CRUMBLE WITH CRUNCHY OAT
TOPPING
4 large tart apples
3 tbsp butter2 tbsp manuka honey
150g raspberries (fresh or frozen)
5 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp steel-cut oats(^1) / 3 cup flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
100g cold butter
whipped cream or greek yogurt to serve
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
Peel, core and slice the apples
thickly. Melt the butter in a sauce-
pan, then add the apple. Cook very
gently until the slices start to soften
and the juices run a little. Stir in the
honey and raspberries, then turn the
mixture into a pie dish.
Make the crumble by mixing the
brown sugar, oats, flour and cinna-
mon in a bowl. Use a pastry cutter
Apple and raspberry
crumble with crunchy
oat topping. Left,
Jane Grigson’s tarte
de Cambrai.