Fruit On The Table

At some point we have all wanted to abandon our lives and go and live on an idyllic farm and make jam from the fruit on the table. Well, Theresa Storey of The Green Apron Preserves did just that, and then she went and wrote a book about it. And it is absolutely GORGEOUS.

Born in Detroit and raised in Co Clare, Theresa Storey lives in rural Limerick and puts her botany degree to good use growing fruit and vegetables and managing the family orchards, gardens and woodland. She uses the fruit of her labour to make fabulous preserves for The Green Apron, which has won many national and international food awards.

In Fruit On The Table, Storey celebrates four seasons of fruit with recipes for sweet favourites like cherry pie and strawberry jam, as well as savoury dishes such as sole Véronique and lamb and fig tagine. She also includes some surprises, like blackberry whiskey, mojito marmalade, strawberry butter and pod pasties. Check out a sample recipe from this fabulous book, which is available from good bookstores nationwide for €19.99 now.

Tomato & Goat’s Cheese Tarts

Makes 9 tarts

500 g (18 oz) package of puff pastry
2–3 tbsp (heaped) pesto
200 g (7 oz) cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)
200 g (7 oz) log of soft goat’s cheese (sliced into 6-mm/¼-inch rounds)
1 tbsp pine nuts (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6).
2.  Roll out the puff pastry until it is about 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick. Cut into 9 equal pieces (as square as possible) and then score a square with a knife 2.5 cm (1 inch) inside the edge of each piece, cutting halfway through the dough.
3.  Inside this scored square, spread about half a teaspoon of pesto.
4.  Divide the tomatoes and cheese between the tarts. Sprinkle a few pine nuts on each, if you are using them.
5.  Place the tarts onto a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the pastry is risen and golden brown.
6.  Take the tarts out of the oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.