Indulge in figs and raspberries with steeped lemon cream
If you’ve ever experienced the leisurely indulgence of brunch in New York City, there’s a good chance you’re acquainted with Prune. The Lower East Side institution was opened by self-taught cook turned James Beard Award-winning chef Gabrielle Hamilton 15 years ago, and now her new cookbook Prune is giving fans an insight into the wonderful woman’s mind. Written in Gabrielle’s distinctive voice, with as much encouragement and scolding as you might experience were you a line cook in her kitchen, the cookbook encompasses 250-plus recipes including Prune favourites. This recipe for figs and raspberries with steeped lemon cream is sure to be a winner at your next dinner party or picnic.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups heavy cream
zest of 2 small lemons, without pith, taken in long spirals as possible
2-1/2 tablespoons sugar
4 cups figs, fresh and perfect
2 cups raspberries, also fresh and perfect
TO MAKE
Grind lemon peels with sugar in clean, pastry-only spice grinder until wet, oily sand consistency. Put mixture in quart container and pour in heavy cream. Shake very well to dissolve sugar. Steep for one full day. Shake well before using, at each use. Keep very cold.
To plate, cut ripe black figs open to reveal hopefully jammy, perfect, red interiors and arrange in shallow, small bowl. Stud ripe, red raspberries in and around the figs, or in a mound in centre.
Shake lemon-sweetened cream in quart container and pour through small passoir to strain out bits of zest, letting cream pool up in and around fruit without drowning it completely. Make sure fruit is room temperature and cream is cold, please.
Recipe and images from Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton. Published by Hardie Grant Books.
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