Three recipes from Neven Maguire to celebrate strawberry season

500ml Simply Better Single Source Irish Jersey Cream

1 jar Simply Better Sicilian Lemon Curd

250g Simply Better Irish King Strawberries, sliced

50g pistachios

For the sweet shortcrust pastry

175g plain flour

100g butter, diced and chilled

50g caster sugar

Pinch of salt

1 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Egg

Half tbsp Simply Better Organic Irish Jersey Milk

Zest of half a lemon

Method

1. To make the pastry, place the flour, butter, sugar and salt into a food processor and blend for 20 seconds. Add the egg, milk and lemon zest and blend again just until the pastry comes together – do not overwork the dough or the pastry will be tough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4). 3. Roll the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured work surface. Transfer the pastry to a 23cm (9in) fluted loose bottomed flat tin ensuring the pastry is pushed into the edges of the tin. Transfer to the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up.

4. Remove the tart tin from the freezer. Line the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans or rice. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the pastry is firm, then remove the beans or rice and cook for about 5 minutes more, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

5. Whip the Jersey cream in a bowl until you achieve soft peaks then fold in the lemon curd. Pour the lemon cream into the cooled pastry case. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top and scatter over the pistachio nuts. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

King strawberry millefeuille

Ingredients, serves 6-8

1 packet Simply Better All Butter Puff Pastry

Flour for dusting

2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

2 cartons Simply Better Irish Original Cream Cheese

1 carton Simply Better Single Source Irish Jersey Cream

4 tbsp Simply Better Handmade Strawberry & Marc De Champagne Preserve

1 punnet Simply Better Irish King Strawberries, hulled and sliced

Method

1. Cut the pastry into three equal pieces and then lightly flour the work surface. Take each piece and roll it out to a rectangle that is about 14 x 25cm. Put on to two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, then dust with 1 tbsp of the icing sugar and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Put a sheet of parchment paper on top of the pastry rectangles and then cover with another baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes until crisp and golden brown.

3. Remove the pastry from the oven and leave it to cool a little, then carefully lift off the baking sheet and peel off the parchment.

4. This is an optional step. Slide each pastry rectangle on to a chopping board and using a large sharp knife and a ruler, trim down each rectangle to 12 x 24cm in size. Brush off any excess crumbs with a pastry brush. Leave to cool.

5. Softly whip the cream cheese, cream and remaining 1 tbsp of icing sugar, then transfer half to a disposable piping bag and snip off the corner (or you can spread on with a spatula). Spread half of the strawberry preserve on to one piece of the pastry and then either pipe blobs or spread half of the cream mixture right up to the edges. Top with half of the strawberries and dust with a little icing sugar. Repeat these steps, refilling the bag when you need to, then finish with the rest of the strawberries and a dusting of icing sugar.

NEVEN TIP: This is best served within an hour or two, but leftovers will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge.

Lemon posset with macerated strawberries

Ingredients, serves 4

600ml Simply Better Irish Jersey Cream

100g caster sugar

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 large passion fruit

1 vanilla pod, seeds only

4 Simply Better Handmade Irish Butter Shortbread, to serve

For the macerated strawberries

1 punnet Simply Better Irish King Strawberries

1 tsp Simply Better Balsamic Vinegar of Modena

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp chopped basil or mint

2 tbsp Simply Better Wexford Blackcurrant & Lime Cordial

Method

1. To make the lemon posset, place the cream in a saucepan with the sugar, vanilla pod seeds, passion fruit seeds, lemon zest and juice. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a jug.

2. Pour into 4 stemmed glasses and place in the refrigerator to set overnight.

3. To prepare the macerated strawberries, quarter the strawberries and combine in a bowl with the balsamic vinegar, cordial, vanilla and mint or basil. Leave to infuse, overnight is best.

4. To serve, spoon some of the macerated strawberries over the lemon posset and serve with a shortbread biscuit.

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