“Fruits”: a recipe book that will make you fall in love with Quebec fruits

Pick a tiny wild strawberry, smell it then taste it. It tastes like summer! You probably go back in time to your childhood? And surely a specific memory emerges in your head.

Picking berries is often a culinary thread between generations. And the book Fruits – Celebrating What Grows Here goes back to rediscover this richness, but also to reconnect with the transmission of knowledge, encourage sharing, propose ways to change our habits and relearn forgotten gestures to cook and preserve them. “And without it being complex! », specify the two authors Audrey Desrochers and Annie-Claude St-Jean. Their book brings together interviews with various producers, poetic pauses, beautiful photos, reflections, historical overviews and recipes. “We want to open people’s eyes to all the wealth already present and teach them to recognize it. In fact, everyone knows the famous strawberry-raspberry-blueberry trio. But there is more ! Saskatoon berry, which we find a lot in Bas-Saint-Laurent and which tastes like heaven, sumac which grows in the ditches, blackcurrant, haskap, sea buckthorn and even cranberries,” they say. Thus, local fruits will find their place on our plates – and our traditions – with recipes in 4 categories – savory, sweet, drinking and in pots – a question of stuffing yourself with these delights and creating new memories .

According to the two authors, who finished the sentences I started for them:

• Fruits from here for a world… softer !
• Fruits for… share !
• Fruit so as not to forget… our roots!
• Fruit throughout the seasons because it’s… Good !
• The “happiness” fruit… the strawberry ! Everyone has a strawberry memory in Quebec!

Apple and plum butter with ginger

We love the sweetness of apple combined with the spicy taste of ginger. Although this recipe is a real morning treat, we advise you to try it during an Asian-themed evening, to accompany egg rolls or homemade dumplings. It has nothing to do with store-bought plum sauces!

• Serving size: 250 ml (1 cup)
• Preparation: 5 minutes
• Cooking time: 25 minutes
• Storage: 2 weeks in the refrigerator

INGREDIENTS

200 g (2 cups) apples, partially peeled and diced

450 g (3 cups) plums, partially peeled and diced

60 ml (1⁄4 cup) water

2 tbsp. lemon juice, divided

70 g (1⁄3 cup) sugar

A pinch of fresh ginger, minced

TECHNICAL

• In a saucepan over medium-low heat, cook the apples, plums, water and 1 tbsp. of lemon juice, stirring often, 25 minutes or until the fruit is very soft and flakes easily with a spoon.
• Using a blender, blend until smooth.
• Pass the mixture through a sieve over a large bowl to obtain a nice homogeneous puree. Add the rest of the lemon juice, sugar and ginger.
• Transfer to the saucepan. Over medium-low heat, heat for 10 minutes or until desired texture is achieved.
• Put in a pot. Let cool before eating.

Pavlova with wild berries

Pavlova, a meringue-based dessert topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, is as beautiful as it is decadent! In this version by Sarah Morin, the secret lies in the addition of homemade jam and crème fraîche. Trying this recipe means adopting it forever!

• Servings: 6 to 8
• Preparation: 30 minutes
• Cooking: 2 hours
• Storage: To be enjoyed immediately

INGREDIENTS

Pavlova

4 tempered egg whites

1 C. tsp apple cider vinegar

200 g (1 cup) sugar

2 tbsp. cornstarch

Trim

250 g (1 cup) crème fraîche

125 ml (1⁄2 cup) black raspberry spread

150 g (3⁄4 cup) frozen blackcurrants

300 g (1 3⁄4 cup) fresh raspberries

TECHNICAL

• Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Place a rack in the center of the oven.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a mixing bowl, pour the egg whites and vinegar. Using an electric mixer, froth the whites. Gradually add the sugar (in three batches) while continuing to whisk.
• Beat until firm and shiny peaks form.
• Sprinkle the starch over the meringue and gently incorporate it with a spoon.
• With the spoon, place the meringue mixture on the prepared baking sheet to form a circle by superimposing layers of meringue.
• Lightly flatten the center of the circle to form a nest.
• Reduce oven temperature to 125°C (260°F) and bake for 2 hours.
• When finished cooking, turn off the oven and let the meringue cool completely without opening the oven door.
• Just before serving, garnish the meringue with crème fraîche, black raspberry spread, blackcurrants and raspberries.

Frozen Strawberry Peanut Butter Bites

This recipe is the snack of choice on hot days. It’s like an amalgamation of two snacks we love: Drumsticks and peanut butter and jam. It has score 100% with the children, as well as all the adults gathered on the balcony on a summer afternoon.

• Servings: 6
• Preparation time: 15 minutes
• Freezing: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Storage: 1 month in the freezer

INGREDIENTS

1 banana, mashed

2 tbsp. tbsp unsweetened peanut butter

2 tbsp. tbsp strawberry rhubarb spread
and sweet clover or store-bought strawberry jam

70 g (1⁄3 cup) plain Greek yogurt

2 tbsp. tablespoons of haskap berries, crushed

1 C. tbsp. quick-cooking oatmeal

260 g (1 1⁄2 cups) dark chocolate chips (to melt)

30 g (1 cup) puffed rice cereal such as Rice Krispies, crushed

TECHNICAL

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a bowl, combine the banana, peanut butter, spread, yogurt, haskap berries and oatmeal.
• Using an ice cream scoop or two tablespoons, form six balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the chocolate pastilles. Add the rice cereals and mix gently.
• Take the bites out of the freezer and, using your hands, coat them with the chocolate mixture.
• Return to the freezer for at least 1 hour before serving.