Kokova Magazine

Quintessential British fruits, damsons and blackberries - and stewing in port with shortbread couldn’t celebrate that more. Double the shortbread mix to keep some for the next day or two.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• Zest of 1 lemon
• Half vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
• 200g plain flour
• 12 damsons, washed
• 200g blackberries, washed
• 50g raw cane sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick (3cm long)
• 100ml port
• 50ml water

Shortbread

• 125g butter at room temperature
• 100g caster sugar
• 300g plain flour

Procedure

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6
• Place the shortbread ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine with a wooden spoon.
• Finish with your fingertips, making sure there are no lumps of butter.
• Mould the mix into a sausage shape about 10cm long, wrap in clingfilm and leave to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.
• Take the mix out of the fridge, slice into 0.5cm slices, and place on a parchment paper-covered baking tray.
• Bake in the oven for about 10-12minutes or until light golden brown.
• Cut the damsons in half lengthways (down either side of the stone).
• Put them in a saucepan with the blackberries.
• Add the sugar, cinnamon stick, port and water.
• Let simmer on a low heat for about five minutes or until the damsons are a bit soft but still hold their shape.
• Place in serving bowls with the liquid and serve with the shortbread.

Taken from 'Geetie's Cookbook: Recipes from the kitchen of the Duke of Cambridge Organic Pub' (Grub Street, 2010)