Simple fresh dishes from the Pépoulie garden

Jill Ågren, who runs a catering firm in Sweden At Home Chef Sthlm (www.athomechefsthlm.se), took advantage of her family's holiday in Pépoulie in September to cook simple dishes with the organically grown fruit, vegetables and herbs from the garden here. Here are four of them:

Fig and pear chutney to go with the local goat cheese

Figs

Pears

Cider vinegar

Sprigs of rosemary

Sugar
Unlike normal chutneys, which are stored before being used, this chutney can be made and eaten on the same day. Peel the pears and chop into chunks. Cook on a gentle heat with a little water for a few minutes. Add the figs chopped in quarters along with the vinegar, rosemary, and sugar, and continue cooking gently with a lid for ten minutes until the fruit is soft but not mushy. Allow to cool, then serve with a goat cheese.


Tomato and courgette tarte

Tomatoes
Courgettes
Garlic, olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Ready made pastry (when on holiday you don't want to spend too much time in the kitchen) 
Unroll the pastry into a pie dish, and sprinkle a little crushed garlic over it, according to taste. Slice the tomatoes and courgettes very thinly and lay in overlapping circles on the pastry. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Put in a hot oven for around 15 minutes. Eat lukewarm or cold. 

Grilled figs with goat cheese 
Fresh figs
Goat cheese
Hazelnuts or walnuts
Halve the figs and lay cut side up on a baking tray. Put a slice of goat cheese on each fig, and sprinkle a few nuts around. Pop under a hot grill for a few minutes so that the cheese is lightly browned, the figs warmed through and the nuts lightly toasted. Serve immediately as a starter.

Red pepper sauce for barbecued meats 

Red peppers

Garlic

Crème fraiche

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 
Wrap the peppers in foil along with some chopped garlic. Put in a hot oven for around 15 minutes, until the peppers feel soft when you prod them. Take out of the foil, and peel the peppers. Liquidise them, along with the onion and garlic, and then add crème fraiche to make a creamy sauce. Serve warm or cold with barbecued meats.