chef jon ashton

Relish Chef Jon Ashton

To Jon Ashton, cooking is not just about cooking, it's also about living well. Here what he’s cooking this month:

England’s Famous Summer Cake
As a child, there really wasn’t anything more thrilling than a summer picnic with Granny’s Summer Pudding. The neighbors would show up one by one, carrying English delicacies that were never quite up to Granny’s standards. Mrs. Smith brought egg sandwiches, but she neglected to remove the crusts. Aunt Betty brought her homemade scones, but Granny never approved of them either. She was a tad more accepting of Mrs. Rawlinson’s dishes, as she was more distracted by her bad attire. As the guests filed in, and the women set to gossiping, I would slip into the kitchen and have a peek at Granny’s Summer Pudding. For me, this pudding is the smell and taste of the English summer.

And the fact that it is so simple makes it even more brilliant. Fresh summer berries are warmed with sugar, their juices suffusing rich brioche bread that’s pressed into a bowl and filled with fruit. When left alone to chill in the fridge overnight, the pudding is transformed into a crimson-stained mound that oozes a cornucopia of juicy goodness when sliced open. Each summer, I salute Granny Ashton with a Summer Pudding that would make her proud.
— Relish Chef Jon Ashton

English Summer Pudding

Here are some of the recipes Jon has created especially for Relish magazine:

Breakfasts
Scrambled Eggs with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes

Granola

Soups
Vegetable Bean Soup

Creamy Chicken Soup

Butternut Squash Soup

Appetizers
Amped-Up Red Pepper Paste

Greek Feta and Dill Spread

Tandoori Tomato Dip

Salads
Ruby Red Slaw

Fennel and Arugula Salad with Hot Tomato Dressing

Celeriac and Apple Salad with Lemon Garlic Dressing

Sides
White Beans with Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

Bombay Sweet Potatoes

Creamy Cheese Polenta

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

Main Dishes
Maple-Pepper Steaks

Seared Tuna with Lemony Potatoes

Indian-Style Grilled Chicken

Salmon Burgers with Quick Soy Cucumbers

Rosemary-Apricot Pork Tenderloin

Braised Chicken and Vegetables

Jon's Simple Salmon Supper with Roasted Cauliflower

Jon's Simple Penne with Sausage Ragout

Jon's Two Cheese Burger

Desserts
Bananas Flambe

Honey Poached Apple with Ricotta Cheese