With summer finally arriving, now is the perfect time to freshen up flavours and add an extra, fruity ingredient.
And what better ingredient than raspberries? An extremely versatile fruit that works beautifully in tasty savoury dishes and sweet delicious recipes alike.
Here we share which ingredients work well with raspberries to help liven up your summer entrees, appetisers, cocktails and desserts.
Raspberry and tomato
According to scientific research, food pairing is a complex story that primarily focuses on aroma and fragrances, as well as touch and taste.
Tomato and raspberry share floral and citrus aromas, which makes them a perfect pairing. Try using raspberries, ripe tomatoes and sweet red peppers in a gazpacho served with a mackerel ceviche, for a true, delicious balance of flavours.
Raspberry and basil
Basil and raspberries share spicy and citrus aromas, and work particularly well together.
For a delectable dessert, try a food pairing twist with sweet ajo blanco and substituting garlic for vanilla beans and sugar. This will create a summery, light and sweet soup, by adding peaches, raspberries and a basil-infused olive oil.
Raspberry and horseradish
Although this may seem a peculiar match, horseradish and raspberries share comparable floral fragrances.
Try an appetiser of beets, raspberries, horseradish and roasted tomatoes for a genuine taste of summer. Horseradish provides a subtle kick in this surprisingly tasty dish that is guaranteed to impress dinner guests.
Raspberry and hibiscus
Hibiscus and raspberry share a spicy aromatic note, which pairs beautifully.
Try some mixology and create a stunningly unique gin-based raspberry cooler. This refreshing summer cocktail is made with hibiscus tea, lychee liqueur, a hint of rose and fresh raspberries.
Raspberry and black olive
Black olives and raspberries share surprisingly similar green and citrus fragrances. One of the best places to enjoy a good black olive is in the mediterrean country of Turkey. If you’re going to do that then you need somewhere excellent in Turkey to enjoy them as well. Give Kas Villas a look, it’s a beautiful region of Turkey and visiting Kas 4 Villas Holiday Rental will show you some wonderful examples.
Try combining the savoury and sweet tastes of this pairing in dark chocolate parfaits, which feature a fruity raspberry and beet coulis. Top this combination with a crumble created from black olives for a salty and unique taste.
Other Raspberry Pairings
If you are feeling inspired, create your own combinations with these interesting ingredients:
– Floral Aromas: blackberries, watermelon and blueberries
– Fruity Aromas: cheese, rum and buttermilk
– Citrus Fragrances: lime, yuzu and orange
– Spicy Notes: bay leaves, cognac and cinnamon
– Green Aromas: apple, avocado and apricot