'Soft fruit' Meringues and 'Gala Pie'

The Cultivated Blackberries in my garden have grown really well this year and a ripening beautifully.  I have been picking and freezing them.  I like my cultivated variety because the blackberries are huge, fat and juicy, but the real bonus is there are no thorns on the plant!  The other morning I had a chicken by my feet doing vertical jumps, trying to peck the bag of blackberries our of my hand.  They love the soft fruit and there is enough to go round.  When the chickens keep laying such fantastic eggs I can't begrudge them some fruit.  I do object to them scratching in my vegetable beds though and shoo them off a bit over enthusiastically.

Here is another tasty recipe including eggs.  It is great served hot or cold, it would be good for picnics with what is left of the UK Summer weather.

I have Linked this to Lavender and Loveage 'Herbs on Saturday' follow the link for your chance to win a copy of 'The Cooks Herb Garden'

Gala Pie
Ingredients
500g of shortcrust pastry to line a 2lb loaf tin
400g of sausage meat
150g of diced Pork loin (I used loin steaks and snipped them up)
150g of bacon, I used lardons.
1 onion very finely diced
2 tablespoons of Freshly chopped sage
4 large hard boiled Eggs Peeled (or six smaller ones)
Pepper to taste
Egg Yolk to glaze the pastry

Method
Line the loaf tin with shortcrust pastry, roll out a pastry lid for the pie and reserve...
Mix the sausage, pork and bacon together with the onion and sage.  Add pepper to your own taste.
Spoon half of the meat mixture into the pastry case.
Place the hard boiled eggs into the mixture.
Cover the eggs with the remaining half of the meat.
Place on the pastry lid.
Brush with Egg yolk to glaze.
Put in a hot oven for 25 - 30 minutes.
Cover with foil and cook in a medium oven for an hour.
Brush again with the egg yolk glaze and cook on high for a further 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.

With some spare egg whites I whizzed up some meringues.  I don't have an electric whisk so Euan and I took turns until our muscles ached, but the reward was worth it.

Meringue, with Creme Fraiche and fresh berries (Blackberries and Raspberries) Delicious.

We love our chickens!

Edit:   If you do happen to find yourself with a glut of Blackberries this year (and I strongly suggest you do!)
'A Trifle Rushed' has a Fantastic Use for Them, Here: