Jelly without gelatin

from Jan:

Jelly (jello if you're American) is suddenly in style -it's the perfect dessert for anyone who is gluten or lactose intolerant or has an allergy to eggs, it's completely fat-free and salt-free, and it tastes light and fresh at the end of a meal. There are so many possible flavours and things you can add, so it's easy to turn it into a sophisticated enough pud for supper parties. Dress it up with fruit; team it with meringues, honeyed yogurt, a bowl of berries - whatever you like - or let it stand alone. It looks pretty and tastes great, and doesn't make your guests feel guilty; it also has the (essential) advantage that you make it in advance.

But there's one drawback: gelatin, which is made of animal bones, is obviously out for vegetarians, and even for happy carnivores it can seem a bit of a problem. In the days of the panic about BSE, gelatin worried many people (what on earth was in it?) - and then there's that overpoweringly rubbery consistency it has. I just don't like it much, truth be told.

So here's an idea I've worked on for non-gelatin jelly, using agar agar. This is a natural gelling agent derived from seaweed that comes from Japan, and it's pretty easily available these days - not only in health food shops but also in good supermarkets. It looks a bit like old-fashioned soapflakes, and when you start to dissolve it in boiling water it separates into globby bits like tapioca (if you can remember that!) - but persevere. It makes a gentle springy gell, not a strong rubbery one, so you probably won't be turning your jellies out into spectacular moulds shaped like the Albert Hall - but who wants to do that anyway? Better to put it into glass bowls or glasses and serve it like that. Here's a recipe for a jelly that is definitely grown-up, and very summery: Pimms jelly

Serves 6

4 heaped tsps agar agar
150ml water
100g caster sugar
Juice of a lemon
175ml Pimms No 1
500ml sparkling lemonade
handful of mint leaves, torn
400g strawberries, chopped small
strips of cucumber peel

Add the agar agar to 150mls of water and boil gently for 10 minutes, stirring well (it sort of explodes into little translucent grains), then add the sugar and lemon juice and stir to dissolve. Cool this mixture slightly before adding the Pimms and the lemonade. Then allow the jelly to cool further (setting the pan over a bowl of ice will speed things up), stirring occasionally, until it is beginning to set; then stir in the chopped strawberries, torn mint leaves and a few very thin strips of cucumber peel. Don't put these in earlier, or they will float to the surface. Place a couple of small cucumber strips in the bottom of individual glasses or dishes, pour in the mixture and allow to set in the fridge for several hours, or overnight.