Raspberry season in Quebec is fairly short, so it’s time to stock up when raspberries are plentiful, in late July and in August. To get the most out of these sweet berries, eat them just as they are, au naturel. Since nothing beats fresh raspberries, we’ve come up with some raspberry-based recipe ideas for you that require no cooking.

1. In a salad

Raspberries’ natural acidity can amp up a salad dressing the same way vinegar and lemon juice do, but to slightly milder effect. Purée the raspberries in a blender, or use their juice and add them to your salad dressing, along with a splash of (raspberry!) vinegar if they are extremely sweet. And, of course, be sure to top your lettuce with a few fresh berries.

2. In a coulis

Nothing could be easier to make than a raspberry coulis! Simply purée the berries with sugar in a blender until smooth. If the crunchy texture of raspberry seeds is not to your liking, you can pour the purée through a sieve to remove the seeds. This raspberry coulis is delicious served with chocolate cake or sponge cake, as well as on pancakes or waffles at breakfast.

3. In cocktails

Thanks to their extremely tender flesh and skin, raspberries can be turned into a purée simply by mashing them with a fork. And this purée can be used in a variety of cocktails. Lend a summery touch to all your aperitifs by adding a dash of raspberry purée. It also gives a pretty pink hue to your favourite mocktails.

4. In a no-bake spread

Are you the kind of person who likes something sweet for breakfast? Then make a quick-and-easy raspberry spread with chia seeds, a variation on jam that brings the fresh taste of raspberries since they don’t require any cooking. Here’s how:

1. In a food processor, purée 1 cup of raspberries with 2 tbsp of sugar.
2. Transfer the purée to a bowl and combine with 2 tbsp of chia seeds.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

The spread will keep for 1 week in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

5. In sorbet (without a sorbet or ice cream maker)

Raspberries, sugar and orange juice are the only ingredients you need to make a refreshing sorbet for those hot summer days. While a classic sorbet needs to be churned in a sorbet or ice cream maker, we suggest this version where the ingredients are first mixed in a food processor, then frozen before going back into the food processor. An iced dessert for one and all!

See our recipe: Raspberry Sorbet | IGA Recipes

6. In a mignonette

Raspberries and oysters make a very stylish pairing. The raspberry’s acidity beautifully balances the mollusc’s salty richness. Pour a small amount of raspberry purée onto the half-shell or prepare a raspberry beer mignonette and top the oyster with a whole raspberry.