It may not be scorching hot yet, but at least the sun is coming out more than it was in January.
And with the bank holiday coming up, many of us might want to spend a little more time in the kitchen and slow down on meal prep that we might normally skip during busy weekdays.
If you want to get into the summer spirit, whether the sun is out or not, try one of these seven things: IGreat recipe for the weekend.
Helen Graves’ “Baked and Chilled Peppers with Harissa, Pineapple and Honey”
“Elegant advance preparation,” says author Graves. Barbecue Day, Barbecue Nighther second barbecue book, is full of creative ideas that play on smoky, salty and spicy flavours. “The key to this dish is the combination of charred sweet peppers with honey, spicy harissa and the fragrant tartness of lime – a ‘hot honey’ vibe with a touch of elegance. The cold dish also feels like a really clever move – a way to seem like an unassuming host. There are so few ingredients, but the end result is truly spectacular.”
Number of participants: 6
It needs time to chill so make it about 2 hours ahead.
It will take 30 minutes
material
- 6 red, yellow, and orange (bell) peppers (or a mix of all three)
- 300 ml (10 fl oz/1¼ cup) pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon harissa
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Flaky sea salt
- Basil leaves (for garnish)
Method
Prepare your barbecue for two-zone cooking.
Place the peppers directly over the coals and grill for about 10 minutes until blackened on all sides.
Transfer to a bowl, cover the bowl tightly with clingfilm and leave for a further 10 minutes – this allows the centre to fully soften and the skin to peel easily.
Bring the pineapple juice and honey to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat and reduce by half until a syrup forms. Stir in the harissa and lime juice and season with salt.
Peel the peppers by rubbing them between your fingers (this will come off easily under a tap) and removing the seeds and stems (don’t worry if some of the dark bits remain – they add flavour). Slice the peppers thickly and transfer to a bowl.
Mix the peppers with the dressing, cool and refrigerate until needed. Arrange the peppers for everyone to eat and garnish with basil.
Recipe provided by Barbecue Day, Barbecue Night By Helen Graves (Hardie Grant, £22)
Callum Harris’ Shredded BBQ Tofu Bap
“The theory is that spice works better when you’re hot, because your body responds with, ‘Whoa! Oh!'” Harris says. “When you sweat, your body is trying to cool down, so this is perfect for that. The jerk paste isn’t too strong, and the mango slaw balances it out nicely.”
material
- Extra-firm tofu block (280g)
- 2 teaspoons jerk paste
- 4 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons ketchup (or tomato paste)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1 teaspoon miso
- 2 soft rolls
- 1 mango
- 3 spring onions
- A pinch of fresh coriander
- A pinch of fresh mint
- 1 red chilli pepper, seeds removed
- Juice of 1 and a half limes
- Pinch of sea salt
- Vegan mayonnaise available if desired.
Method
Cut the tofu into small pieces with a grater, mix the sauce ingredients above and rub the tofu in. Place the tofu on a baking tray and bake at 200℃ for 20 minutes.
Cut the mango into small pieces, slice the spring onions, herbs and chilli and mix with the mango and lime juice in a bowl.
Finally, toast the bap and put a little mayonnaise on the bottom, then top with shredded tofu and finally mango coleslaw to finish it off.
Kudu Collective co-owner Patrick Williams’ grilled peach, burrata and elderflower salad
“This dish is perfect for hot summer days,” says Williams, who grew up in South Africa and now lives in London. “Peaches are juicy, refreshing and absolutely delicious when in season. Their sweet, bright flavour pairs perfectly with the rich, creamy burrata, making it the ideal starter, snack or side dish. barbecue. “
Number of participants: 6
material
- 250g burrata balls
- 25ml olive oil
- Elderflower vinegar 5ml
- 1 teaspoon acacia honey
- 5g Chardonnay vinegar
- Pinch of Maldon salt
- Handful of daikon radish, sliced thinly
- Tarragon leaves
- 2.5 peaches, sliced and charred on the barbecue
- 5g roasted white and black sesame seeds
Method
To make the dressing, mix olive oil, elderflower vinegar, honey, and Chardonnay vinegar with a generous pinch of salt.
Cut the peaches in half, remove the seeds and place in a hot pan. barbecue Or grill on the barbecue for a few minutes. Remove and reserve for serving.
Place the burrata balls on a plate and add the warm peaches. Garnish with tarragon leaves, radishes and toasted sesame seeds.
Strawberry Granita by Chef and Owner Jacob Kennedy of Gerpo
“Granita is an authentic way to make ice cream at home without an ice cream maker, and the semi-liquid ice slush is incredibly refreshing,” explains Kennedy. “It can be enjoyed as a dessert, a summer drink, or mixed into a cocktail.”
“Strawberry season is upon us, and here you can follow the traditional method, which results in coarse ice crystals, or if you’re in a hurry, you can mix the ingredients together and serve immediately for a quick granita.”
Approx. 800ml / 4-6 servings
material
blend:
- 500g frozen strawberries
- 250ml cold water
- 100g granulated sugar
Plate (optional)
- Add 150ml whipping cream and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and beat until fluffy.
Method
Before you begin, chill your serving glass in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
Place frozen strawberries, water and sugar in a blender and blend until it becomes a sorbet-like mixture.
Transfer the mixture to a wide dish and place in the freezer. When the edges begin to freeze, stir with a fork or whisk every 10 to 15 minutes until the mixture is almost completely frozen and icy (this will take a long time, probably around 4 hours).
Once it has a slightly moist sorbet-like consistency it is ready to serve immediately, or to store for longer, freeze completely and then remove and thaw for 20 minutes before serving, then crumble with a fork.
Chorizo Sweet Corn Gazpacho by Ben Ebbrell of Sorted Food
“Water-rich foods are important for staying hydrated in the heat,” says Ben Ebbrell, chef and co-founder of Sorted Food, “Cucumber, celery, lettuce, tomato and soft fruit. In the British summer months, these are also super tasty and locally sourced.”
“Gazpacho doesn’t have to be made with tomatoes. We use sweet corn to give this classic a yellow twist. Cold soup has never tasted so good.”
material
- Canned sweet corn 400g
- 1 cucumber
- 1 red onion
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 1 garlic clove
- 400g sourdough bread
- 75ml sour cream
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 125g chorizo
- 1 green chili pepper
- 1 lime
Method
Open two 200g tins of sweetcorn and transfer to a large bowl – no need to drain.
Cut the cucumber into bite-sized pieces and place in the bowl with the sweet corn.
Peel the onion, halve it and roughly slice it. De-seed and roughly chop the bell pepper and place in a bowl. Grate one garlic clove, remove the skin from one end of the sourdough and tear the remaining part into a bowl. Save the skin to use to make the breadcrumbs. Mix everything well in a bowl.
Add 75ml sour cream, drizzle in 4 tablespoons olive oil and blend everything until smooth.
Add a little water if necessary to achieve a thick soup-like consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
Roughly chop 125g chorizo and place in a medium frying pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Place the pan over medium heat and allow the fat from the chorizo to melt.
Deep fry the chorizo for 6-7 minutes until golden and crisp. Do a little washing up and proceed to the next step while you wait.
Timer Instructions: This is the timer for the chorizo. It should be golden brown and crispy.
Slice 1 green chilli into thin rings and cut 1 lime into wedges.
Divide the gazpacho among bowls and spoon over the chorizo and oil. Serve garnished with chili and lime slices. Serve chilled and flavorful!
Masterchef winner Eddie Scott’s Bloody Meera from Misalana
“There’s nothing better than sitting outside on a hot summer’s day and enjoying a bowl of Bloody Meal,” says Scott, whose debut cookbook is Misarana The cocktail offers an Indian twist on the French and British culinary traditions he grew up with: “It’s a Bloody Mary, but with a South Indian twist, with the perfect balance of spice, heat and acidity. Drink a few of these and you’ll be transported to a paradise somewhere in the Indian Ocean.”
“The base of my brunch cocktail is a traditional South Indian tomato soup. Rasam“It’s a light, aromatic and tangy tomato soup, slow-cooked with tomatoes, curry leaves, green chillies, lime and plenty of energising spices. In South India, it’s customary to end a meal with a hot rasam, almost like a digestif. I find this cocktail a great way to start the weekend, a drink that awakens the senses. Rasam can be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge.”
Number of participants: 4
material
Rasam seasoning:
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Latham:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
- 1 sprig of fresh curry leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 11/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- 2 finely chopped green chillies
- 500ml tomato juice (17 fl oz/2 cups)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- Juice of 1 lime
- A little chopped fresh coriander
What we offer:
- Ice cubes
- 200 ml (7 fl oz / 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp) vodka
- 4 stalks of celery
Method
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the black mustard and cumin seeds and fry for 1 minute until the oil releases.
Add the asafoetida, curry leaves and garlic to the pan and fry for 2 minutes.Add the chili powder, green chilies, tomato juice, sugar, lime juice, rasam seasoning and 100ml (31/2 oz/about 1/2 cup) water to the pan.
Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes and then remove from heat.
Season with salt and add fresh coriander. Allow to cool and then place in the fridge to chill before serving.
To serve, pour the rasam into a large jug filled with ice. Add the vodka and stir well. Pour into 4 glasses and garnish each with a celery stick.
Mirsana (Carnival, £26)
Chef Director Ben Tisch’s Mackerel Crudo with Fennel, Fennel Pollen and Salted Lemon Cubitt House
“A delightfully light and fresh crudo, with warm, curry-like notes from the fennel pollen and a sweet and tart flavour from the salted lemon that balances the mackerel’s natural oiliness,” says Ben Tisch of Cubitt House. “This dish is incredibly easy to make, but it’s essential to use the freshest mackerel – the fish is firm to the touch, with vibrant pink flesh and an effervescent, almost blue-coloured skin.”
“Fish crudo is perfect for hot weather. Not only is it cold and light, but its sour and spicy taste has a cooling effect on the body. For this reason, crudo was developed in southern Italy, where it is very hot for most of the year.”
Serves 4 as an appetizer
material
- 4 fresh mackerel fillets (skin and bones removed)
- 1/2 a small fennel, very finely sliced (a slicer works well for this)
- 1 preserved lemon, halved and sliced (seeds removed)
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel pollen
- 20ml extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of half a lemon
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Coriander sprouts for garnish
Method
Cut the mackerel into 1cm cubes
Place in a bowl and add the fennel, fennel pollen, lemon salt, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Mix well and leave for 5 minutes, then divide among chilled plates and scatter with fennel fronds.
