Summer recipes you need to try now
Celebrate the season
Pappardelle with cod and cherry tomatoes
Fresh cod with silky pasta, fresh tomatoes and basil is a much-loved dish in Italy. The Italians love to add a little chilli to their fish, which brings out the flavour rather than making it fiery hot. There's a little garlic too, and dry white wine to make the sauce. You can easily use hake in this dish, if you prefer.
Get the recipe for pappardelle with cod and cherry tomatoes here
Runner bean and tomato casserole
In Greece, this dish is called a ladero, which means olive oil-based, so you'll need your best extra-virgin olive oil for it. Runner beans are cooked with tomatoes, garlic, white wine and stock, then scattered with a pistachio and feta crumb. Served with olive oil mashed potatoes and a carrot purée, it all combines to make a perfect accompaniment to grilled meats or fish.
Spinach and ricotta pie
Crisp, buttery layers of filo pastry encase a filling of ricotta, spinach, feta and mint. It's very straightforward to put together, but keep the filo sheets under a damp cloth while you assemble them, to prevent them drying out. You can serve it hot from the oven, or cold as a perfect picnic dish.
Chicken legs with Alabama sauce
Alabama sauce has a mayonnaise base, which is blended with cider vinegar, lemon juice, horseradish sauce and black pepper. It's quite fiery and here it's used both as a sauce and a glaze to brush the chicken legs with towards the end of cooking on the barbecue. Make a tomato, garlic, rosemary and crouton salad to serve, drizzled with the sauce.
Mango salad with candied peanuts
Make the most of in-season, juicy, ripe mangoes with this vibrant, punchy salad. Mango and avocado are mixed with red pepper, onion, pomegranate seeds, herbs and crisp lettuce, drizzled with pomegranate molasses, then dressed with a lime, cumin and chilli dressing. Peanuts candied in sugar and chilli make a crunchy topping. It's a meal in itself, with just the peanuts requiring a little cooking.
Lamb steaks with artichokes and cabbage
Lamb is at its best in summer, when it's had the benefit of lush, spring grazing – and this is one of the easiest ways to cook it. Lamb leg steaks are marinated and griddled, then served with charred, shop-bought artichoke hearts and pan-fried cabbage. The delicate, sweet and nutty taste of artichokes and the fragrant honey and rosemary glaze complements the meat perfectly. Make sure you use a good-quality jar of chargrilled artichokes in oil.
Get the recipe for lamb steaks with artichokes and cabbage here
Halloumi crouton salad
Coating cubes of halloumi cheese in breadcrumbs then deep-frying them, takes this fresh salad to the next level. With roasted peppers (use some from a jar to cut down cooking time), grilled courgettes, cherry tomatoes and rocket leaves, it's served with a homemade pesto dressing (you could cheat and buy a jar of ready-made). Season everything well and drizzle with extra olive oil.
Crab cakes with green mango
Fresh crab is at its very best during the summer months. Here, both the brown and white meat are used in a crab cake with hot and sour flavours from chilli and green mango, which work so perfectly with shellfish. Lemongrass adds a kick of freshness, with added spices and fresh coriander to make a perfectly balanced dish.
Classic salade Niçoise
Be transported to southern France with this quintessentially Provençal salad. Use the best canned tuna in olive oil you can find. Ripe and tasty tomatoes are also essential – this dish is all about the quality of the ingredients. As far as cooking goes, there are just eggs to hard-boil, then it's a case of throwing everything together. Serve with slices of crusty baguette.
Lamb kofte with parsley salad
These little deep-fried lamb meatballs originate from Crete and they'd make a great light lunch or starter. This recipe is full of fragrant, flavourful herbs and spices – the meatballs, made with cumin, chilli flakes, parsley, mint and dill, are served with a parsley salad, mixed with tomatoes, green chilli, pepper, olive oil and lemon. Fresh, tasty and moreish!
Get the recipe for lamb kofte with parsley salad here
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Baked scallops with chipotle butter
Fresh scallops are at their very best in summer, and such a treat if you can track some down (look for diver-caught scallops). Follow our recipe and they'll be easy to prepare: cooked in the shell, either in a very hot oven or on the barbecue. The shellfish is teamed with a delightful chipotle, fresh coriander and garlic butter. You just need a squeeze of lemon and chunks of bread to serve.
Pea, Parma Ham and feta quiche
Perfect for a picnic or a summer lunch in the garden, this quiche is made with shop-bought shortcrust pastry, so there's little effort involved. Eggs, cream and milk provide the base filling, and feta and Parma Ham add a savoury, salty note, to counteract the sweetness of the peas. Mint adds freshness. Serve warm or at room temperature with more mint and pea shoots.
Beetroot, orange and fennel salad
Golden beetroot is the star of the show in this Mediterranean salad. The orange, honey and cardamom dressing and juicy orange segments balance out the earthiness of the beets, while crunchy fennel adds a hint of aniseed. Roast the root veg in a little oil with thyme and garlic to concentrate the flavours. Add extra crunch with toasted pistachios.
Prawn, pea and courgette risotto
The fresh flavours in this speedy risotto make it a perfect dish with seasonal vegetables, herbs – parsley, dill, mint and chives – and juicy prawns. It takes just 20 minutes to cook, with minimal prep time too. There's a herby garlic butter to make, which melts into the risotto once it's cooked, to give a wonderfully creamy texture.
Smoked mackerel and lentil salad
Assemble this healthy, main course salad in no time by using a pouch of pre-cooked lentils (although lentils only take around 20 minutes to cook). Tinned smoked mackerel is mixed with the lentils, plus peppers, onion, garlic and lemon. Dress the lentils, with sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard and oil, while warm so they absorb the flavours better. Add a squeeze of lemon, fresh basil and parsley, and your midweek meal is sorted.
Skirt steak with chimichurri
Skirt, or hanger steak, is great value and full of flavour. It's best cooked on the barbecue as it needs direct heat and quick cooking, to ensure a crunchy charred exterior. Don't cook it more than medium-rare, as it will toughen up. It's served with an Argentinian herb sauce with mixed herbs, chilli, garlic, shallots, oil, lemon and vinegar – make it up to five days ahead and store in the fridge.
Prawn ceviche tacos
Make a big platter with bowls of ingredients for everyone to make their own tacos. We love to stuff soft tortillas or crunchy tostadas with prawns marinated and ‘cooked’ in Tabasco sauce and lemon juice. Pile them high with avocado, tomato, onion, and coriander, and top with sour cream. They are so refreshing and filling.
Grilled lettuce with buttermilk dressing
Crunchy, farm-fresh salad leaves are at their peak over summer and firm varieties, like romaine and baby gem, are delicious when grilled. A slightly charred flavour and texture is complemented wonderfully by a sharp, creamy, garlicky buttermilk dressing and toasted almonds. The perfect barbecue side.
Get the recipe for grilled lettuce with buttermilk dressing here
Hake, samphire and tomato salad
Succulent hake is baked on a bed of fresh herbs with white wine, butter and olive oil, in this French dish. It's very simple to put together. Once the hake is cooked through, blanch the samphire, mix it with fat chunks of ripe tomato, and add fresh herbs, olive oil and lemon. Use any juices from the tin to pour over the hake. If you can't find samphire, use green beans plus a teaspoon of capers to emulate samphire's briny flavour.
Pork lettuce cups
Crunchy lettuce leaves are filled with spicy minced pork for a light but filling summer dinner. The pork is made in the slow cooker for extra ease and cooked with chilli, garlic, lemongrass paste, fish sauce and soy for a flavour sensation. Once the slow cooker has done all the hard work, spoon the pork mixture into lettuce leaves and garnish with toasted peanuts, coriander, mint and spring onions.
Gazpacho
Gazpacho, a chilled tomato and vegetable soup, originates from the south of Spain. It's so refreshing, healthy and perfect on a hot day. Simply whizz up tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, garlic, sherry vinegar, bread and chilli sauce in a blender. It's best if it sits overnight in the fridge for the flavours to develop. Serve it topped with diced cucumber, peppers and olives.
Pulled tandoori-spiced chicken
It's hard to believe you can rustle up this spiced chicken and crunchy salad to serve in wraps in just 30 minutes. Chicken breasts are marinated in a yogurt, cumin, chilli and coriander marinade with a little cream, to tenderise them. Simply fry the chicken then shred with a knife and fork. The crisp salad of fennel, cucumber, red onion and carrot is dressed with lemon juice and a little oil.
Tomato galette
This stunning free-form tart makes seasonal tomatoes, fresh herbs and courgettes really sing. You can even use shop-bought pastry. Add the base of grated cheese, tarragon and sautéed onion, then layer sliced courgettes, slices of ripe tomatoes, plenty of seasoning and a little sugar to bring out the taste of the tomatoes. Fold over the pastry edges and bake.
Jamaican pepper shrimp
Fat, juicy prawns are cooked in a buttery, hot chilli sauce with fresh thyme, paprika, spring onions and lime. Cook them in a large frying pan, or toss them in the sauce and transfer to a fish grill to cook on the barbecue. They're great served on white rice or with crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Panzanella
Most Mediterranean countries have salads made with leftover bread, and panzanella belongs to the Italians. The cubed bread is tossed in olive oil then baked with garlic and seasoning to make crunchy croutons. Ripe chunks of tomato, olives, roasted peppers (from a jar is fine), pine nuts and capers are tossed in a honey, olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. Top with lots of fresh basil and the croutons which will soak up the dressing and tomato juices.
Baked figs with halloumi and prosciutto
Luscious, sun-ripened figs are perfect on a hot day, so try this moreish snack or light lunch. Halved figs are made into little parcels with basil, prosciutto and halloumi. Drizzle with olive oil, bake for 10 minutes, then add a little honey. The contrast of the sweet figs, melted cheese and salty ham is sensational.
Get the recipe for baked figs with halloumi and prosciutto here
Broad bean salad with mint
If you've ever grown broad beans, you'll be thrilled with this salad to help use up the glut! They do need to be podded after blanching, as the outer skin is rather bland and tough. Sauté shallots and wilt shredded lettuce in a pan, then mix in a bowl with the broad beans, some fresh mint and lemon juice. It's a perfect side for a barbecue.
Crab spaghetti with preserved lemon
Although you can find fresh crab all year round, it's best in late summer when it's at its fattest. This simple pasta dish really showcases the fresh white meat, with garlic, ginger, fresh and preserved lemon and chilli to balance the sweetness of the crab. Add a little crème fraîche at the end of cooking before tossing it into the pasta. It's ready in just 20 minutes.
Watermelon, feta and bread salad
Imagine yourself on a Greek island with this refreshing salad. It's the perfect combination of salty feta and sweet watermelon which makes it so inviting. Make sourdough croutons, then add rocket leaves, the watermelon, pumpkin seeds, cucumber and black olives. Grill the feta until browned, then add to the salad with fresh mint leaves.
Courgette, broad bean and pea quiche
All these greens come into season at the same time. The recipe makes six small quiches, but you can make a large 23cm (9in) one instead. There's a Parmesan pastry to make, but use shop-bought if you prefer and add the cheese to the creamy custard filling instead. It's a lovely summer lunch to serve warm with a green salad.
Get the recipe for courgette, broad bean and pea quiche here
Summer rolls
In our summer roll recipe, rice spring roll wrappers contain crunchy shredded lettuce, carrot and rice noodles, plus fresh coriander, mint and Thai basil. But you can mix and match, adding ingredients like cooked prawns and chopped peanuts. You can also make them a few hours ahead and leave in the fridge. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce for summer picnics or as an easy starter or snack.
Peach, ham and mozzarella salad
There's absolutely no cooking to do here, just 15 minutes maximum to slice some juicy, fresh peaches and assemble. If you find white peaches, they have a wonderful fragrance. Match the sweetness of the peaches with some salty air-dried ham, milky buffalo mozzarella and fresh mint for an alfresco lunch.
Barbacoa tacos
On a hot summer's day, the last thing you want to do is put the oven on, so get the slow cooker out for these melt-in-the-mouth beef tacos. A piece of brisket is slow-cooked with a paste of chipotle, fresh coriander, onion, garlic, lime juice and cider vinegar until it's super tender and shreddable. Pile into tacos and serve with salsa, coriander, sour cream and onions.
Socca with artichokes
Socca is a pancake made with chickpea flour from the south of France, where you often find it on street stalls. Make an easy batter which sits in the fridge overnight. This one is filled with tender baby artichokes, which you only find in the summer months. The recipe gives simple instructions on how to prepare them. Once cooked, top with Parmesan, sea salt and black pepper, and eat immediately as a snack or side.
Barbecued potatoes with tarragon, peanuts and chipotle
A new potato salad with real wow factor. No mayo or creamy dressings here, this salad has real bite and punch. Cooking potatoes on the grill gives them a wonderfully crisp skin, while retaining a soft, fluffy centre. The dressing is a tasty combination of chopped peanuts, fresh tarragon, chipotle chilli flakes, fresh lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.
Get the recipe for barbecued potatoes with tarragon and peanuts here
Egg and lettuce salad
An easy salad which could be served as a side, a main course or in a bread roll. The tangy dressing is made from peanut butter, fish sauce and lime. You could add a pinch of chilli flakes for extra kick too. Serve the perfectly boiled eggs on crunchy green leaves, drizzle over the dressing, then top with shop-bought fried onions.
Warm radishes with tarragon
Briefly cooking radishes, at their best in summer, makes them juicy and less peppery. Look for French breakfast or heirloom varieties of radish. They are easy to grow in the garden and they sprout very quickly too. In this dish, they are flavoured with tarragon and Pernod, a liqueur, which adds a lovely note of aniseed.
Roast peppers with ’nduja and burrata
Three distinctive ingredients – chilli-hot ’nduja (spicy spreadable sausage), creamy burrata and charred peppers – come together and are enhanced by the heat of the oven, plus a glug of olive oil and seasoning. Truly a dish greater than the sum of its parts, just add a hunk of crusty ciabatta on the side to mop up the juices. It's great as a starter of side.
Barbecued ribs
These pork ribs are spicy, sticky and not too sweet – perfect for the barbecue. They are marinated overnight in a dry rub, then slow-cooked on a rack in the oven in a foil "tent", with fresh apple juice in the tin providing steam and flavour. Finish them on the barbecue, using a homemade sauce to glaze and baste, building up a sticky layer. You can serve the rest of the barbecue sauce on the side. It's great with sausages and chops too.
Tomato, Gouda and pesto tart
This summer tart is great to look at, easy to make and tastes fabulous. Use ready-rolled puff pastry and spread with tomato purée, grated cheese, and slices of large tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. Once baked, top it with pesto and basil leaves. Simply use a sharp knife to make a frame around the pastry, which puffs up into a lovely, golden crust.
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