Some like it hot!

It’s time to fire up the barbecue. Rachel Allen shares a mouth-watering paella, oh-so tasty corn on the cob and a fuss-free dessert for summer eating

We’ve never cooked as much at home as we have during these last few months, and happily, the weather has largely been kind to us. Whether it’s a cup of coffee from a flask enjoyed at your local park or beach, or some meat or fish roasted over the flames on a barbecue, everything seems to taste better when it is enjoyed outside.

This west Cork paella recipe, right, gets its inspiration from one of Spain’s most traditional dishes, but I love that some great Irish produce can be included in it. The chorizo I always seem to have in my fridge comes from Gubbeen Smokehouse, which is located just outside Schull in west Cork; and I always try and pick a great dry Irish cider for its full, fruity flavour. It’s just as easy to cook this paella inside, as it is over a barbecue or grill outside, but either way it’s a lovely, convivial, big pot of food to enjoy.

Corn on the cob just loves being cooked over a barbecue, as the slight charring that the embers give the corn delivers a delicious sweet smokiness that I adore.

“This west Cork paella gets its inspiration from one of Spain’s most traditional dishes”

For a lovely little twist, this recipe, far right, includes a flavoured butter in which you can roll the corn just before serving it, but you can also serve the corn au naturel with some plain butter and salt.

Finally, my iced banoffee cake, also far right, is just the dessert to serve with a barbecue, as it can be whipped up in advance and served straight from the freezer, as easy as pie.

Now that’s fuss-free eating.