Enjoy delicious summer tastes with these simple Mediterranean dishes
loved the meals you had this summer? enjoy the tastes of the Mediterranean with these simple dishes using punchy flavours of garlic, herbs, olive oil and lemon
panzanella
This classic, rustic Tuscan recipe is the perfect choice for a summer lunch. In this version, the traditionally stale bread element is mixed with fresh tomatoes and flavourful extra virgin olive oil.
SERVES 6-8
1 red onion, very finely sliced into rings
100ml white wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
½ tsp sea salt
1 large pepper, yellow or red
200g day-old rustic bread
500g ripe tomatoes, assorted varieties
100ml extra virgin olive oil
50ml red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 tsp capers, rinsed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste A generous handful of fresh basil leaves
Place the onion rings in a colander and pour over freshly boiled water. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add the vinegar, sugar and salt. Pour over 150ml water and mix together. Set aside for an hour, drain and dry on paper towels.
Meanwhile, grill the pepper until charred on all sides. Place in a plastic bag and set aside to cool. Peel and cut into short, thick strips.
Trim and discard the crusts from the bread and slice into small cubes. Cut the tomatoes into chunks or in half if using cherry tomatoes.
For the dressing, mix together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and capers. Season, bearing in mind the saltiness of the capers.
Mix together the chopped tomatoes, bread and pepper strips in a large serving bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss, ensuring the ingredients are well coated. Add the pickled onion rings and basil and mix well. Set aside for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse before serving.
Asparagus And prosciutto gratin
This is a delightful side dish to serve when asparagus is in season. It doesn’t take much effort to put together and is always a crowd-pleaser at dinner.
SERVES 2
12 asparagus spears, wooden ends discarded 20g butter, plus extra for greasing
150ml crème fraîche/sour cream 1 tsp freshly chopped parsley
6 slices prosciutto
2 tsp breadcrumbs
2 tsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Steam the asparagus spears over a pan of boiling water for about 3-4 minutes – you don’t want them fully cooked. Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan and then stir in the crème fraîche or sour cream. Add the chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper, and remove from the heat.
Preheat the grill to medium. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around 2 asparagus spears and lay them in a greased ovenproof roasting dish. Repeat with the remaining prosciutto slices and asparagus spears, laying them side by side in the dish.
Pour the cream mixture evenly over the top. Mix the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese together in a bowl and then sprinkle this over the top. Grill for 6-8 minutes, until nicely browned on top, and serve immediately.
Mint And lemon thyme lamb skewers
Lamb shoulder holds up well on a hot grill and marinating overnight helps tenderise the meat.
MAKES 6 SKEWERS
680g lamb shoulder
1 lemon
6 fresh bay leaves
6 x 30cm wooden skewers, soaked in cold water before use, or rosemary branches
For the mint and lemon thyme rub
½ preserved lemon, finely chopped
1 tbsp dried mint
2 tbsp fresh lemon thyme leaves
60ml extra virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice and grated zest of 1 lemon Sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper
To make the rub, mix all the ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and black pepper.
Rinse the lamb under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel. Cut up the lamb into 3cm cubes and put the meat into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the rub over the lamb and toss to coat evenly. Season with black pepper. Cover and place in a fridge for 8-24 hours.
3 Slice the lemon in half, then cut each half into half moons.
4 Remove the lamb from the fridge and, while still cold, thread onto the prepared skewers or rosemary branches, along with the bay leaves and lemon slices. Cover the skewers and allow to come to room temperature.
5 On a medium-high barbecue, cook the skewers for 5 minutes, then reduce to a medium heat and turn them over. Cook for a further 6-8 minutes until the sides are brown and crispy.
Ricotta tarts with Pea and Mint
These fresh and tasty tarts not only look beautiful, but also give you the opportunity to make your own cheese, which is simple and fun to do.
SERVES 4
250g puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
200g ricotta or curd cheese (see below right)
100g frozen peas
A bunch of fresh mint
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
For the curd cheese
1.5L whole milk
2 tsp table salt
2 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. 2 Roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of about 3mm. Using a baking ring (15cm in diameter) as a guide and a small, sharp knife, cut 8 pastry rounds. Do not press the rounds out using the ring, or the edges will be pinched together and the pastry will not rise. On four of the rounds, cut a hole out of the middle, (about 10cm in diameter). This will leave you with four rings of puff pastry.
3 Now you need to place the pastry rings onto the remaining pastry rounds to form the tarts. Lightly moisten one side of each ring with a little water and place on top of the rounds. Gently transfer to a baking sheet.
4 Brush the pastry rings with a little beaten egg and, using a fork, poke small holes in the centre circle of each tart. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until the tops are risen and have turned golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Reduce the heat to 140°C/fan 120°C/gas 1.
In a large bowl, gently mash the ricotta or curd cheese, peas and a few leaves of chopped mint. Spoon the mixture into the tart cases. Fill the cases, so the mixture is spilling over the top. Return to the cooled oven for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with black pepper, decorate with a couple of mint leaves and serve immediately.
How to make curd cheese
1 Pour the milk into a saucepan. Add the table salt and set over a medium heat.
Bring the milk to about 70°C (tested with a temperature probe). Add the white wine vinegar and stir gently. The milk should start to curdle. Leave the milk for a couple of minutes until it separates into curds and whey.
2 Line a fine mesh sieve with a muslin or a clean kitchen cloth and set over a large mixing bowl. Strain the mixture through the sieve and you should be left with about 250g curds in the sieve.
3 Place in a fridge, leaving the curds in the sieve over the bowl for about an hour. Remove from the fridge and twist the cloth around the strained curds to press them together, forming a simple cheese that is ready to use.