Hello sunshine: Delicious summer dishes
ADD juicy fruits to savoury and sweet dishes for a taste of summer.
Add juicy fruits to savoury and sweet dishes for a taste of summer
Halloumi and buckwheat sunshine salad
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 25 minutes
200g (7oz) buckwheat
Salt
2 tbsps olive oil
8 mixed heirloom tomatoes
A handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped
A handful of fresh parsley roughly chopped
A handful of fresh mint roughly chopped
Segments of 2 grapefruits
500g (1lb 1¾oz) halloumi cheese
For the dressing:
1 shallot, peeled
100ml (3½fl oz) olive oil
65ml (2¼fl oz) honey
65ml (2¼fl oz) white miso paste
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsps rice-wine vinegar
50ml (1¾oz) water
Juice of 1 lime
l Add the buckwheat to a large pan and cover with 400ml (14fl oz) of water. Bring to the boil, simmer for 8 minutes and set aside to cool.
l After 8 minutes, turn the heat off and allow the liquid to absorb. Add a pinch of salt then gently stir in 1 tbsp of the olive oil.
l Place all the dressing ingredients in a blender, blend until smooth and thick then season with salt to taste.
l Cut the tomatoes into a mixture of wedges and slices.
l Mix them in a large bowl with the cooled buckwheat, basil, parsley, mint and grapefruit segments.
l Serve on a large platter or divide between 4 plates.
l Cut the halloumi into 2cm (¾in) cubes and dab dry with a paper towel or cloth.
l Heat a frying pan over a medium flame with the other tablespoon of olive oil and pan-fry the halloumi for 1 minute on each side or until just golden and soft.
l Place the halloumi on the salad then drizzle with the dressing.
Grilled peaches
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Preparation time: 5 minutes
125ml (4½fl oz) water
110g (4oz) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Oil, for brushing
4 peaches
4 scoops of vanilla ice-cream
l Put the water, sugar and vanilla in a pan. Simmer for 2 minutes until it has a syrup consistency.
l Halve and destone the peaches then brush with a little oil.
l Put a griddle pan over a medium/high heat and griddle the peaches for 2 minutes. Turn them 90 degrees and griddle for a further 2 minutes.
l Remove the peaches from the pan, then serve drizzled with vanilla syrup and ice cream.
Tropical fruit pavlova
Serves: 8-10
Cooking time: 2 hours
Preparation time: 30 minutes
8 egg whites
A pinch of salt
400g (14oz) caster sugar
500ml (17½fl oz) double cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 mango
1 papaya
2 kiwi fruits
100g (3½oz) strawberries
4 passion fruits
2 star fruits
l Preheat the oven to 150°C/ 130°C fan/300°F/gas mark 2.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place a large plate upside down on the sheets and draw a circle around the outside using a pencil.
l Whisk the egg whites in a large, clean bowl at a medium speed until they form medium peaks.
l Add a pinch of salt and 1 tablespoon of caster sugar at a time. Whisk at a high speed and beat until all the sugar has been absorbed and the egg whites are glistening – this will take 7-8 minutes.
l Spoon half the mixture on to each baking tray and gently spread out to fill the full circles.
l Bake for 1 hour then turn the oven off and leave the meringue in the oven for a further 1 hour.
l Whisk the cream, icing sugar and vanilla paste until it forms soft peaks.
l Peel and dice or slice the mango, papaya, kiwi and star fruits removing the stone and seeds. Mix together.
l Place 1 layer of the meringue on a serving platter then carefully cover with half of the whipped cream and scatter with half of the diced fruit.
l Place the second layer of meringue on top then repeat with the cream and diced fruit.
l Slice the strawberries and place on top to decorate. Halve the passion fruits and scoop out the seeds over meringue.
Blackened cod with mango and charred
corn salsa
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp smoked garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp flaky salt
1 corn on the cob
Olive oil
1 mango
3 spring onions, trimmed
1 red chilli
200g (7oz) baby plum tomatoes
4 skinless cod fillets
1 tbsp butter
A handful of fresh coriander
Juice of 1 lime
l Mix the paprika, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
l Using a sharp knife, carefully strip the corn kernels from the cob.
l Heat a heavy-based frying pan with a drizzle of the oil over a high heat and add the sweetcorn kernels.
l Sauté for 2 minutes until the corn is starting to char then tip into a bowl.
l Peel and finely dice the mango, slice the spring onions, deseed and slice the chilli, quarter the tomatoes then add them all to the corn.
l Moisten the top and bottom of each cod fillet with a little water or oil then coat with the seasoning mix.
l Heat a skillet over a medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and pan-fry for 2 minutes on each side. Add the butter and turn down to a medium heat. Cook for a further 2 minutes on each side or until just starting to flake.
l Roughly chop the coriander and mix into the salsa with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and lime juice then season with salt to taste.
l Serve the blackened cod with the salsa and wild rice.
Moroccan spiced chicken flatbreads and pomegranate relish
Serves: 4
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus marinating overnight
2 tsps ras el hanout spice mix
1 tsp paprika
200g (7oz) Greek yoghurt plus 100g (3½oz) to serve
Juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
1 tsp olive oil
Salt
4 chicken breasts
For the relish
1 red onion, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red chilli, sliced
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp smoked paprika
2 tbsps sugar
4 ripe tomatoes
40ml (1½oz) sherry vinegar
15ml (½oz) pomegranate molasses
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
A small bunch of fresh mint, roughly chopped
A small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
8 flatbreads
l Mix the ras el hanout, paprika, yoghurt, lemon juice, crushed garlic, olive oil and a good pinch of salt in a bowl until smooth.
l Cut the chicken into 2cm (¾in) chunks, add to the bowl and fully coat with the yoghurt. Marinate overnight for at least 2 hours.
l For the relish, chop the red onion and sauté in olive oil on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
l Add the sliced chilli, cumin, smoked paprika and sugar then cook for 2 more minutes.
l Chop the tomatoes into ½cm (¼in) cubes and add to the onion mixture with the vinegar and pomegranate molasses.
l Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the relish has thickened.
l Let the relish cool fully then add the pomegranate seeds and chopped mint and coriander.
l Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 425°F/gas mark 7 and line a baking tray with silver foil.
l Skewer the chicken chunks evenly on to 8 bamboo skewers and put on a baking tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes until fully cooked through.
l Warm the flatbreads and spoon a tablespoon of relish into each one. Place a chicken skewer into each wrap and, holding with your hand, gentle pull it out. Serve with the extra yoghurt.
Photographs by Winfried Heinze
Recipes written and devised by Dominic Hoile