There’s no such thing as an eggplant hater, there are only people who haven’t had properly cooked eggplant. Here, you’ll find the purple-skinned vegetable with some of its nearest and dearest friends – oregano, feta, tomatoes – in a vegetable dish that’s best served at room temperature. You can even make the components ahead of time.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: what’s summer without tomatoes? Purists will enjoy them simply sliced, salted, drizzled with olive oil, and paired with cheese. But if you’re inclined to follow Yotam Ottolenghi down the Mediterranean path, this roast chicken, with double-tomato representation, will set you in good stead through summer.
Hello summer, and hello barbecues and tacos, the go-to recipes for feed-a-crowd cooking. Pineapples are at their peak at this time of the year, and their heady, tropical astringency is the perfect foil for the rich barbecued lamb. Says Ottolenghi: “With tacos, I like to pile all the various elements on a big platter, so everyone can make their own”. Which is a polite way of saying: let your guests have at it.
Traditional this tabbouleh is not, with Ottolenghi skewing the grain to herb ratio is favour of the former, and replacing bulgur with cracked freekeh. This one’s a celebration of textures – the sharp acidity of lightly pickled onions, the zing of lemons, sumac and fresh green herbs, the earthy, nutty goodness of freekeh, plus the crunch and cool relief of sliced cucumbers.
No, we’re not asking you to eat kale raw. Instead, the grassy vegetable transforms into something soft, leafy, mineral-y and, most importantly, digestible after being sauteed with olive oil and garlic. The dish is bolstered with broccoli florets; cumin and chilli do the heavy lifting, while mint and lime provide the fresh and sour notes.
Minimal fuss, maximum reward. Aside from some gentle warming of olive oil, thyme, lemon peel and garlic on the stove for a dressing, this salad is a stove-free zone. Grab a handful of zucchinis, shave them into long, thin strips, toss with the dressing, walnuts and basil, and you’re set for summer.
If we know anything about this season’s berries, it’s that strawberries are out, and raspberries are in. Ergo this cake, which pairs the raspberry with another summer-fruit star, the peach. Be warned though – this cake is here for a good time, not a long time. It “tastes great when it is still slightly warm, but it’s also fine at room temperature. It will keep for a day, in an airtight container, but … not much longer,” says Ottolenghi.
He did it. Lamingtons – “one of Australia’s greatest pastry exports” – have been Australian-ised even further with a mango sauce. For this act of public service, we will overlook the tinned mango puree in the ingredients list (understandable in England, where fresh mangos are very expensive). Here you can substitute with freshly made mango puree – just peel the fruit, slice, then whiz in a food processor or blender. Kensington Prides are excellent value at the moment.
Peaches are how we like our summer memories: sweet and fuzzy. The yellow variety (of peaches, that is) are putting on a good show in quality and price this summer. Bake them into this flaugnarde: “the more versatile relative of the clafoutis”, says Ottolenghi. But be warned: “It has a tendency to deflate almost the moment it comes out of the oven, so serve it as quickly as possible.”
For something to drink, Yotam Ottolenghi suggests mixing this shrub with gin and prosecco, something to think about once you tire of Negroni Sbagliato. This recipe suggests using frozen blueberries, but come summer, a couple of punnets of the fresh berries will do just as well. Made for picnics and sunsets.
