Easy Summer Food


    Grilled Goats Cheese on Toast
    For 2 you need:
     
    • 2 small baguettes
    • olive oil
    • 2 large sliced tomatoes (or a handful of cherry tomatoes)
    • 8 thin slices of goatscheese
    • 4 tbsp of good pesto
    • rocket

    Method: Slice the baguettes horizontally, fold open and drizzle with olive oil. Grill under a hot grill until lightly toasted on the cut side. Fill with sliced tomatoes (or halved cherry tomatoes) and top with the goatscheese. Return to the grill for a few minutes or until the goatscheese starts melting. Drizzle with pesto, then pile the rocket on top.
     

    Frittata
    A delicious way to use up leftover pasta or make-up-as-you-go. Play with different ingredients... try adding a handful of frozen peas, cherry tomatoes, chopped bacon, a sliced pepper, a handful of spinach or rocket all make delicious additions. For 2 you need:

    • 150g dried pasta quills
    • 4 eggs, preferably organic
    • salt and black pepper
    • 4 spring onions, chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped parsley or mint
    • 100g cheddar-like (three-quarters coarsely chopped, one-quarter grated)
    • olive oil.
       
    Method: Boil the pasta in plenty of salted water until tender and drain (or use left-over pasta). In a bowl beat the eggs with the salt and pepper, then stir in the drained pasta, spring onions and herbs. Mix in the chopped cheese. Heat a tablespoon olive oil in a non-stick frying pan until hot and pour in the egg mixture. Turn down the heat and cook for about 8 minutes until firm underneath but still un-set on top. Heat the grill and finish cooking the omelette underneath. When set, sprinkle with the grated cheese and return to the grill for a minute or two until melted.
     

    Cold Chicken Salad with Tarragon, Grapes and Toasted Hazelnuts
    The perfect summer lunch for friends - can be made well ahead. If time is short use a ready roasted chicken. Serves 4-6.

    • 1 cooked chicken of about 1.5kg
    • 150ml good mayonnaise
    • 120ml cream (normal or soured)
    • salt and freshly milled pepper
    • 200g green grapes, halved and pips removed
    • several sprigs of fresh tarragon, leaves stripped off stalks
    • 4 spring onions, chopped
    • 1 lettuce
    • a handful of hazelnuts

    Method: Remove all the chicken meat from the bones and tear the flesh into smallish pieces. Put in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk the mayonnaise together with the cream, season if necessary. Add the halved grapes, the tarragon leaves and the spring onions. Pour over the chicken and mix well. Allow to sit for an hour to marinate. Toast the hazelnuts in a dry saucepan, rub between your hands to remove the skin and allow to cool before crushing lightly. To serve: arrange the salad leaves on a platter or plate, spoon the chicken mixture over and scatter with hazelnuts.

    Icecream Affogato
     
    It's hard to believe that something so simple can taste so good! Per serving count on:

    • 2-3 scoops of really good vanilla icecream
    • one espresso
    • 3-4 Italian Amaretti biscuits

    For this ultra easy dessert, make some strong espresso, scoop a few balls of really good icecream into a pretty glass, scatter with crushed amaretti biscuits and pour the hot coffee. Serve immediately.