Best summer lunches

[AinmÁlainn]

The sun is shining and although it's a bit cold, it's a beautiful day, perfect for my favourite summer sandwich - toasted panini roll, drizzle of balsamic vinegar, slices if fresh, juicy vine tomatoes and buratta, topped with a few fresh basil leaves. I'll happily eat it luch and dinner until September.

That sounds yummy!

I love this orange and halloumi salad

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/halloumi-salad-orange-mint

Following

Adding haloumi to my shopping list now.

I forgot, also needs a grind of salt between the tomatoes and buratta on my sandwich.

I'm not good with sandwiches so my favourite summer lunch would be a roasted chicken leg and thigh with a green lentil; beetroot; feta cheese and mint dressing salad on the side. (Waitrose does little tubs of the salad. I have to be feeling particularly self indulgent to stretch to that!)

But if I were to go a sandwich it would have to be a proper Australian salad sandwich that always includes iceberg lettuce; pickled beetroot (or a pineapple ring); grated carrots, cucumber and cheddar cheese. Absolute bliss and I can never seem to recreate it in the UK.

I love Ainsley Harriet's Spice Sensation cous cous, with feta cheese and diced red pepper and cherry tomatoes. SO easy, so filling!

Hmmmm, feta is always so good. I love it with roast veggies and couscous. The mint dressing sounds lovely, @TiredOfCleaning . Do you have a recipe?

Once we are into proper tomato season you can't beat bruschetta

I made a gorgeous pasta pesto salad earlier after reading this thread, that will do me for the next couple of days! So easy and so delicious. With the added bonus that ds and dh both hate pesto 👍

I once nearly didn't quit a terrible job because there was a tiny Italian restaurant a few doors down that did the best bruchetta in the world.

Rocket, pine nuts and Parmesan shavings with a drizzle of balsamic and a bit of crusty bread.
Heavenly

These sound amazing. I'm going to add a suggestion of greek yoghurt, blueberries, raspberries, topped with granola and a drizzle of honey.

Or sometimes I do a spiced cous cous mixed with olives, feta, chickpeas and chopped preserved lemon.

I had a glass of wine with a plate that had a toasted slice of sourdough, hummus, avocado, olives, smoked cheese, tomatoes, cucumber slices... it summed up sunny days eating to me. This is just what we had in, could have had so many other things, beet root, stuffed vine leaves, roasted chick peas... roll on summer!

Oh, I haven't had stuffed vine leaves in years!

I've next week off so if the weather is nice I'm definitely going to be having a lunchtime glass of wine.

I roasted up some veg when I was doing dinner so I've some salad makings for the next few days. Thanks everyone for the inspiration.

If I have guests, it will most likely be:

1. Charcuterie with sliced beef omato, basil and torn mozzarella.

1. Eggs Benedict (or varations).

1. Smoked trout and poached eggs.

On my own it's poached eggs on toasted sourdough.

At work (which is most of the time), it's a ham or cheese sarnie. Dull.

Following