Simple, summery recipes that aren't BBQs

[Maglin]

5 adults - kids are home from uni. We all eat anything. Last night we had simple fish stew from the BBC website (delicious easy and highly recommended!). Something that can be made in advance and then eaten outside with a glass of wine 🙂

I often do a roast chicken but with a salad and crispy skin croutons.

Roast the chicken like normal. Once cooked take the skin off and put back in the oven with some cubes of stale bread tossed in olive oil, preferably a good sourdough loaf rather than the white sliced kind. Once it’s all crispy take out.

Meanwhile chop up whatever salad veg you have in the bottom of the fridge. I put it all on a big platter and then the chicken meat on top and finally the croutons and crisp skin. I serve with homemade mayo on the side.

Sounds yum!

Linguini with garlic, chilli, fresh herbs and either prawns or crab.

Field mushrooms stuffed with Stilton, rice, spinach and onion.

Tandoori chicken in wraps it's raita, salad and cumin roasted cauli

Gammon with a chilli and pineapple raita.

Tuna steaks for a nicois

Garlic chicken and veg kebabs

These all sound wonderful

Gazpacho

Cold poached salmon or other fish, with herbed mayonnaise. Homemade is best, but it is fine to tart up good jarred mayo. More herbs of choice than you think you will need —- we prefer dill, chive or fresh coriander as the dominant one — with a splash of lemon juice or Dijon, not both.

You can cut the fat by replacing half the mayo with Greek yoghurt.

Serve with a couple of salads, one starchy and one green.

stuffed aubergine

tacos

chicken piccata

ratatouille

pork steak and garlic cannelloni bean mash

spinach and ricotta lasagna

I've just had a massive bowl of Charente melon, goats cheese, Parma ham, basil, toasted pine nuts and a bit of olive oil. It's my usual summer breakfast but I forgot today, too focused on cutting the grass before it got too hot.

Prawn stir fry

salmon and baby potatoes (with Cajun or peri peri seasoning)

today I am having cod and steamed veg

Fish cakes - make them in advance and whop them under the grill when you need them, then serve with salad

Chickpea couscous www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/salsa_chickpea_and_16068

Greek orzo salad www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/greek-orzo-salad-orzo-feta-salad/

Salmon and courgette tart realfood.tesco.com/recipes/charred-courgette-and-salmon-tart.html