Sunday 4 July 2010

Forever Summer...



...is one of my favourite cookery books.  There are now plenty of recipes I use that summer just doesn't seem complete without now. 



Today we had the best Greek Salad, although I left out the fennel because I was trying to feed us all economically and just use what I had in the fridge.  It was a shame really, because the fennel adds a nice freshness to the salad.  I didn't have a Romaine lettuce either but the one that came in my veg box was nice and crispy anyway.  I also had 2 bags of baby spinach so I made Jamie Oliver's Italian spinach and ham flan from this book and I can report that it was absolutely delicious.  Add to that a potato salad, a raw courgette salad and some freshly cooked beetroot and it was a wonderful al fresco lunch.

Oh, and there was bread.  Freshly baked this morning from the Ottolenghi Cookbook.  Cut up into chunky wedges and dipped in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, it was good.  Very good.  It requires you to start it the day before you want to bake it, but is so worth the wait and all being done in my KitchenAid, there is no arm-aching kneading.

For pudding it was Vanilla Shortbread with strawberries and some thick Jersey cream.  As a treat for the children, I also made Sophie Dahl's Clover's Carnation Milk Jelly but the truth is, the adults didn't really let them get a look in!  It was dead easy, just melt a jelly (I used strawberry flavour) with some hot water then when it has cooled add a large tin of Carnation evaporated milk and allow to set.  I absolutely love evaporated milk!




 I love leisurely summer lunches outside...

9 comments:

  1. oh yum....forever summer indeed. Do your family realise how lucky they are?

    ReplyDelete
  2. ok I'm coming for lunch next sunday, you've convinced me x

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd fly across the oceans for that meal!

    ReplyDelete
  4. My mouth is watering! I'd forgotten about Greek salad in all my moaning about summer! I really want to make that milk jelly today. I prefer evaporated milk to cream any day!x

    ReplyDelete
  5. you are a domestic goddess!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. That particular Greek salad is one of our summer favourites... and I love the fennel in it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I picked the perfect time to visit here and am now really hungry and ready for my lunch! Thanks for all of the wonderful inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm really hungry now too. Luckily the oven just beeped telling me that my two loafs of bread are ready - I can hardly wait for them to cool down a bit so I can cut a slice off to have whilst still warm after reading about all your yumminess!!

    ReplyDelete

Hi! Thanks for leaving me a comment, I really enjoy reading them and I will try to reply if I can find an email address for you...