Summer eating: Five quick and easy picnic recipes

Prepare the perfect picnic with these easy recipes 

If you're heading out to enjoy the sunshine, pack some of these tasty treats.

It's officially picnic weather. Here are five easy recipes to pack into your basket.

Curried Chicken Pitta

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This pitta ticks all the boxes — healthy, tasty and quick. I love to use yoghurt as a healthy swap for mayonnaise. This is really mild so it's suitable for

Servings

1

Preparation Time

 7 mins

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 12 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• 1 cooked free-range chicken fillet

• 2 tbsp chopped nuts

• 2 tbsp natural yoghurt

• 1 tsp curry powder

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1 wholemeal pitta

• 1 small carrot, grated

• handful of salad leaves

Method

1. Pop the pitta in the toaster.

2. While it is toasting, mix the almonds, yoghurt, and spices in a small bowl. Add the cooked chicken and stir well.

3. Once the pitta is toasted, using a knife split it open and stuff it with the chicken mixture, carrot, and salad leaves.

4. Enjoy with a cup of tea!

Summer fruit salad with pea-shoots, broad beans and Ricotta

recipe by:Darina Allen

A versatile, delicious and refreshing fruit salad, perfect for a light lunch on hot summer days

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 10 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• ¼ cucumber, peeled, halved longways, de-seeded and thinly sliced 

• a little salt

• juice of 1 lemon

• 500g mix of fresh blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and redcurrants

• 400g broad beans, podded, blanched and peeled

• 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped 

• a large handful of peashoots or rocket

• 100g fresh Ricotta 

• a little pepper

• For the Vinaigrette:

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• salt

• pepper

Method

1. Toss the sliced cucumber in a little salt and the lemon juice. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Make a dressing with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and seasoning.

3. Drain the sliced cucumber of any water. Gently mix the fruit together with the broad beans and mint. Arrange the fruit mixture, cucumber, pea-shoots and Ricotta on a serving dish and drizzle with balsamic dressing. Finish with a little black pepper.

Halloumi with watermelon

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

This surprising combination is bolstered by a red chilli boost that contrasts beautifully with the refreshing watermelon

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 2 spring onions, white parts only, very thinly sliced

• 1 medium red chilli, deseeded and finely diced

• 400g watermelon, flesh sliced into small wedges

• 1 block of halloumi, cut into thick slices

• small handful of coriander, leaves only

• olive oil

• 2 limes

Method

1. In a mixing bowl, toss the watermelon wedges, sliced spring onion and diced red chilli together with a few tablespoons of olive oil until everything is lightly coated. Cover and place in the fridge.

2. Slice the halloumi into nice thick slices and dry-fry on a very hot griddle or grill pan. Do this carefully so that the slices have nice dark golden to black charred lines on each side. Use a little olive oil if your pan isn’t non-stick.

3. Divide and arrange the watermelon salad between two serving plates.

4. Squeeze the juice of one or two limes over.

5. Place some of the hot, grilled halloumi slices on top and garnish generously with coriander leaves.

Sweet, crunchy scones

recipe by:Darina Allen

Fluffy and delicious, serve with a blob of cream and jam or marmalade

Servings

10

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 450g (1lb) plain white flour

• 75g (3oz) butter

• 2 small free-range eggs

• pinch of salt

• 25g (1oz) caster sugar

• 1 heaped teaspoon plus 1 rounded teaspoon baking powder (25g/1oz approx.)

• 200ml (7fl oz) approx. milk to mix

• To glaze:

• Egg wash 

• crunchy Demerara sugar or coarse granulated sugar for coating the top of the scones

Method

1. First, preheat the oven to 250°C/475°F/Gas Mark 9.

2. Sieve all the dry ingredients together in a large wide bowl. Cut the butter into cubes, toss in the flour and rub in the butter. Make a well in the centre. Whisk the eggs, put into a measure and add milk to bring the liquid up to 300ml (10fl oz), add all but 2 tablespoons (save to egg wash the top of the scones to help them to brown in the oven) to the dry ingredients in one go and mix to a soft dough.

3. Turn out onto a floured worktop. Don’t knead but shape just enough to make a round. Roll out to about 2 ½ cm (1-inch) thick and cut or stamp into scones.

4. Brush the tops with egg wash and dip each one in crunchy Demerara or coarse granulated sugar.

5. Put onto a baking tray – no need to grease. Bake in a hot oven for 10 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool on a wire rack.

Grilled summer salad

recipe by:Currabinny Cooks

Full of bold ingredients, add this salad to your summer menu

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 2 medium courgette (one green, one yellow)

• 1 medium red onion

• 200g good quality feta

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• good pinch of sea salt

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar

• 120ml extra virgin olive oil

• freshly ground black pepper

• handful of basil leaves, torn or shredded

• good pinch of red pepper or chilli flakes

Method

1. Cut the courgette into oblong slices and the red onion into 8 wedges. Make a quick marinade by whisking together 100ml of olive oil, two tablespoons of white wine vinegar and the crushed garlic, along with a small pinch of sea salt.

2. Place a griddle pan on a medium high heat until very hot, add the rest of the olive oil before placing the courgette on the hot griddle and season with salt and pepper. Cook both sides until tender and showing black marks from the grill. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Add the red onion to the hot griddle and cook until tender and slightly charred.

4. Arrange the grilled courgette and red onion on a serving platter, crumble the feta over and drizzle with the marinade. Sprinkle the red pepper flakes over, and garnish with freshly torn basil leaves.