Midweek meals: Here are five quick cold dishes you can enjoy when the weather is hot 

No need to fire up the cooker or stove for these easy recipes

Quick and easy cold recipes

Summer rolls

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Handheld yumminess; fill your summer rolls with whatever you like - leftover barbecue meat is the perfect addition for carnivores and cooked prawns are always welcome.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the dip:

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

• 2 tsp of runny honey

• 1 medium clove of garlic, crushed

• 1 tsp of crushed black pepper

• For the rolls:

• 50g thin rice noodles

• a handful of lettuce leaves, washed and very roughly chopped

• a small handful of mint, washed and very roughly chopped

• a small handful of coriander, washed and very roughly chopped

• 1 carrot

• 8 rice paper sheets

• a small handful of sesame seeds

Method

1. To make the dip mix the soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, black pepper and garlic and set aside. You can add some sesame seeds or chopped chillies as well if you wish. Set aside to allow the flavours to blend.

2. Soak the rice noodles for 15 minutes in just boiled, slightly salted water.

3. Using a potato peeler slice the carrots into very thin strips.

4. Fill a large flat bowl with just-boiled water and carefully dip a rice paper sheet into the water for about 15 seconds, until translucent and soft. Place it onto a clean tea towel to remove excess water then transfer onto a chopping board.

5. Place a line of noodles, carrot strips, lettuce, mint and coriander along one side of the rice paper disc. Sprinkle the filling with sesame seeds. Lift the other edge over the filling and press it down then roll it up tightly, so it looks like a cigar. You can tuck in each end to make it neater.

6. Repeat with the other rice paper discs and when they are ready to go. Serve with the dip.

 

Rebooted Caesar salad

I love taking dishes that are almost tragically ‘unhip’ and with some quality ingredients and newer techniques, making a dish smart and fun again. Especially something like a Caesar salad which everybody loves!

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• For the Caesar:

• A head of large romaine lettuce or 2 heads of baby gem

• Aged Parmesan, grated, for garnish

• 2 anchovy fillets (Boquerones are best)

• 50g Lough Neagh smoked eel

• For the dressing:

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• 1¼ tsp white wine vinegar

• 1 black garlic clove

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• 10g Parmesan, grated

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1 dash Tabasco

• A pinch of black pepper

• 120ml vegetable oil

• For the Pangrattato:

• 250g stale sourdough, roughly blended

• 100g guanciale or high-quality smoked bacon, diced as finely as possible

• A splash of extra virgin olive oil

• Zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. To make the dressing, it is essentially the same process as making a mayonnaise. Place the egg yolk, vinegar, black garlic, eel and anchovy into a food processor and blend until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil until the dressing reaches a thick consistency and add the final ingredients until the dressing reaches the taste you like.

2. To make the Pangrattato, add the guanciale (or high-quality smoked bacon, if using) to a cold pan and allow it to crisp up slowly and the fat render well from the meat. As soon as it crisp, remove it with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper. Add the chopped sourdough to the pan of rendered fat and allow to crisp, just like croutons, and add the lemon zest and leave to one side until ready to finish the dish.

3. To finish the dish, take the lettuce and break into individual leaves, wash and dry the leaves.

4. Generously dress each leaf with a handsome amount of the Caesar dressing, a handful of the Pangrattato and a large grating of aged parmesan. Rebuild the leaves on a plate, each one back on top of the other and finish the top layer with the still crisp guanciale, a few Boquerones anchovies, 5-6 pieces of smoked eel, and cover this final layer with the remaining croutons and a final grating of Parmesan.

 

Gazpacho

recipe by:Darina Allen

We love to make this cold soup in the summer with the vine-ripened tomatoes in the greenhouses that are bursting with flavour — serve as a starter or as a refreshing drink for picnics

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 15 mins

Course

 Starter

Cuisine

 Spain

Ingredients

• 700g very ripe tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped

• 3 thick slices good quality stale bread, crusts removed and chopped

• 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed

• 425ml fresh tomato juice

• 2 roasted and peeled red peppers

• 110g onion, peeled and chopped

• 1 medium cucumber, chopped

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp homemade mayonnaise optional

• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 1 tsp salt

• freshly ground black pepper and sugar

• To garnish:

• 2 red peppers, de-seeded and finely diced

• 1 small cucumber, finely diced

• 4 very ripe tomatoes, finely diced

• 4 slices of bread made into tiny croutons and fried in olive oil

• 2 tbsp diced black olives or small whole olives

• 1 small onion, diced

• salt

• freshly ground pepper

• 1 tbsp freshly chopped mint

Method

1. Put the tomatoes, chopped bread, crushed garlic, tomato juice, roasted red pepper, chopped onion, cucumber, olive oil and mayonnaise into a food processor or blender.

2. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and sugar. Whizz until smooth.

3. Dilute with water and chill, taste and correct the seasoning.

4. Serve the garnish in separate bowls. Guests help themselves, the soup should be thick with garnish.

5. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, on a very hot day and add an ice cube or two if you wish.

 

Summer salad

Combining fresh greens, soft-fried almond eggs and a refreshing, lemon vinaigrette with a hint of mustard, this summertime salad packs a punch of flavour

Course

 Imported

Cuisine

 Traditional

Ingredients

• For the almond soft-fried eggs:

• 6 eggs

• ¾ cup Panko style breadcrumbs

• ½ cup finely ground almonds

• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 2 eggs, beaten

• ¼ cup flour

• ½ tsp kosher salt

• ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• vegetable oil, for frying

• 3 cups mixed micro or baby greens — rocket, beet shoots, kale

• 1 cup mixed herbs — parsley, tarragon, chervil, thyme, mint, coriander, chives

• ½ cup shelled and roasted pistachios

• ¼ cup olive oil

• salt

• pepper

• For the lemon vinaigrette (use 1/8 cup):

• ¼ cup lemon juice

• ½ tsp Dijon mustard

• ½ cup olive oil

• For the lemon oil (use ¼ cup):

• 1 tsp canola oil

• 4 pieces lemon zest

• ¼ bunch lemon thyme

• ¼ stick lemongrass

Method

1. To make the lemon oil, in a medium saucepan combine all ingredients. Place over a very low heat for 1 hour. Do not let the oil boil. Remove from the heat, cool and strain. refrigerate until ready to use.

2. To make the vinaigrette, in a medium bowl combine mustard and lemon juice. Slowly whisk in lemon oil and olive oil. Season to taste, and set aside to make the eggs.

3. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, gently add the eggs and cook for 6 minutes. Immediately remove the eggs and immerse in a bowl of ice water until cold: carefully peel and set aside.

4. In the first of three medium bowls, combine the Panko, almonds, parmesan, salt and pepper. In the second bowl, whip the eggs until smooth; in the third bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper.

5. To coat the eggs; first roll the cold, soft cooked eggs in the flour, shaking to remove any excess.

6. Dip the eggs in the beaten egg mixture, then in the crumb mixture, rolling until completely coated.

7. Repeat with a second coating of beaten egg and crumb mixture. Using your hands, press the crumb mixture around the eggs to secure the coating. You can prepare the eggs to this stage and store refrigerated for up to 4 hours.

8. To cook the coated eggs; heat about 3 inches of oil to 175°C in a medium saucepan. Carefully add the eggs and cook, turning, until golden brown and heated through, about 2 minutes. 

9. In a large bowl, toss together the baby fennel, pistachios, greens and herbs. Add lemon vinaigrette to taste and season with salt and pepper.

10. Divide salad into individual bowls and top with immediaetly with the eggs
    This recipe is from From Dan Barber at Blue Hill at Stone Barns

 

Easy Peanut Noodle Salad

Quick, easy - and suitable for vegetarians (with honey) and vegans (with maple syrup)

Servings

1

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Asian

Ingredients

• 1 nest of rice or egg noodles

• 1 tsp peanut butter (crunchy or smooth, according to your preference)

• Juice of ½ lime

• ¼ tsp sriracha

• ¼ tsp soy sauce

• ¼ tsp maple syrup or honey

• Peanuts or toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)

• ½ bag of shop-bought stir fry vegetables or 1 scallion, finely chopped

Method

1. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and refresh immediately in cold water to stop the cooking process.

2. While the noodles are cooking, stir together the peanut butter, lime juice, sriracha, soy sauce and maple syrup or honey. If the sauce is very thick, loosen with a few drops of cold water until it is thin enough to drop off the spoon.

3. Stir the sauce through the noodles and the vegetables, adding peanuts or pumpkin seeds if using.

4. Note: Peanuts or seeds will add protein to this lunch so if you are not using them, consider shredding in some leftover roast chicken or cooked tofu to your salad to keep you sated for longer.