Midweek Meals: Five summer recipes ready in 45 minutes or less

From a summer salad to a Japanese rice and beef bowl — we have something for everyone this week

Salads, steak, fish and more.

Baked Trout with Lime & Garlic Butter

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This would pair deliciously with a hearty leafy green salad topped with nuts & seeds.

Servings

2

Preparation Time

 8 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 33 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter, softened

• juice and zest of ½ lime

• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• salt and pepper

• 2 x 100g trout steaks, pinboned

• Sweet potato mash , to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas 6.

2. Combine the butter, lime zest, parsley and garlic in a small bowl. Season, mix well and set aside.

3. Place the trout steaks on a sheet of foil. Make 2–3 incisions in each steak and stuff the incisions with the herb butter. Squeeze a little lime juice over each steak and seal the foil. Place the steaks in an ovenproof dish and bake for 10 minutes. Then open the foil and bake uncovered for 10–15 minutes, until the fish is cooked and the skin is nice and crispy.

4. Place the cooked steaks on warmed serving plates and squeeze over a little lime juice. Serve with sweet potato mash.

Summer steak salad

recipe by:Darina Allen

Deliciously fresh salad with avocado, cheese and vivid cherry tomatoes compliment tender strips of steak for a hearty, summery dish

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Starter

Ingredients

• 700-900g sirloin or fillet steak (at least 4.5cm thick)

• 1 red onion, pickled

• 8-10 sweet ripe cherry tomatoes

• 2 firm but ripe avocados

• 1 Romaine or 3 Little Gem lettuces

• extra virgin olive oil

• rocket and watercress sprigs

• 12 scallions or spring onions

• 110-175g mild blue cheese (Gorgonzola, Crozier Blue or St. Agur)

• Caesar dressing

Method

1. Season the steak generously on both sides with flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Cover and allow to sit at room temperature for at least an hour. Make the pickle red onions as per the recipe below.

2. Cut the Romaine into sixths lengthwise or the Little Gem into quarters. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half around the equator. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice.

3. Preheat a barbecue or a pan-grill on a high heat. Pat the steak dry with kitchen paper. Drizzle the steak with extra virgin olive oil. Sear the meat well on both sides and along the fat. Reduce the temperature and cook until medium rare. Transfer to a plate and allow to rest while you sear the Romaine or Little Gem on all sides. Clean the grill first, then drizzle the salad with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Sear the lettuce chunks on a high heat until nicely charred on all sides. Transfer to a serving plate. Scatter with rocket and watercress sprigs.

4. Toss the spring onions in a little extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and sear on the heat.

5. Cut the steak into 5mm thick slices across the grain. Scatter over the salad with the tomatoes, pickled red onions, avocado wedges, and crumbled blue cheese. Finely chop with charred spring onions and scatter over the salad along with some flaky sea salt and a few grinds of freshly cracked pepper. Serve with Caesar dressing and tuck in immediately while the steak is still warm.