A Zesty Summer Food Fiesta
There is no better way to make use of the balmy weather than with these super easy, healthy and easy-on-the-eye recipes! Perfect for an alfresco lunch or dinner under the stars with friends and family, this is the time to make the most of seasonal ingredients that are bursting with colour and flavour – adding a fantastic zing to any table. Enjoy these delicious summer food recipes!
White Bean Hummus
Served with mango, chilli carrots and grilled ciabatta
1 tin white kidney beans
4 tablespoons quality Tahini
1 clove garlic
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
½ red onion
Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth.
Serve with thinly sliced red onion on toasted ciabatta.
Carrots
Baby carrots
Chilli and mango balsamic glaze
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Toss the scrubbed baby carrots (keep the ends on) in a heated pan with some olive oil. When the carrots start to cook, add the balsamic glaze and toss until coated and caramelised.
Tomato Tarte Tatin
1 kg of ripe tomatoes – room temperature
Olive oil and butter
1 packet of good quality puff pastry
Red wine vinegar
Brown sugar
Fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
Half the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds
Put the skin-side down and cook in the butter and olive oil until slightly soft and charred at the bottom
Scoop out and place in a ceramic baking dish with the skin at the bottom
In the pan, caramelise the pan juices with the red wine vinegar and sugar until you hit that umami note!
Pour over the tomatoes
Sprinkle with fresh basil and cover with the puff pastry to form a lid
Bake for 20 minutes until brown and fluffy
Leave the tart to stand for about ten minutes and then invert onto a serving dish.
Serve with fresh basil leaves and tzatziki.
Serve with store-bought tzatziki.
Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus and Feta Salad with Orange Vinaigrette
Four good sized Kara sweet potatoes
16 spears of fresh, green asparagus
1 pack of rocket
1 avocado
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 rings of Danish feta
Handful of walnuts
Olive oil
Method
Roast the sweet potatoes in a very hot oven with olive oil, salt and pepper
Grill the asparagus in a very hot griddle until tender but not soft
Place the rocket at the bottom of your serving plate
Place the cooled sweet potato and asparagus on top
Add the avocado
Slice one red onion extremely thin and place on top of the ingredients
Break the feta into smaller pieces and place on top of the salad with the walnuts
Orange Vinaigrette
Method
In a bottle, mix the following until a smooth consistency:
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
¼ fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic – crushed
1 tablespoon good honey
1 tablespoon good mild mustard
A good glug (you decide) of olive oil
Season to taste
Leave overnight if possible.
Fail-Proof Pavlova
Served with berries and nuts
Ingredients
Meringue
4 egg whites
250g caster sugar
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
500g strawberries, hulled and halved
100g redcurrants, stalks removed
100g blackberries
3 tbsp icing sugar
350ml double cream
Method
Heat oven to 150 degrees Celsius
Whisk 4 egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in 250g caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the meringue looks glossy.
Whisk in 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon cornflour and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Spread the meringue mixture in the desired shape on a baking sheet
Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool completely inside the oven.
Top the meringue base with whipped cream and decorate with chopped berries and nuts of your choice and sprinkle with icing sugar for a perfect finish!
By Maryke Foulds
Maryke Foulds is an avid foody and alfresco evangelist. She is fortunate enough that her daytime job as a B2B editor and weekend obsession with good and healthy food compliments each other. For her, balance can be found somewhere between her kitchen and her keyboard.
