*This is a paid partnership with Stella Artois*
While to some, the thought of packing your food up into a container, hauling it to the nearest – delete as appropriate – garden, park, deck or beach and spending a good proportion of your time swatting away infuriatingly persistent wasps or flies (or in my case a very naughty whippet) might sound like a recipe for disaster, even this relatively no-frills version of a picnic fills me with boundless joy. For me, there are few more luxurious ways to spend a few hours than sprawled out on a blanket, in the midst of nature, eating and drinking with friends. I often wonder whether this love of a picnic comes from my innate greed as an eater – after all, there are few meals where it’s acceptable, or possible even, to pick continually at the food for hours on end, but that, for me, is the whole point of debunking to the great outdoors with more food than you can feasibly carry.
Anyone who knows me, knows that when it comes to picnicking, I love to go the extra mile – making an assortment of food from scratch – though of course there’s something to be said for the sub category of ‘impromptu picnicking’, which involves spur-of-the-moment throwing together of shop-bought ingredients and booze, often after work, on the nearest patch of grass you can find. But when I’ve really planned a picnic, and when the weather holds out, I like to lay on a proper spread, and – call me sad guys – but I’ll often prep the day before to get it all ready.
If there’s time, I’ll include some riff on a Scotch egg, my favourite current situation involving sausage meat spiked with ginger, fish sauce and chilli, and accompanied by a homemade ketchup laced with the hot, umami thwack of gochujang (a wonderfully rich, fermented Korean chilli paste); and a savoury tart, pie or quiche of some kind or another – because surely these were designed for exactly the purposes outlined above? There’ll also be salads a-plenty (and I include new potatoes tossed with mayonnaise in that category), lots of ripe stone fruit, because it’s summer guys (!), oozy cheeses and some kind of cold roast chicken dish. Five crucial things I’ve learned in my years of picnicking:
1. Buy beautiful ingredients in the first place and half the work is done – you can often assemble some kind of salad from a mix of seasonal vegetables and fruit, good quality cured meats, olive oil and cheeses
2. Tarts, quiches and pies always go down a storm and are easy to carry and eat
3. Transport vinaigrettes, sauces and dips in jam jars
4. A cool bag filled with ice and freezer blocks is absolutely a pain to carry, but everyone (including yourself) will love you for the cold beverages that will effortlessly appear from it
5. Bring more kitchen towel than you think you’ll need, and carry bin bags for the clean up
Anyway, you get the picture – when it comes to picnics, I’m here for it, I’m keen as the mustard I slather onto my ham and butter baguette. So, when Stella Artois approached me to create some recipes for a ‘picnic parfait’ or perfect picnic, I was pretty made up. I’ve come up with an assortment of recipes inspired by continental and further flung flavours, that cover the bases in terms of my favourite picnic foods and are guaranteed to elevate your own al fresco gathering. There are a lot of bold flavours going on (you know me) and the unique Saaz Hops in Stella Artois really stands up to them, working particularly well with the fatty meat in the Scotch egg and the richness of the crab and Comte tart. I really hope you’ll enjoy making these and celebrating enjoying the summer with a group of hungry friends.
A perfect picnic
For the Peach, burrata and pickled fennel salad with savoury granola (GF)
6 ripe peaches or nectarines, halved and stones removed
2-3 balls of burrata
Tbsp pickled green chillies (optional)
2-3 tbsp of the savoury granola
3-4 tbsp Pickled fennel, drained
A handful of basil, leaves picked
Extra virgin olive oil
For the savoury granola
80g gluten free oats
40g buckwheat oats
100g hazelnuts, chopped
60g pumpkin seeds
10g white sesame seeds
1 tbsp mixed whole spices (coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin)
1/2 tsp dried red chilli flakes or crushed pink peppercorns
1 tsp sea salt
2 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
Tsp runny honey or maple syrup
3 tbsp rapeseed or melted coconut oil
For the pickled fennel
I bulb fennel, core removed and very finely sliced using a mandolin or the shave setting of a food processor
Lemon juice
50ml water
10g sugar
Tsp sea salt
Pinch of Fennel seeds
Grilled chicken with French beans and anchovy vinaigrette and herbed jersey potato salad
For the chicken marinade
150ml olive oil
Good pinch sea salt
3 sprigs thyme
Zest of one lemon
4 garlic cloves
2 anchovies
Tbsp Worcester sauce
Good grinding of white pepper
Pinch of fennel seeds
2 large, organic chicken breast supremes, skin and bone on
For the French bean vinaigrette
400g French beans
Vinaigrette
1 garlic clove, chopped to a purée
1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
Pinch of sea salt
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
50ml olive oil
Tsp Dijon mustard
6 anchovy fillets, chopped
For the herbed jersey potato salad – this can be made ahead before you cook the chicken
500g cooked jersey potatoes
2 tbsp good quality mayo
1 tbsp natural yoghurt or sour cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard (leave out if gluten free)
A handful of soft herbs (I like a mix of tarragon, chervil, flat leaf parsley and chives)
Ginger and coriander spiked Scotch eggs with Gochujang ketchup
Makes 6
600g sausage meat
Tsp garlic granules
Tsp onion granules
Tbsp coriander stems, finely chopped
1 tsp black mustard seeds
Pinch of fennel seeds
Thumb of fresh ginger, finely grated
Pinch of dried red chilli flakes
Tbsp fish sauce
Pinch of dried thyme
White pepper
2 tsp brown sugar
6 medium organic eggs
For the coating
180g panko breadcrumbs
10g black sesame seeds
100g plain flour
Plus 2 eggs whisked with 30ml milk for the pan
For the ketchup
Olive oil
1 red onion
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp gochujang
2 tsp cider or rice wine vinegar
Black sesame seeds, to garnish
For frying the eggs
800ml – 1lr of any neutral oil
Beetroot, carrot and cumin fritters with sour cream and smoked salmon
Makes 4
2 medium or 1 large beetroot (raw), peeled and julienned
1 large carrot, julienned
1/2 white onion, finely sliced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 .5 tbsp self-raising flour
1 egg
30ml milk
Tbsp chopped dill
2 tbsp rapeseed oil, clarified butter or ghee
To serve
2tbsp sour cream
Lumpfish or salmon roe
100g smoked salmon
A sprig of dill, leaves picked
For the Peach, burrata and pickled fennel salad with savoury granola (GF)
First make your savoury granola. You will end up with more than you need but you will thank yourself later – this stuff is like gold dust and you can use it to add crunch to salads, braises or as a topping for open sandwiches, soups, stews – the possibilities are endless!
Heat the oven to 180 fan. In a large bowl thoroughly combine all of the ingredients. Line a large roasting tin or baking tray with baking paper and pour the contents of the bowl into it. Spread the granola out in a flat, even layer and roast for 20 mins, until crispy and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then pour into a sealable jar or container and keep for up to three weeks.
To make the pickled fennel, pour the lemon juice, water, sugar, salt and fennel seeds into a small non-reactive saucepan. Gently bring to the boil and then pour over fennel. Allow to sit for a minimum of 30 mins, until the fennel tastes pickled, and keep it in the lemon until you make the salad. This step can be done ahead of time.
Depending on how ripe your peaches are, you might want to slightly caramelise them in a frying pan with a little olive oil and butter. If they are really ripe this isn’t necessary, but I like to do it if I have time to bring out the sugars. To assemble the salad, find a nice serving plate or platter and gently tear the burrata up onto it. If using pickled chillies, scatter these amidst the burrata and then drain the pickled fennel and strew it over the cheese. Top with the peach halves and scatter over the savoury granola. Top with the basil leaves and drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil.
To make the grilled chicken with French beans and anchovy vinaigrette and herbed jersey potato salad
First you need to marinade your chicken. I like to do this overnight, but you can do it for a minimum of three hours if you’re short on time. Pour all of the marinade ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Place your chicken breasts in a bowl or container and cover with the marinade, using your hands to spread it all over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate, turning the chicken in the marinade when you remember, until ready to cook.
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you want to cook it to help it come up to room temperature. Heat the oven to 175 fan. Remove the breasts from the marinade, allowing any excess to drip off.
Place a large, ovenproof non-stick frying pan or cast-iron skillet over the lowest heat and place the chicken breasts, skin side down in the pan. When the skin starts to sizzle, gently turn the heat up to medium high and cook, skin side down for 10 mins, until golden and caramelised, then turn the breasts over and place the skillet in the oven. Roast for 15-18 mins – or until a meat thermometer registers 70 degrees C when inserted into the thickest part of the breast. Leave to rest for at least ten minutes, then thickly slice and serve with the potato salad and dressed beans.
For the potato salad (this can be made ahead before you cook the chicken)
In a bowl, mix the mayonnaise, yoghurt or sour cream and mustard, if using. Toss the potatoes into the mixture and season. Chop the herbs and chives (leaving some small, pretty leaves whole for garnish) and scatter them over, then lightly toss to coat.
For the French beans:
For the beans, combine all the ingredients for the vinaigrette apart from the anchovies in a jar and shake until emulsified. Add in the anchovies and stir. Season to taste. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanche the beans for three or so mins, until tender. Drain into a large bowl and while still hot, pour over the dressing and toss to coat. You can serve this salad at room temperature.
Ginger and coriander spiked Scotch eggs with Gochujang ketchup
Bring a medium sized pan of water to the boil and gently lower in the eggs with a spoon. Cook for six minutes on a rolling boil, then plunge immediately into cold water, refreshing the water or running under a cold tap until they are cool. Peel carefully and set aside.
In a bowl combine the sausage meat with all of the other ingredients and use your hands to really combine it well, until all of the flavours are evenly distributed.
Crack the egg into a bowl and whisk with the milk. Put the flour in another bowl and the breadcrumbs in another bowl with the sesame seeds.
Divide your sausage meat mix into six equal balls (you can weigh them to be precise if you like), then flatten them down into patties. Take an egg, dip it in the flour and then take a patty in one hand and lightly press the egg into it. wrap the patty around it, cupping it with your hands to enclose the egg, being careful to seal it by pressing the meat together so there are no gaps. Dip the meat covered egg into the egg wash, and then into the panko, turning it to coat it thoroughly in the crumbs. Now dip the crumbed egg back into the egg wash, again coating it all over, and then back into the crumbs for another coat. Place on a plate and repeat with the other eggs.
Put a large, sturdy saucepan over a medium heat, and gently heat the oil until a breadcrumb thrown in sizzles. Now, working in pairs, lower the eggs into the oil and cook for ten to twelve minutes, moving them around in the oil with a long spoon until they are golden all over and a meat thermometer registers 70 degrees when poked into the meat. Drain on kitchen paper and repeat with the other eggs.
Beetroot, carrot and cumin fritters with sour cream and smoked salmon
Combine the beetroot, carrot and onion with a good pinch of salt and toss to combine. Allow to sit for 30 mins to release its moisture then squeeze the mix in kitchen towel to release the moisture. Now place back in the bowl and add the cumin seeds and season. Whisk the flour and egg to a smooth batter and pour over the veg, tossing to coat thoroughly. Heat the oil over a medium to high heat, until a breadcrumb thrown in sizzles. Add two dessert spoons of the mixture and flatten with the back of a spoon. Cook for a couple of minutes on each side until crisp and cooked through, drain on kitchen paper and salt. Repeat with the rest of the mix – it should make four large fritters. Serve topped with sour cream, smoked salmon, roe and dill.