Sunday Lunch Summer Style

 Sunday was one of those rare days in England we all wait through the rain for. Not wanting to miss a moments sun, or the Wimbledon final I did a very quick stint in the kitchen making gazpacho with sourdough croutons (the amount of ingredients may be long but it is just a matter of whizzing it all together), feta, watermelon and mint salad and a bowl of prawns with lemon and mayonnaise.

The soup is an Ottolenghi recipe, who must be a genius because, as I was piling spinach, peppers and other supremely healthy things into the processor, I could only think how virtuous it was going to taste. However the flavours came together and miraculously it tasted great.

Green Gazpacho

Serves 6

To make the croutons cut 3 Slices Sourdough Bread into 2cm chunks, toss in olive oil and bake at 190˚C for 10 mins. Cool.

For the soup blitz together:

2 Celery Sticks (and leaves), chopped, 2 Green Peppers, chopped, 6 Mini Cucumbers weighing, 350g, peeled and chopped (I used 1 large), 3 Slices stale White Bread, 1 Fresh Green Chilli and 4 Garlic Cloves

Add and blitz:

1 Tsp Sugar, 150g Walnuts, lightly toasted, 200g Baby Spinich, 25g Basil Leaves, 10g Parsley, 4 Tbsp Sherry Vinegar, 225ml Olive Oil, 40g Greek Yoghurt, 450ml Water, 125g Ice Cubes and 2 Tbsp Salt

Serve over a few ice cubes and top with croutons and a drizzle of olive oil.

Beef and Herb Burgers with a Broad Bean, Mint and Feta Salad

 Sometimes burgers are just fresher without a bun. Whenever I make them I like to add any herbs that are in the garden along with salty things like chopped anchovies and capers to pack in flavour. The broad bean salad is a deliciously summery topping which pairs well with the dense meatiness of the burger. If a bun is needed, brioche would work well, the sweetness counteracting the saltiness.

To make 8 burgers

• Place 700g Lean Minced Beef in a large bowl and add 3 Tbsp Herbs, 2 Tbsp chopped Cornichons, 2 Tbsp chopped Capers, 1 Tbsp Ground Cumin, a few splashes of Worcestershire Sauce and 1 Egg, beaten.
• Mix well, season and mould into 6 patties with your hands. Chill for at least half an hour.
• Heat an oiled griddle pan until hot and fry the burgers for about 5 minutes on each side

For the Salad

• Pod a large bag of Broad Beans and cook in boiling water for 5 minutes.
• Slip the beans out of their skin and leave to cool.
• Combine with the juice of 1 Lemon, 2 Tbsp chopped Mint, a handful of crumbled Feta, 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Salt and Pepper. 

A sorbet for Wimbledon: Rose and Coconut

This is the strawberry and cream of sorbets – absolutely British and summery. It is very refreshing and the real roses that scent the syrup turn it a bright pink whilst the coconut softens it to more dusky hue.

Rose and Coconut Sorbet by Sophie Dahl

Serves 6

• Gently heat 115g Golden Caster Sugar in 600ml water until the sugar had dissolved.
• Increase the heat and boil for 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add the petals of 3 Organic Roses, washed, squashing them down with a spoon.
• Leave to steep overnight in a covered bowl.
• Strain the mixture through a sieve and discard the petals. Add 1tsp Glycerine, 1 juiced Lemon and 200ml Coconut Milk and stir. Taste and add a bit of Rose Water if needing more rosiness.
• Churn in an ice-cream maker and then freeze.