Summer secrets

For the past few months I've been spending my weekends travelling round Britain, meeting producers, discovering traditional foods and finding inspiration for new recipes. I've tasted smoked fish from the Wye Valley, tarts in Bakewell, langoustines straight from the loch in Scotland, Stinking Bishop cheese in Gloucestershire and the dream combination of Goosnargh cakes (which are more like caraway seed biscuits) and Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire. I've discovered that many of these local delicacies aren't appreciated locally. When I offered to buy Charles Martell, the cheesemaker responsible for Stinking Bishop, a pint and a sample of his cheese in a local pub, he replied: "You won't find it for miles." And in Scotland, it's still not easy to find langoustine on a menu.

For the past few months I've been spending my weekends travelling round Britain, meeting producers, discovering traditional foods and finding inspiration for new recipes. I've tasted smoked fish from the Wye Valley, tarts in Bakewell, langoustines straight from the loch in Scotland, Stinking Bishop cheese in Gloucestershire and the dream combination of Goosnargh cakes (which are more like caraway seed biscuits) and Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire. I've discovered that many of these local delicacies aren't appreciated locally. When I offered to buy Charles Martell, the cheesemaker responsible for Stinking Bishop, a pint and a sample of his cheese in a local pub, he replied: "You won't find it for miles." And in Scotland, it's still not easy to find langoustine on a menu.

I haven't been dining in restaurants, I've been eating on the hoof. I've got into the habit of keeping some basic barbecue kit and a cool bag in the boot of the car. We fried elvers on the banks of the Wye, boiled wild sea kale in sea water in Southwold, and ate hot, young hop shoots with butter.

But you can't always count on doing your cooking out of doors. My research has made me realise that some of our best traditional foods are portable and could have been designed for picnics. Cornish pasties, for example, in their thick pastry crust, kept warm until it was time for farm labourers to stop for lunch. Melton Mowbrays were tucked in huntsmen's pockets to keep them going. My travels have inspired me to come up with a thoroughly British picnic. It takes a bit of preparation, but when you've got everything ready you can pack it up to eat on the beach, by a river, or in the safety of your garden, ready to dash indoors when the heavens open.

Asparagus with tarragon mayonnaise

Serves 4-6

There is still a bit of English asparagus around, and, eaten without any cutlery, it's a perfect and simple treat for a picnic. If your asparagus is thin (sprue) to medium then there is no need to peel it; just cut the woody ends away. If it's very thick cut the woody stalks away and peel the stems starting about 3-4cm below the tip. At home I seldom bother peeling asparagus.

500-600g asparagus, trimmed

for the tarragon mayonnaise

1 egg yolk
1tsp white wine vinegar
1/2tsp English mustard
1tsp Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt
Freshly ground white pepper
50ml olive oil mixed with 100ml vegetable oil
Squeeze of lemon juice (optional)
1/2tbsp chopped tarragon leaves

Put the egg yolks, vinegar, mustards and salt and pepper into a stainless steel or glass bowl on a damp cloth to stop it slipping. Mix well with a whisk, then gradually trickle the oils into the bowl, whisking continuously. If the mayonnaise is getting too thick add a few drops of water and continue whisking the oil. When the oil is all incorporated taste, re-season if necessary and add a little lemon juice. Put the tarragon into a pan with a couple of tablespoons of water and simmer for a minute or so until the liquid evaporates, leave to cool and stir the herb into the mayonnaise.

Meanwhile cook the asparagus in boiling salted water for 4-6 minutes, depending on the thickness until tender, then drain and refresh briefly under cold water. Picnickers can dip their asparagus spears into a shared bowl of the mayonnaise. If you're eating off plates at home you could serve out the mayonnaise.

Smoked trout, chicory and watercress salad

Serves 4-6

Like most hot-smoked fish, smoked trout can be really good, especially if you buy direct from a good smokehouse or supplier. If you fish for trout yourself you should consider investing in one of those handy little smokers that camping, fishing and even some kitchen shops now sell.

2 x 400-500g smoked trout, skinned and boned
2 medium-sized heads of chicory or Belgium endive, trimmed and leaves separated
60-70g watercress
2-3 spring onions, trimmed and chopped

for the dressing

1tsp freshly grated horseradish
1tsp Dijon mustard
1tbsp cider vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
2tbsp olive oil
2tbsp vegetable or corn oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

If you're taking this on a picnic bring the ingredients separately; a salad is always better tossed with the dressing and served at the last minute. Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients together or by shaking them in a bottle. To serve, flake the trout into large chunks into a bowl with the chicory and watercress, season and toss together.

New potato and chive salad

Serves 4-6

At this time of year we have a great selection of new potatoes, from Jersey Royals - although they are almost finished now - to nice earthy Cornish new potatoes. As a change from mayonnaise, dress the potatoes while they're still warm in a simple vinaigrette. If possible, for an earthier flavour, don't refrigerate the salad.

500g new potatoes, cooked in their skins
2tbsp chives, chopped
3-4tbsp olive oil
1/2tbsp white wine vinegar
1tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the oil, vinegar and mustard together. Pour into the bowl you're using for the salad and toss the potatoes and the chives in it. Season as you like.

Beetroot salad

Serves 4-6

This is like a cross between a relish and a salad. It's easy to make and what's more, like the pie, you can make it up to a week before and keep it stored in a Kilner-type jar until you need it. It will go with most picnic foods from pies to cheese and if it's not used up you can take it home in the jar.

2 medium beetroots weighing about 400g, cooked and peeled
1 medium red onion, peeled and finely chopped
60ml balsamic vinegar
60ml water
1tsp chopped thyme leaves
100ml olive oil
2tsp grain mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the red onions in a pan with the vinegar, water and thyme, bring to the boil and simmer very gently for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile dice the beetroot into rough 11/2-2cm cubes then mix with the onion mixture, olive oil and mustard, and season. Keep in a sterilised Kilner-type jar for up to a week.

Cold chicken and ham pie

Serves 8-10

Traditional pies make the perfect picnic food, and if you make your own large pie everyone gets a slice with lots of filling and less pastry than the individual pies. If you're not a confident cook they can seem tricky to make, but believe me, they're no harder than most desserts. Once you've made a pie like this a couple of times you can adapt the filling according to your preference and what you have to hand, using ingredients such as veal and ham, layers of mushrooms or at Christmas time turkey, ham and cranberry.

For this you'll need to cook a ham hock or ham joint. To do this soak the joint overnight in water if necessary then cover with water in a pan. Add a few sprigs of thyme, a bay leaf, 1 or 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered, a couple of sticks of celery and a pinch of peppercorns. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 hours or so until the ham is tender. Check to see if the water needs topping up. Remove the ham from the liquid and leave to cool. Keep the stock.

450g home-cooked ham (see above)
450g boned weight of chicken thighs, skinned
4tbsp chopped parsley
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 gelatine leaves

for the hot-water crust

150ml water
130g lard
375g plain flour
1/2tsp salt
1 small egg, beaten

Gently cook the onion in the olive oil with a lid on for 3-4 minutes until soft. Finely chop or mince a fifth of the chicken thighs and the ham (you can also do this in a food processor) and mix with the chopped onions and parsley, and season.

Slice the ham into rough 1/2-3/4cm slices. Put the chicken thighs between 2 sheets of clingfilm and bat them out with a rolling pin or meat bat to roughly the same thickness as the ham and lightly season them.

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6.

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Bring the water and lard to the boil in a saucepan then stir it into the flour with a wooden spoon to form a smooth dough. Leave the dough covered for about 15 minutes or so until it is cooler, less sticky and easier to handle.

You will need a deep flan ring measuring 18-20cm x about 5cm deep or a similar sized removable-bottomed cake tin. Lightly grease the flan ring and line the bottom with a disc of lightly greased silicone or greaseproof paper. Place it on a baking tray, lined with another piece of lightly greased silicone or greaseproof paper slightly larger than the flan ring.

Take two thirds of the dough and on a lightly floured table roll it into a circle about 1/2cm thick and about 25-26cm across, so it is large enough to line the flan ring and overlap the edge by a centimetre or so. Making sure there are no holes in the pastry, place the dough into the flan ring, carefully press into the corners and allow it to just hang over the edge. Roll the remaining dough into a circle just large enough for the top and cut a 2cm hole in the centre.

Cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of ham, breaking it into pieces to fill the gaps, then a layer of chicken, again breaking or cutting it to fill the gaps. Follow this with all the chopped chicken and ham mixture, pressing it down firmly. Top with a final layer of ham then chicken and carefully lay the pastry on top.

Trim the edges of the pastry with a knife and pinch the base and top pastry edges together with your forefinger and thumb to make a good join. You can decorate the top and edges if you like.

Brush the top of the pie all over with the beaten egg and cook for 45 minutes. If it is colouring too much, cover with foil and turn f the oven down. Remove the ring and brush the sides and top again with egg before baking for a further 15 minutes until nicely coloured. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once the pie is cold refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Meanwhile measure 300ml of the reserved ham stock, soak the gelatine leaves in cold water until they soften and squeeze out the excess water. Heat about 60ml of the stock in a saucepan and stir in the gelatine until it's dissolved then stir that into the rest of the stock. Leave to cool but do not let it set.

Once the pie is cold, check around the pastry for any holes and fill them with a little softened butter so that the jelly doesn't escape. Pour about a third of the stock into the round hole in the top of the pastry a little at a time in case there are any more holes. Return the pie to the fridge for 15 minutes. Repeat with the rest of the jelly until it's used up.

The pie will keep for about a week in the fridge, so it's not necessary to rush around the day before. To make the most dramatic impression take the whole pie on a picnic, and cut it up there. Serve cold with Cumberland sauce, piccalilli or your favourite chutney.

Cumberland sauce

Makes about 500ml

This sauce was supposedly named after the Duke of Cumberland, the brother of George IV, and was made popular by the chef Auguste Escoffier. You can make and store this in Kilner jars and serve it with cold meats, pâté or the hand raised pie above. It also goes particularly well with game, hot or cold.

225g redcurrant jelly
200ml port
2 oranges
2 lemons
1/2tbsp English mustard
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
A good pinch of ground mace
50ml cider vinegar

Peel the zest off the oranges and lemons with a potato peeler or knife and shred finely with a sharp knife. Put it in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to the boil then strain and refresh under a cold tap. Squeeze and strain the juice of both lemons and oranges and put into a non-reactive saucepan with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 15 minutes, stirring every so often. Add the shredded zest and simmer for another 10 minutes. Skim any scum off the top, leave to cool and refrigerate until set.

Gooseberry and elderflower trifle

Serves 4-6

Elderflowers and gooseberries are one of those perfect marriages of flavour. They're in season at the same time too. There should be some gooseberries in the shops now and depending what part of the country you're in there could be elderflowers blossoming. But of course it's easy to buy elderflower cordial. You could also buy a good quality custard if you want to take another short cut.

250g gooseberries
250g sugar
50g sponge cake

for the jelly

150ml water
70ml elderflower cordial
100g caster sugar
3 sheets leaf gelatine
75ml Sauternes or a good dessert wine

for the custard

Half a vanilla pod
300ml single cream
5 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
2 teaspoons cornflour

for the topping

250ml double cream
60g caster sugar
2tbsp elderflower cordial
Juice of half a lemon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
20g cooked meringue, crushed

Put the gooseberries in a pan with the sugar and a couple of tablespoons of water and cook on a low heat, stirring every so often, until they begin to soften. Turn up the heat and continue cooking for 10-12 minutes until they have broken down to a jam-like consistency. Leave to cool.

For the jelly, bring the water and cordial to the boil, add the sugar and stir until dissolved then remove from the heat. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for a minute or so until soft. Squeeze out the water, add to the syrup and stir until dissolved, then leave the jelly to cool but do not let it set.

Break the sponge into pieces and put into a glass (or, if you're planning to eat this outside, a clear plastic serving dish) and pour over the Sauternes. Spread about two thirds of the cooked gooseberries over the soaked sponge. Then pour over the cooled, but not set, jelly so it just covers the sponge and gooseberry. Put it in the fridge for an hour or so to set.

Meanwhile if you're not using good quality ready-made (not the yellowy cornflour type), make the custard. Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds with the point of a knife. Put the single cream, vanilla pod and seeds into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for about 10 minutes. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour together. Take out the vanilla pod and pour the cream on to the egg mixture and mix well with a whisk. Return to the pan and cook gently over a low heat for a few minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the custard thickens. Make sure it doesn't boil. Remove the custard from the heat and give it a final mix with a whisk. Transfer to a bowl, lay a sheet of clingfilm over the surface of the custard to prevent it forming a skin and leave to cool for about 30 minutes.

Once the jelly has set, spoon over the custard and leave to set for half an hour or so. Now prepare the topping. Put the double cream, sugar, elderflower, lemon juice and nutmeg into a bowl and carefully whisk until fairly firm (this won't take too long as the lemon juice thickens up the cream). Leave in the fridge until the custard has set.

To serve, spoon the cream mixture on top of the trifle. Distribute spoonfuls of the remaining gooseberry mixture over the cream and scatter the crushed meringue on top.