Seven crowd-pleasing spring recipes for a fabulous bank holiday feast

Little lamb cutlets are delicious griddled or barbecued because they are packed with flavour. Here they’re served with asparagus that can also be griddled over the coals. All the preparation can be done ahead and then it’s just a few minutes on the barbecue to create a stunning dish.

Makes: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

12-16 small lamb cutlets

Extra virgin olive oil

½ lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 asparagus spears

For the salsa verde:

1 tsp toasted, ground cumin seeds

Bunch mint, leaves only

Bunch basil, leaves only

Bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only

Bunch rocket

½ tbsp Dijon mustard

2 anchovies

½ tbsp capers

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

200ml extra virgin olive oil

For the horseradish cream:

2in fresh horseradish root, grated

1 tbsp of red wine vinegar

Pinch sea salt

180ml of creme fraîche

Method

To make the salsa verde: place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Pour in the oil slowly through the funnel at the top. You should have a sludgy, vibrant green sauce. Set aside until ready to use.

To make the horseradish cream: place the grated horseradish into a bowl and pour over the red wine vinegar. Season with salt. Stir in the creme fraîche and place in the fridge until ready to use.

Place a large pot of well-salted water on to boil. Trim the woody ends of the asparagus.

To make the lamb: lay the lamb cutlets on a board. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper and brush with oil.  Heat the barbecue or a griddle pan until smoking, and cook the cutlets 1-2 mins per side.

While the cutlets are cooking blanch the asparagus by dropping it into the boiling, well-salted water. Cook for 40 seconds – it should still have a nice bite. Alternatively, griddle on the barbecue alongside the meat.

Remove the cutlets from the grill and squeeze over the lemon juice. Let rest for a few minutes to allow the meat to relax.

To serve: This is a real star of a dish so invest in the prep so you can simply griddle the lamb and serve on the day.

Arrange the cutlets and asparagus on a serving plate, spoon over the salsa verde and serve the horseradish cream alongside.

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This chargrilled chicken recipe, which is cooked over a griddle or BBQ is packed full of flavour. The marinating process helps pack in flavour and moisture to the meat.

Ingredients:

2 chicken legs, skin on

4 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for grilling

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp sumac

1 lemon, zested and then cut into halves

2 baby courgettes, cut into strips lengthways

200g baby peppers

2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges

Rosemary, a few sprigs

A pinch of Smoked Maldon Salt

To serve:

Toasted pitta breads

Method:

1. In a bowl mix together the olive oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, sumac and lemon zest. Season well with Maldon Salt and cracked black pepper. Add the chicken legs and thighs to the bowl and mix well, massaging the marinade into the meat to ensure it is evenly coated. Leave to marinade for 2 hours or can be done ahead of this (the day before for example).

2. When you are ready to cook the chicken, heat the BBQ or a griddle pan. When hot, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes on each side – you want to achieve nice, charred caramelisation to the meat. Once the meat is cooked, remove from the heat and leave covered to rest. Toss the vegetables in a little more oil and then add to the pan. The courgette only needs a couple of minutes each side, but the onions and peppers need a little more – 3 minutes each side, until soft, tender and deliciously golden. Remove and set aside.

3. Finally add the lemon halves to the griddle pan and allow them to char slightly on the hot pan. Garnish the chicken and vegetables with rosemary, squeeze over the warm charred lemon and season with a final pinch of Maldon Salt and some cracked black pepper. Serve alongside warm, toasted pitta bread.

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With all the flavours of the summer, these juicy prawns drizzled in butter and topped with fresh herbs and leaves make an impressive centrepiece without being difficult to make. It can be prepared ahead leaving you to relax and enjoy a glass of wine with your guests. Served with crusty bread that can be griddled on the barbecue for a smoky flavour – they’re a real showstopper dish for outdoor entertaining.

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

2kg fresh raw prawns

100g unsalted butter

1 tsp of dried red chilli, crumbled finely

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped

Juice of one lemon

1 tbsp of dry sherry (fino)

Leaves of radicchio

Crusty bread, torn or thickly sliced

Method

1. Start by peeling the prawns, discard the shell but reserve the heads. Place a large, heavy pan over a medium to low heat. When warm add the butter and allow to melt.

2. Once the butter is melted and beginning to foam add the prawn heads. When they are bright red squeeze the juice from the heads into the pan (the easiest way to do this is by using tongs).

3. Remove the heads and discard. You will be left with a beautiful, flavourful sauce that will really enhance the flavour of the final dish. Add the chilli and garlic, reduce the heat slightly and cook for 30 seconds or so, being careful that the garlic does not burn.

4. Add the prawns and cook for 1 minute or until just translucent.

5. Squeeze over the lemon juice, add the sherry and parsley and stir well to combine.

6. Finally add the radicchio.

7. Meanwhile, griddle on the barbecue or lightly toast chunks of the bread until slightly charred/browned.

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Ingredients:

200g unsalted butter, softened

2 tbsp harissa

Small handful of coriander finely chopped

Pinch Maldon smoked salt

5 corn on the cob

Method:

1. In a small bowl prepare the flavoured butter by mixing together the softened butter, harissa, chopped coriander and Maldon smoked salt.

2. Heat up the BBQ or alternatively you can use a griddle pan. Use a pastry brush to cover the corn with the butter and then place them onto the BBQ and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until the corn is bright yellow and cooked, with charred areas.

3. Once the corn is cooked, brush with a little extra of the butter and a final sprinkling of Maldon smoked salt – serve straight away.

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Food writer Jenny Chandler’s courgettini, pistatchio and wheat berry salad is perfect barbecue fare as it works just as well with fish or halloumi as it does with meat. It keeps brilliantly for a lunchbox the next day, too.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

200g wheat berries (whole wheat grains)

100g sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 tbsp capers

50g green olives, roughly chopped

1 lemon, zest and juice

100ml extra virgin olive oil

2 courgettes, preferably 1 yellow, 1 green

1 clove of garlic, whole but crushed

½ red onion, finely sliced

50g pistachio nuts

A good handful of mint leaves, ripped

Plenty of black pepper and salt to taste

Method:

1. Simmer the wheat berries in plenty of lightly salted water for about 45 minutes, or until they are tender (soaking for a couple of hours beforehand will speed up the process and is said to aid digestion too).

2. Drain the wheat berries and pour them into a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, capers, olives, half of the lemon zest and juice and about half of the oil. Give everything a good stir and leave the flavours to marry while you prepare the courgettes.

3. Spiralise the courgettes, or, if you haven’t fallen for that trend just yet, slice into ribbons using a vegetable peeler.

4. Warm the remaining oil in a large frying pan and throw in the garlic and red onion. Once the garlic gilds and smells divine, remove it from the pan (it will have infused the oil – you can always use it in another dish). Add the courgettes and toss them in the hot oil over the heat for a matter of seconds until they are covered in the oil.

5. Add the courgettes, onions and oil to the wheat berry salad, sprinkle over the pistachios, mint and season carefully (keeping in mind that the tomatoes, capers and olives are quite salty) with salt, pepper and the remaining lemon juice and zest. Serve while warm, if possible.

Alternative: Substitute the wheat berries with pearled barley, freekeh, bulghur wheat or couscous.

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A little more adventurous, Chandler’s charred octopus, piquillo pepper and butter bean salad is inspired by Spanish flavours. Get everything ready in advance, leaving just the charring of the octopus until the last minute for a showstopper (long, slow cooking will ensure it stays tender).

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

About 1-1½kg cleaned octopus

1-2 red chillies, sliced in half

4 cloves of garlic, whole but crushed

1 large bunch of continental parsley

½ tsp salt

150ml extra virgin olive oil

1 x 660g jar of butter beans, drained

6 piquillo peppers (about 100g), sliced

2 lemons, cut into segments

Method:

1. Freezing the octopus will help tenderise the flesh, but be sure that it is completely thawed before cooking. Cut the tentacles off the octopus just below the eyes and then cut the head away from just above. Throw away the eye section and push your little finger through the centre of the tentacles to remove the little thorn-like beak.

2. Take a small saucepan and pack in the octopus’s head and tentacles with the chillies, garlic, parsley stalks (keeping the leaves for the salad), salt and the olive oil. The octopus should be almost covered by oil. Cover and place the pan on a really gentle heat, just a low simmer, for anything between 30 minutes and 1 hour, until the flesh is tender when prodded with a fork.

3. Meanwhile, pour the beans onto a large serving dish and sprinkle with the sliced peppers and parsley leaves.

4. Once the octopus is ready, strain the fabulous hot juices over the bean salad. Taste and adjust with salt and lemon juice if required. You can refrigerate both the salad and octopus now, but be sure to eat it at room temperature.

5. Just before serving, heat up a ridged griddle or use a barbecue to sear the octopus for a couple of secs until it begins to char. Place on top of the salad with the lemon wedges and dig in.

Alternative: This salad would work wonderfully well with squid or cuttlefish, which will take just seconds to cook from raw on the griddle or barbie. Sear the translucent tubes and tentacles until they turn opaque.

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Food writer Kathy Slack’s cucumber and gin sorbet is a light, palate-cleansing dessert for a warm summer’s day.

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

300g caster sugar

40g liquid glucose

½ lemon, juiced

3 large cucumbers (600g in weight)

140ml gin

Method:

1. Put the sugar and glucose in a saucepan with 300ml of water. Set the pan over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.

2. Juice the cucumbers. If you have one, you can do this in a juicer. If not, roughly chop them then whizz in a blender to make a watery puree. Line a sieve with muslin and set it over a bowl, then tip the puree into the sieve and leave for a few minutes so the juice drips through to the bowl below. You can gather the muslin into a bag and give it a gentle squeeze to encourage any last drops. Either process should result in approximately 500ml of juice.

3. Mix the sugary liquid and the cucumber juice together. Add the gin and put it in the fridge to chill. Once chilled, churn in an ice cream maker then transfer to the freezer to set completely.