Alfresco season has arrived!

Here are some crowd-pleasing dishes I love to make on sunny days!

What is it about a sunny, warm day that makes food taste better? Alfresco season is here, and in my opinion, there is no better season. A cheeky BBQ after work? Absolutely. A picnic in the park with M&S picky bits? Nothing better!

The weather will be glorious in the UK this week, and I thought, what better time to share some of my favourite things to make/buy when we want to enjoy the sunshine by eating outside?

Rotisserie Chicken Caesar wedge salad.

Caesar salad always hits, no matter the time of year, but if you have friends and want to make something aesthetically beautiful but equally easy, this is a great thing to whip up.

Shopping List:

1x Whole Head of Romaine/Kos Lettuce
Parmesan
Croutons (homemade or shop-bought)
Chives
Caeser dressing (make your own or buy premade)
I use this homemade recipe, which is made with Greek yogurt, and I really love it!
Rottiserie Chicken

What to do:

Slice your romaine head in two, wash and dry
Place on a serving plate.
Pour over your dressing
Top with croutons, crunchy onions
Then, take your shredded Chicken and place it on top.
Add more sauce and lots of parm (finely grated or in slices with a thin peeler)
Finish with Chives

People can take a big slice for their plate and top up the sauce if they want it, because let's face it, dressings make a salad!

Cucumber, Watermelon and Mint Salad.

This salad is refreshing, easy to prepare, and looks beautiful and bright on any table. I also happen to think watermelon and feta are two of the best pairings in existence. Sweet and Salty supremacy!

Shopping List

Watermelon (whole or sliced, whatever suits you best)
Feta
Cucumber
Fresh Mint
White Vinegar
Olive Oil

What to do:

Use a peeler to make ribbons with the entire length of your cucumber
Lay the cucumber on top of the watermelon
Scatter with Feta
Thinly slice mint and garnish on top
Finish with an Olive Oil and White Balsamic Vinegar glaze (optional for some acid if you like it)

Crudité Serving Platter

If you can find an already-made Crudités platter in a supermarket, this requires zero work. Marks and Spencer does a great one. Add a bag of whole radish, a pot of guacamole, or a fancy dip in the centre (I love the Waitrose Shallot Dip or the Labneh from Marks and Spencer), dress the crudites around, and you will have a beautiful, easy-to-eat plate of food if you have guests over.

Roasted Grapes with whipped goat’s cheese

What you need:

1 punnet of red Grapes
Goats Cheese
Cream Cheese
Thyme
Toasted bread to serve
Honey for drizzling

What to do:

Add grapes to an oven dish
Add olive oil and thyme
Roast in the oven or the air fryer at 180 degrees for 15 minutes
While roasting, add 50 grams of cream cheese to a food processor with Goat’s cheese and a dash of white balsamic vinegar, and blend until smooth.

Serve on top of bread, place grapes on top, or use as a dip on the table, and let people dip.

Skin on Garlic & Oregano Potatoes

These are so simple, but they always create a crowd-pleasing sharing plate.

What you need

Maris Piper Potatoes, washed and with skin on
1 whole bulb of Garlic
Dried Oregano or Fresh Oregano
Lots of Olive oil

What to do

Roughly chop your skin on potatoes.
Boil for 8 mins, drain and let steam
Add to the pan with a whole head of Garlic
Liberally pour over Olive Oil
Toss and then roast for 30 minutes at 220 degrees
Add fresh or dried oregano for the last 5 minutes so the herbs become fragrant but stay vibrant.

These aren't life-changing recipes or ideas, but they are always well-enjoyed when I have friends over, so I thought I would share them with you. Who knows, maybe you will enjoy them too.