Recipe | Nectarine & Apricot Pudding Pizza

Blending the sweetness of the fruits and dark chocolate with the savoury base to prove that pizzas don’t just have to be for mains.

Makes 1 pizza

1 ball of homemade pizza dough (see the May issue for the recipe or make to your own recipe or buy)
2 tbsp apricot jam
1 large fresh nectarine, stoned and cut into 1cm thick segments
1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
2 tsp icing sugar

1 One a lightly-floured surface to stop it from sticking, roll out your dough to create a thin base.

2 Spread the jam on top, leaving a 2cm gap around the edge. Place the nectarine on top of the jam, then sprinkle over the chocolate chips.

3 Use a floured pizza peel to carefully place the pizza in a pizza oven (the temp should be around 400C). Check it every minute and turn halfway through cooking. It should take around 2-3 mins and is ready once the chocolate starts to melt and the edges turn golden.

4 To serve, place on a board and dust with icing sugar.

Cook’s note: To cook in the oven, place on a lined baking tray in a preheated oven at 200C/Fan 180C/ Gas 6 for 8-10 mins, or until the edges begin to brown.

This pudding pizza is just one of the pizza ideas from our May issue feature, Pizza Piazza. Pick up a copy of the May issue for the other recipes, which include homemade pizza dough, homemade tomato sauce, chilli spiced aubergines, Spring Shoots Pizza, Chilli & Paprika Spicy Pizza Bread. The recipes are by Kay Prestney and the photography by Rebecca Lewis.

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Recipe | Tandoor Lemon Chicken with Mango & Coriander Salad

In our September issue you’ll find a Weekend Project to help you make your very own Flowerpot Tandoor. Moist and full of flavour, this a great recipe to test out on your tandoor. You’ll find the instructions for the Tandoor on page 96 of the September issue.

Serves 4

8 chicken thighs, slashed through the skin to the bone a few times

For the marinade:

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 small shallot (or ½ small red onion), roughly chopped

2 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp light brown sugar

3 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce)

1 tsp Chinese five-spice

For the salad:

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tsp light brown sugar

3 tbsp cold water

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 unripe mango, cut into thin matchsticks

1 small shallot (or ½ small red onion), thinly sliced

A small bunch of coriander, finely chopped

1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper

1 In a blender, whizz all the marinade ingredients together to form a coarse paste, then toss the chicken in the marinade until thoroughly coated. Refrigerate for at least 1 hr, preferably overnight if possible.

2 When ready to cook, preheat the tandoor to a medium heat. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator about 20 mins before you plan to cook it, to bring it up to room temperature.

3 Thread the chicken onto metal skewers (long enough for the top of the skewer to be easy to grab out of the tandoor) and cook for about 15–20 mins, or until the skin is crisp and richly browned. Remove and brush with the remaining marinade, then cook for a further 15 mins, or until the meat is cooked through. Take out of the tandoor and set aside to rest for 5 mins.

4 Meanwhile, place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Serve alongside the chicken.

Cook’s note: Cooking times can vary with the tandoor, so check your chicken is thoroughly cooked before serving.

Taken from The DIY BBQ Cook Book: How To Build Your Own BBQ And Cook Up A Feast by James Whetlor (Quadrille). Photography: Sam Folan

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Recipe | Charred Peach Eton Mess

Peaches and cream, with added amaretti and amaretto – a summer stone-fruit treat, cooked over an open fire…

Serves 8

8 flat peaches, halved and stoned
600ml double cream
2 tbsp caster sugar
300g raspberries
100g blackcurrants
30g fresh mint, chopped
100g toasted flaked almonds 
300g soft amaretti biscuits
60ml amaretto (optional)

1 When the embers are ready, place a cast-iron skillet or pan over the fire. Place the peach halves, cutside down, on the warming skillet.

2 Pour the cream into a bowl, add the sugar and gently whip until it thickens. Add the raspberries, blackcurrants mint, some of the almonds and some of the amaretti biscuits, leaving some back for garnishing at the end. Mix through the amaretto, if using.

3 Keep gently turning the peaches until they’re soft and golden. Once done, take them off the heat and place one half, cut side up in a desert bowl. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then add a generous dollop of the cream mixture on top. Place a second peach half into the cream and top with a few mint leaves, some flaked almonds and one final crush of amaretti biscuits before serving.

This recipe is just one of the ideas from our Gathering feature in our August issue, which is a feast over fire for friends. The menu also includes Pisco and Vanilla Sours, Burnt Lemon Broad Bean Houmous, Charred Crudites, Charred Greens with Dill Mustard Sauce, Woodfired Side of Trout with Dill & Caper Creme Fraiche, Quick Pickled Cucumbers and Woodfired Focaccia. Wash it all down with a Peach, Blackberry & Mint Iced Tea. The recipes and styling are by Amy Moore and the photography is by Emma Croman.

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Tipple | Mason Jar White Sangria

A refreshing tipple that always tastes better outdoors and goes beautifully with a picnic or garden lunch

Serves 4
180g strawberries, hulled and cut in half (or frozen berries)
180g grapes, cut in half
1 lemon, thinly sliced
120ml white rum
750ml bottle white wine (preferably Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
Ice cubes
750ml lemonade

1 Divide the fruit between four jars.

2 Pour the white rum and wine over the fruit and give it a little stir. Close the lid tightly on each jar and keep chilled for up to 24 hours.

3 To serve, add some ice cubes and pour the lemonade to the top level of the jar.

This is just one of the recipes from our feature ‘Making Camp’ in our September issue, which includes lots of ideas for food with friends outdoors, such as Smoked Aubergine Dip, Toasted Breadsticks, Potato, Chorizo and Beans Pan Pie, Herby Nut Salad and a Deconstructed Peach Cobbler.

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Recipe | Spinach & Feta Herby Quiche

Summer is definitely here when the first quiche exits the oven. Just add friends and a picnic rug

Serves 6

500g pack of ready-made shortcrust pastry
½ tbsp coconut oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
300g baby spinach leaves
4 eggs
200ml half fat crème fraîche
Zest of one medium unwaxed lemon
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 sprigs of fresh thyme, roughly chopped
10 fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
5 large fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
3 spring onions, finely chopped
100g feta cheese
8 small edible flowers
3 large edible flowers, to decorate

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/ Gas 5 and roll out the pastry on a floured surface to make a circle around 5mm thick. Grease a 25cm tart tin and line it with the pastry, then add a sheet of greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake for 15 mins then remove the paper and beans. Use a fork to prod a few tiny holes in the pastry to stop it bubbling and return to the oven for 5 mins, or until golden brown.

2 In a large frying pan, gently heat half the coconut oil over a medium heat. Fry the onion and garlic for around 15 mins, or until they start to soften.

3 Add the spinach to the pan and stir until it wilts. Tip the mixture into a sieve, pressing down with the back of a spoon to squeeze any excess water out, then set to one side.

4 Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, crème fraîche, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Sprinkle in the chopped herbs and spring onions then add the cooked spinach, onion and garlic. Crumble in the feta and evenly spread the mixture over the cooled pastry case, gently pressing in the smaller edible flowers on the top.

5 Bake for 35-40 mins, or until the top becomes golden and sets. Serve decorated with larger edible flowers.

This recipe is just one of the ideas from our Gathering feature in our June issue, which we’ve called ‘Salad Days’. It also includes recipes by Kay Prestney for Strawberry Mimosas, Asparagus, Goat’s Cheese and Pesto Puffs, Spring greens Floral Salad, Lemon Flower Biscuits and Honey, Orange and Cardamom Cake.

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Knowhow | Thermos Hacks

Dig out your vacuum flask for a good long walk and you’ll never have to be home in time for tea… you can take it with you!

A Thermos full of tea on a spring walk (tartan blanket not essential) is always pleasing, but are you using your Thermos flask to its full potential? Obviously you can fill it with soup or a chilli too but thinking further outside the box is always fun. We’ve put together a few ideas for ways to use a Thermos you might not have considered to help you make more of your outdoor adventures. 

1. A sausage supper. Cook sausages at home. Fill your Thermos with boiling water, empty it, and pack it with the cooked sausages and fasten the lid on quickly. Throw some bread rolls and ketchup in a bag with it and voila! Instant hot dogs at the end of your walk. 

2. Have breakfast outdoors. Fill your flask with porridge, top with honey and a few dried fruits and nuts if you like, and go and watch the sunrise over a hot breakfast. 

3. Go for grains for lunch. Things like quinoa and couscous are a great Thermos meal if you want a hot lunch on a hillside or on the beach. Warm your Thermos by filling with boiling water and emptying it, then throw in your chosen grain plus enough boiling water to cover it. Ignore it for a few hours. Pack a few cold toppings - maybe some cold chopped meat or cheese and some chopped herbs, nuts and salad veg - and when you open your Thermos, throw them on top of your fluffed grains for an instant warm grains salad. 

4. Make a party of it. You can keep things like sausage rolls, quesadillas and mini pies both warm and crispy by lining the bottom of your Thermos with a few folded pieces of kitchen towel and piling the hot food on top. No more soggy sarnies. 

5. Keep cold things cold as well as hot things hot. Did you know you can use a Thermos to take ice cream out with you? Be everyone’s best friend on the beach by filling the bottom part of your Thermos with crushed ice and then either slide your tub of ice cream in if it will fit, or decant it onto the ice. Seal the lid quickly and prepare to sing a tinkly version of Greensleeves as you unscrew it later and offer round the cones. 

Read more about why we all love a Thermos in our feature by Tim Hayward in our February issue. Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

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Recipe | Frying Pan Calzone

Recipe | Frying Pan Calzone with Mozzarella and Chilli 

Making fresh dough on a camping trip is a step too far for many, so buy a good-quality naan bread or Italian-style, flat breads as a short-cut.  

Serves 4 

1-2 tbsp olive oil 

250g cherry tomatoes  

4 large flat breads or flat breads 

2 x 125g balls of mozzarella, drained, roughly chopped and patted dry 

Dried oregano, to taste 

Dried chilli flakes, to taste 

1 Heat the olive oil in a frying pan  
over a moderate heat. Add the tomatoes and a big pinch of salt and cook for 3–5 mins, until the tomatoes have softened but still hold a little of their shape. Remove from the heat, drain, and set the tomatoes aside. 

2 Wipe out the pan, ready to cook  
the calzone. Lay out each flat bread on a clean surface. Distribute the cooked tomatoes, mozzarella, oregano and chilli flakes equally over each flat bread, leaving a border of  
at least a 2-3cm around the edge to prevent anything seeping out when you fry. Fold each flat bread in half  
to create a half moon shape. 

3 Working in batches, in a dry frying pan, fry each flat bread over a moderate to low heat, for about  
3 mins, or until the bread on the underside takes on a nice colour and is blistered in places, and the mozzarella has melted sufficiently. Flip over and cook the other side for a further 3 mins. Cut into quarters to serve. 

This recipe is just one of the ideas from our feature, If You Can’t Stand the Heat, which is packed with recipes you don’t have to cook in a kitchen. It’s taken from Camper Van Cooking by Claire Thomson and Matt Williamson (Quadrille) with photography by Sam Folan.

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Recipe | Fresh Ideas for BBQ Sides

We’ve decided we’re making sides the main event. Nobody puts coleslaw in the corner!

Now. There’s plenty good about a potato salad and a bowl of greenery. But it’s fun to ring the changes occasionally. Here are a couple of new twists on classic BBQ sides to fire up your patio this summer. They’re part of our ‘School’s Out’ feature in our August issue, a dinner-through-to-breakfast menu for a back garden camp out. 

This broad bean guacamole and kohlrabi slaw will go well with barbecued meats, fish or cheese and are full of fresh, summery flavours. And, frankly, they’re so good, we’d eat them on their own with a bit of good bread for a garden lunch, too.

Broad bean guacamole

Serves 4
240g podded broad beans
Glug of extra virgin olive oil
Handful of fresh coriander (both stalks and leaves), roughly chopped
Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lime
Pinch of sea salt
½ tsp nigella seeds 

1 In a pan of boiling water, blanch the beans for 2-3 mins. Drain and refresh under cold water. 

2 Add the beans and the rest of the ingredients, apart from the nigella seeds, to a food processor (or large bowl if using a stick blender). Blitz together until smooth. Transfer the guacamole to a serving dish and sprinkle with nigella seeds.

Kohlrabi slaw

Serves 6 

1 kohlrabi, peeled and grated
½ white cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, peeled and finely julienned
Handful of radishes, thinly sliced
Handful of fresh coriander (both stalks and leaves), finely chopped
3 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp honey 

1 In a large bowl, toss together the kohlrabi, cabbage, carrot, radishes and most of the coriander. 

2 Combine the dressing ingredients and add to the veg. Toss thoroughly until fully coated, then garnish with the remaining coriander. 

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Recipe | a picnic pie for the garden

A delicious picnic pie tastes as good in the garden as it does on a blanket in the woods

This lovely layered veggie pie beats soggy sandwiches hands down. One slice is never enough. You can find the recipe for this and the rest of our outdoor menu in our April issue… Salad jars with peanut butter dressing, tomato, mozzarella and prosciutto skewers, homemade scotch eggs and berry cheesecake.

Serves 6-8

You will need:
400g butternut squash, cubed
1 red onion, sliced
Olive oil
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
50g soft goat’s cheese
2 large peppers
1 courgette, sliced
150g baby spinach
100g ricotta
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
500g shortcrust pastry
1 large egg, beaten

How to make:

1 Pre-heat the oven to 200C/ 180C Fan/Gas 6.
2 Peel and deseed the butternut squash and cut it into small cubes. Place on a baking tray with the sliced onion, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 30 mins, or until soft. After 20 mins, add the rosemary and sage.
3 Transfer to a bowl and, when cool, stir in the goat’s cheese and set aside. Place the peppers, whole, on a separate baking sheet and cook for 30 mins or until the skin blackens. Allow to cool before peeling the skin, deseeding and cutting into slices. Allow to drain in a sieve until ready to assemble. Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil and add the sliced courgette. You may need to do this in batches. Cook each side until brown, then transfer to a plate and set aside.
4 In the same pan, add the spinach, allow to wilt in the heat for 2-3 mins, transfer to a colander and, when cool enough to handle, squeeze out the excess moisture. Chop up and place in a large bowl. Add the ricotta, sprinkle in the nutmeg, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.
5 Grease a 20cm spring-form tin. Lightly flour a surface and roll out two thirds of the pastry to cover the base and tin sides. Carefully press into the tin leaving some overhang, then trim the rest. With the remaining pastry, roll out a circle large enough to cover the top of the tin and set aside. Spread the base with the spinach mix, followed by the pepper slices, then a layer of courgettes and finally the butternut squash mix. Add the pastry top, crimp the edges to seal the pie and make a hole in the top for the steam to escape.
6 Brush the top with the beaten egg and bake for 50 mins or until the top is golden brown. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. Slice to serve. Cook’s note: This pie is good hot or cold. so, it’s great for a picnic. It can be made the day before, simply keep in the fridge until ready to serve.

You can find the rest of the outdoor recipes in this menu in our April issue, available in shops now or from our online shop.

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Cook | Mackerel and samphire fishcakes

Samphire is summer on a plate. Try these with a vibrant Green Goddess sauce

These delicious fishcakes can be made with foraged samphire, which is all over mudflats and estuaries at this time of year. But feel free to buy it from Waitrose or fishmongers if you had a less active lunch in mind. You can also buy samphire plants to grow from specialist nurseries. Plant next year in April or May for a crop in summer. Make the Green Goddess sauce before you go if you’re off foraging and keep it in a tightly sealed jar.

300g new potatoes

2 tbsp soured cream

A couple of knobs of butter

250g smoked mackerel fillets

A handful of samphire, washed and chopped

A few tbsp plain flour

Lemon to squeeze over for the dressing

2 anchovies

1 clove crushed garlic

5 tbsp mayonnaise

5 tbsp sour cream

A handful of parsley leaves

handful of tarragon leaves

A bunch of chives

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain, add the soured cream, a knob of butter and a few grinds of black pepper and mash roughly, so there are still plenty of bigger chunks. Set aside to cool.

2 Flake the mackerel fillets into the potatoes, again leaving plenty of larger pieces, and add the samphire. Form into little patties and transfer to the fridge to firm up.

3 Meanwhile make the dressing. Put all the ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth and green. Taste and season as required. The dressing will keep in a jar in the fridge for up to one week.

4 Put the flour on a plate, then roll the chilled fishcakes in the flour. Heat a knob of butter in a frying pan and fry the fishcakes until nicely browned on both sides. Serve hot with lemon and the green goddess dressing.

This recipe is from Lia Leendertz’s foraging feature in our June issue, which has lots more samphire recipes in it from a light lunch idea to a fresh sea vegetable and seafood dashi, as well as information on where to find samphire and how to cook it.

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