Recipes | Get a Cob On

Fresh corn cobs are one of late summer’s simple pleasures. And while they’re delicious in themselves, they’re also a great vehicle for flavour. Here are a few ideas for things to put on your corn cobs to make them taste amazing

Every Herb Green Sauce

Corn on the cob, in their husks 

Big bunch of green herbs (parsley, mint, basil, chervil, sorrel, tarragon), leaves picked 

50g tin anchovies in oil 

1 tbsp capers 

2 tsp apple cider vinegar 

2 fat garlic cloves 75ml(ish) extra virgin olive oil 

1 Once your barbecue is stable, place the cobs at the edge of the fire. (If you are cooking the venison as well, then the corn will do its thing at the side while you prepare the fire to cook the meat.) Leave to cook for 10-15 mins, allowing the husks to blacken and the kernels inside to steam safely. 

2 Meanwhile, make the green sauce by whizzing the rest of the ingredients in a food processor. Adjust the seasoning as needed – adding more salt, vinegar and/or oil to balance it all out and create a thick, just-pourable sauce that is both sweet, tart and salty in equal measure. 

3 Remove the corn from the heat and, very carefully, peel back the burnt husk to reveal the kernels within. Return the cobs to the fire and cook for a further 2–3 mins over a direct flame, turning regularly until gently charred. Transfer to a plate, spoon over the sauce and serve. 

Vietnamese Spring Onion Oil

Corn on the cob, husks removed

Bunch of spring onions

100ml vegetable oil

1 tsp granulated sugar

1 tsp fish sauce

1 Thinly slice the spring onions.

2 Heat the oil in a small pan and add the onions once hot. Stir continuously for 30 seconds until they start to frizzle.

3 Remove from heat and stir in the sugar and fish sauce until dissolved.

4 Cook your corn cobs and once cooked, drizzle over the spring onion oil.

Basil Butter

Corn on the cob, husks removed

Bunch of basil or whatever herb you prefer

A pack of butter

Black pepper

1 Finely chop your herbs.

2 Chop your butter into cubes, sprinkle in the herbs and a good grinding of black pepper then mix and mash it into the butter until evenly distributed. Roll your butter back into a log, wrap in cling film and refrigerate. 

3 When your cobs are cooked, remove the herb butter, cut into discs and place a disc to melt on top of each cob.

Mediterranean Yogurt and Feta

Corn on the cob, husks removed

Greek yogurt

Feta cheese

Fresh oregano and basil

Olive oil to drizzle

1 Chop the fresh herbs.

2 Crumble the feta into the yogurt - use as much as you like to taste and depending on how many cobs you’re serving (if you have leftovers it makes a great dip).

3 Slather the yogurt and feta mix over the cooked cobs, sprinkle with herbs and then drizzle with olive oil.

Easy Elotes (Mexican street corn)

Corn on the cob, husks removed

Cumin

Chilli powder

Sour cream

Crumbled Feta

Grated parmesan

Coriander

Lime wedges

Fresh red chilli

1 Mix the sour cream with a little cumin and chilli powder (amounts will depend on how powerful you want the punch) and crumble in the feta.

2 Spoon the creamy mix over hot corn cobs.

3 Sprinkle over the grated parmesan and chopped coriander.

4 Serve each loaded cob with a lime wedge on the side and fresh chopped red chillis if liked.

The recipe for Every Herb Green Sauce, above, is by Kathy Slack and is one of the recipes from her Tales From the Veg Patch feature in our September issue. It also includes recipes for Venison with Blackberries and Raw Kale Salad, Smoky Tomato Harissa and Damson, Thyme and Cobnut Cake.

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Recipe | Sunflower Heart Tarte Tatin

Sunflowers, when prepared properly, have a texture like aubergine and taste like a perfumed artichoke heart, making for a tasty seasonal tart.

Ingredients

Serves 4

10g butter
6 shallots, finely sliced
4 small or 2 large sunflower heads, with petals
1 glass of white wine
2 tsp oregano leaves
2 tsp thyme leaves
320g puff pastry
25g mature cheddar, grated

To make

1 Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a pan over a medium low heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and sweat for about 10 mins, or until golden. Set aside.

2 To prepare your sunflower hearts, remove any petals (set aside) and pull off the seeds (if they don’t push out easily, lever out with a spoon). Next, use a knife to scrape the paper cases from the spongy base, discard, and trim away the green parts of the flower head, including the leaves and where the stem joins underneath. You should be left with a round, white, slightly spongy base of the flower head.

3 Slice the spongy bases into long strips and place in a bowl along with the wine and half of the oregano and thyme. Submerge the strips under the wine, ensuring 128 that they’re covered, otherwise they’ll oxidise and will go brown.

4 Return the pan of shallots to the hob, adding the sunflower strips, the wine and the remaining oregano and thyme leaves. Heat until the wine evaporates and the sunflower strips start to soften.

5 Line a round 32cm dish with baking paper. Spoon the sunflower and shallot mixture into the middle of the dish and leave to cool.

6 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. When the filling is cool, roll out the puff pastry to the same size as the dish. Sprinkle the cheese over the filling and carefully place the pastry disc on top, ensuring all the ingredients are tucked inside. Press down the pastry and tuck in the edges. Prick a couple of holes in the centre to allow steam to escape. Bake for 35–40 mins, or until golden.

7 Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before turning out onto a serving platter. Discard the baking paper and scatter over the reserved sunflower petals to serve.

Taken from Buds & Blossoms by Liz Knight (Hardie Grant). Photography: Kim Lightbody

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Recipe | Summer Crostini

Edible flowers add colour and fun to these crunchy beetroot, tomato and houmous crostini

Serves 6

Ingredients
One small baguette
250g houmous
1 raw beetroot, peeled and thinly sliced
250g mixed coloured cherry tomatoes, halved
Edible flowers (try nigella, marigold, nasturtium, pansies and violets)
Olive oil, to drizzle

To make
1 Cut the baguette into thin slices and lightly toast to make crostini.

2 Spread each crostini generously with the houmous.

3 Layer the beetroot and tomato on top of the houmous, then decorate each bite with an edible flower and season with salt and pepper.

4 Drizzle with a little olive oil and serve immediately on a nice platter.

This recipe is taken from our August ‘Gathering’ feature, which we’ve called ‘Circle of Friends’ and includes a menu for a lunch with mates: Grapefruit & Kombucha Refreshers, Coconut & Yogurt Herb Dip, Salmon, Saffron & Lime Kebabs, Cucumber, Lemon & Goat’s Cheese Salad and Honey Mascarpone Tart with Fig. The recipes are by Kay Prestney and photography by Rebecca Lewis.

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Recipe | Cherry & Burrata Bruschetta

A very special lunch for when you need a treat. Simple to make, but unusual enough to make bread and cheese feel like an occasion.

Serves 1

150g cherries, stoned
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 slice sourdough bread
120g burrata
Small handful basil, leaves picked
Edible flowers, to serve

1 Tear the cherries in half. Mix the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small dish then add the cherries and muddle together. Set aside for 10 mins – although these can be left for up to 24 hours.

2 For the toast, set a griddle pan over a high heat. Drizzle the remaining oil over both sides of the bread and fry on each side until slightly charred.

3 To serve, top the toast with torn burrata and the drained cherries. Finish with basil, edible flowers, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt.

Cook’s note: You could swap burrata for mozzarella, if you’d prefer.

This recipe is taken from our regular feature, Takes From the Veg Patch, by Kathy Slack with photography by Kirstie Young. This month’s recipes also include a Gooseberry, Thyme & Almond Galette, Rhubarb & Rosemary Fridge Jam.

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Recipe | Tomato Tatin with Thyme Honey

A tatin typically features a fair amount of sugar but this has a lighter approach – caramelised, slow-roast tomatoes, crisp, golden pastry and thyme-infused honey. A not-too-sweet treat.

SERVES 4–6

150g honey
12 sprigs fresh thyme ~
200g plain white flour
A pinch of sea salt
125g unsalted butter, chilled and cubed, plus 2 tbsp for the tomatoes
1 egg yolk
500g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
A generous sprinkling of thyme leaves, plus extra to finish
Herbs and edible flowers (such as chive blossom, tarragon, soft lemon verbena leaves, basil, thyme, rosemary, or oregano)

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/ Fan 180C/Gas 6. Start infusing your honey by mixing in the thyme (you’ll have more honey than you need).

2 Make the pastry by sifting the flour into a large mixing bowl or food processor and adding the salt. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, rub it into the flour, or pulse the ingredients in the processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tbsp ice-cold water, then, using a blunt knife, stir just enough of this mixture into the dough to make it come together. Wrap in a clean tea towel and put in the fridge to firm up.

3 Season the tomatoes and garlic with salt and pepper. Set a 20cm ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and add the 2 tbsp butter. Once melted, arrange the tomatoes in the pan, cut side down. Scatter the garlic over the top and cut any remaining tomatoes in half again (so they’ll be quartered now) and nestle them in a layer on top and in the gaps of the base tomato layer.

4 On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the pastry to a large round and trim to a circle 2cm larger all round than the pan. Drape the pastry over the tomatoes and tuck the edges down around the inside of the pan, so it’s snugly blanketing them. Bake in the oven for 30 mins, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden.

5 Leave to rest for 1 minute, then invert the tart tatin onto a baking tray and cook a further 10-15 mins to help crisp up the pastry and caramelise the tomatoes further.

6 Once cooked, give the tomatoes a generous (1–2 tbsp) gloss of the thyme-infused honey (or your favourite honey, of course). Finish with a decent pinch of sea salt, a hearty grinding of black pepper and extra thyme leaves or other edible herbs and flowers. Delicious served hot or at room temperature.

Cook’s note: Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated to warm through. Any extra thyme honey will keep happily for months, if not longer – it’s a delicious way of lapping up the flavour as well as the medicinal properties of the thyme. Use in dressings, marinades and more.

This recipe is one of the ideas from our Home Economics feature in our July issue, which this month is all about honey and beeswax. It also includes recipes and ideas for a Honeyed Carrot Cake and a Honey Ripple Ice Cream as well as Beeswax Candles and Beeswax Lip & Body Balm. The feature is by Rachel de Thample and the photography by Ali Allen.

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Recipe | Midsommartårta

A Midsommartårta (Midsummer Strawberry Cake) is always enjoyed at midsummer festivities in Sweden – this light version is moreishly bite-sized, so don't expect any left at the end of the party...

Makes 8-12 cakes

You will need

6 egg whites
A pinch of sea salt
150g golden caster sugar
2 tsp rose water (or 1 tbsp ground dried rose petals)
150g ground almonds
A little olive or coconut oil, to grease the pan
300ml double cream
1kg strawberries, hulled
4 tbsp strawberry, raspberry or rhubarb jam
To serve: Edible flowers and wild berries

To make

1 Preheat oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of sea salt until glossy and meringuelike then gradually add the sugar, whipping until it holds a medium peak. Whisk in the rose water.

2 Shake in the ground almonds slowly, whisking to keep the air in the whites.

3 Brush the inside of a muffin tin or a mini bundt tin with a little oil. Divide the batter between the holes in the tin, filling each just to the top – you should have 8-12 cakes.

4 Slide into the centre of the oven and bake for 12 mins, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool for 5-10 mins before removing from the tin.

5 While the cakes cool, trim the green tops from the strawberries, halve or quarter any larger berries. Mix with the jam and set aside. Whip the cream until just thickened.

6 Once the cakes have cooled, run a knife around the edges to help release them from the tin. If the cakes are a little pale on top, you can flash them in the oven. Upturn to lightly toast them on the top or until lightly golden.

Serve with the strawberries and cream and garnish with edible flowers (and/or wild berries, if you can find some). Cook’s note: The cakes are best served on the day of making but they’ll keep in an airtight tin (once fully cooled) for 1–2 days. You can also freeze, defrost in the fridge and flash in a warm oven to take the chill off, before serving.

This recipe, by Rachel de Thample, is part of our ‘Midsummer Feast’ ‘gathering menu. It features Scandi dishes including Cold Cucumber Soup with Summer Flowers, Roast Beetroot Salad with Crispy Capers, Home Pickled Herring with Fennel, Pommes Anna with Dill Sour Cream and Ryeknäckebröd with Caraway. There’s also an idea for a Meadowsweet and Strawberry Schnapps to wash it all down. Midsummer Feast, it may be, but we think you can enjoy it any day this summer. If you’re making a day of it you may also like to try your hand at the Floral Crowns or some of the other Midsummer traditions on the pages. All in the June issue.

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Recipe | Tomato Focaccia

Almost as much joy to bake as it is to eat. Use cherry tomatoes to get juicy little planets of blistered and sweet tomatoes in the surface of the bread, some sinking into the doughy dimples, and some not.

Makes 1 focaccia

330ml lukewarm water
7g fast-action dried yeast
500g strong white bread flour
6 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
1 tsp salt
200g cherry tomatoes, some halved, some not
8 sage leaves or 3 rosemary sprigs, torn
Generous ½ tsp flaky sea salt

1 Stir together the water and yeast and leave it to sit for 5-10 mins, or until it becomes foamy.

2 When it’s ready, tip the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the yeast mixture, mixing vigorously, either by hand or using the dough hook on a kitchen mixer for a minute or so, then add 2 tbsp of the olive oil and the salt. Continue mixing for a further 10 mins, or until the dough becomes less sticky, smoother and more cohesive.

3 Brush a bowl with olive oil and tip in the dough. Cover and leave the dough to rise in a warm place for about 1-1½ hrs, until it has nearly doubled in size.

4 Once proved, brush a deep-sided baking pan with a little olive oil, then tip the risen dough into the pan. Pull the dough towards the edges of the pan and use your fingertips to dimple it in places, keeping some spots still nicely aerated. Add about 1 tbsp more of olive oil over the surface of the dough, cover and leave to prove once more for about another 20 mins.

5 Preheat the oven to 230C/Fan 210C/Gas 8. Add the cherry tomatoes to the dough, squeezing some deep into pockets and leaving others protruding out a little more. Do the same with the sage leaves or torn rosemary sprigs, then sprinkle over the flaky sea salt.

6 Bake the dough in the very hot oven for about 25 mins, or until the crust is golden brown and puffed around edges.

7 Once baked, remove the focaccia from the oven and immediately drench it with the remaining olive oil, then allow it to cool for at least 10-15 mins before slicing.The loaf should sound hollow when it is tapped on the underside.

Taken from Tomato by Claire Thomson (Quadrille) Photography: Sam Folan

Find more tomato recipes from the book above in our September issue, including Tomato Carpaccio with Tapenade, Roasted Tomato Falafels with Tomato Yogurt and a Borscht.

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Recipe | Summer Veg Coleslaw with Coriander

We can’t get enough of this crispy, flavoursome coleslaw. It works as a side for a barbecue, a picnic dish to add zing to your sarnies and sausage rolls or as a filling veggie lunch served with crusty bread

Serves 6

1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
5 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
4 celery stems, finely chopped
1 apple, cored and finely chopped
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Zest and juice of ½ a lime
150g natural yogurt

1 Add the chopped fennel, spring onions, coriander, celery and apple to a medium bowl.

2 In a separate small bowl, stir together the fennel seeds, mustard, vinegar, lime juice, zest and the natural yogurt until blended.

3 Pour the dressing over the chopped veg and stir thoroughly. Season with a pinch of rock salt and some freshly ground black pepper before serving.

This recipe is part of our ‘Gathering’ feature in our August issue, which we have called ‘Field Day’ and which includes lots of recipes for a Summer picnic in a meadow, including Peach Daiquiri cocktails, Courgette & Tomato Tart with Herby Pesto, Chipolatas wrapped in Parma Ham on Rosemary Skewers, Rocket, Pea & Mint Salad and Raspberry & Choc Chip Muffins.

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Recipe | Mocha ice cream cones

These coffee and chocolate cornets have a real kick; because ice cream’s not just for children

Serves 4-6 

300ml double cream 

175g sweetened condensed milk 

4 tbsp instant espresso powder 

4 tbsp coffee liqueur 

100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped 

6 Waffle cones 

1 Using an electric mixer, beat the cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add the condensed milk gradually, while beating, followed by the espresso powder and liqueur. Next, add the chocolate and continue beating until you have a light and fluffy mixture. 

2 Pour the mixture into a container suitable for the freezer, cover with a lid or foil, and freeze for approx 6 hours or overnight. When ready to make the cones, take the ice cream out of the freezer and leave to soften for 10 mins before filling each cone with a scoop or two of ice cream. Topping optional but you’d be mad not to want a cherry on top.

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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 | Muhammara

A quick and easy dip to bring a bit of Syrian sunshine and spice to your garden gathering

Summer is definitely a good time for cold dips and a bit of gentle spice. So let us introduce you to the unctuous, nutty, slightly spicy, Muhammara. The recipe is from our feature Food, Family, Friends, in which Anas Atassi introduces us to the food, culture and community of his native Syria.

Muhammara is a really easy recipe to put together and is great mixed with houmous, or on its own, with flatbreads, raw veg and whatever you like to dip into it. Best served alongside cold drinks in the garden.

Serves 4

150g roasted red peppers from a jar

1 tsp red pepper paste

1 hot red chilli pepper

75g walnuts

50g flatbread or breadcrumbs

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

Juice of 1/2 lemon

To serve:

Extra-virgin olive oil

Pomegranate molasses

Small handful flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Small handful of walnuts,
roughly chopped

In a food processor, pulse all the ingredients for about 2 mins. It should be thick and keep some texture from the walnuts. Drizzle with oil and pomegranate molasses. Garnish with chopped parsley and walnuts.

Taken from Sumac: Recipes and Stories from Syria, by Anas Atassi (Murdoch Books)

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Recipe | Salty Dill Cucumbers

Add crunch to a burger or some zing to a doorstop cheese sandwich with these crunchy dill pickles

Makes two 500ml jars

3 cucumbers, cut into thick slices
½ ltr of white vinegar
500g icing sugar
100g salt
1 dill flower head or a handful of fresh dill

1 Put the cucumber slices into a bowl. Mix the vinegar, sugar and salt then pour over and add the dill .
2 Place the bowl in the fridge for two days , giving the cucumbers a stir from time to time.
3 After two days, transfer the cucumbers and vinegar mix to your jars. Let them soak for about a week before they 're ready to be enjoyed

These pickles are just one of the recipes and makes from our A Bit On The Side feature in our June issue, which also includes a remoulade, homemade ketchup, cucumber relish, porchetta roast, hot dog buns and beef patties. All ideal fodder for a weekend in the garden with friends. The recipes are by Nicoline Olsen and the photograpy by House of Pictures.

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Make | Sweet & Silly Sandwiches

Picnic season is upon us, and what better reason for a silly sandwich? 

If there’s ever a time when we can cast aside the sensible egg and cress or ham and mustard it must be for a midsummer picnic when a bit of fun and frivolity is always on the menu. Here are a few of our favourite sweet sandwiches that are part lunch, part pudding and part party. 

Fairy Bread

An Antipodean delicacy; open buttered white bread slices, sprinkled with hundreds and thousands. Nutritional factor: zero. Fun factor: eleven out of ten. 

Banana and Honey

Reminding us of childhood Sunday teas, the hilarity of putting banana in between slices of Hovis has never left us. Jazz it up with a sprinkling of cinnamon. 

Grated Apple

Excellent with crusty bread and a slightly salted butter. Add peanut butter if you must but we quite like the simplicity of a good old apple sarnie. 

Chocolate, brie and raspberry

One for toastie fans. This is like a sweeter version of a bacon, brie and cranberry toastie. The brie and the chocolate (dark for preference) melts beautifully into the toast while the raspberry reduces to a very pleasant mush, taking the place of the cranberry sauce. 

Fruit Sandos

A Japanese staple: chilled, whipped cream and seasonal fruits - strawberries, mandarins, pear… whatever you like - sandwiched in slices of milk bread (brioche also works). Fresh, sweet and so pretty looking. 

Sugar sandwiches

No messing about here. This traditionally Irish treat was usually bestowed upon children by over-indulgent grandparents. There’s little as exciting as the sight of the bag of Tate and Lyle, a tub of Stork and some plastic bread on the sideboard in your Granny’s kitchen. Add some lemon juice for a bit of zing and a pancake day ambience. 

In our June issue, we have a rather lovely recipe for a grown-up silly sandwich. The Rose Petal & Strawberry Sandwiches (recipe below) are part of our Heart Body & Soul feature that focuses on roses this month. It also includes instructions to make Rose Bitters, Rosewater Tonic and a savoury galette with Rose Harissa. 

Rose Petal & Strawberry Sandwiches

Give your afternoon tea a floral and fruity twist with sandwiches that give scones a run for their money 

Per sandwich: 

Two slices of brioche bread 

1 tbsp clotted cream 

1 tbsp strawberry jam 

A few drops of rosewater 

3 strawberries 

Fresh rose petals, six or more 

1 Spread the cream onto both slices of the brioche bread. 

2 Stir the rosewater into the jam, then spread this on top of the cream on one slice of bread. Thinly slice the strawberries and carefully lay on top of the cream on the other slice. 

3 Remove the heels of the rose petals if needed before laying the petals on top of the jam and carefully putting the two pieces together. Either cut into dainty fingers or leave as delicious doorsteps.

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Recipe | Orange and Cardamom Galettes

Bring a bit of sunshine to your coffee time or enjoy as a light but sweet pudding in the garden

These pretty orange galettes are super simple to make, with only five ingredients but look so impressive and authentically Spanish. They’re part of our tapas feast in our August issue, with recipes by Kay Prestney, including parma ham and peach bites, garlic prawns, kolokithokeftedes and more.

Serves 4

320g ready rolled puff pastry
3 tbsp marmalade
3 large oranges
1 tsp cardamom seeds
2 tbsp honey

1 Preheat oven to 160C/Fan 140C/ Gas 3. Unroll the dough and cut out four circles, then place into individual greased baking tins and prick with a fork several times.
2 Spread a layer of marmalade onto the bottom of each circle. Peel and slice the oranges and lay the segments on top of the marmalade, then scatter the cardamom pods evenly between the four tarts. Bake for 20-25 mins or until the pastry turns golden.
3 In a small saucepan, gently bring the honey to a simmer until it's liquid. Using a baking brush, lightly coat each warm tart with the honey. Serve warm with a glass of sherry.

Find the rest of the tapas gathering recipes in our August issue.

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Recipe | Greengages on toast with lavender and fennel flowers

Late summer fruit on toast makes a delicious brekfast or a sweet snack for any time

From their smallholding in rural Somerset Kathy Bishop and Tom Crowford enjoy all their orchard has to offer with recipes that capture the season. You can find the rest of the recipes, including sour cherry cocktails and plum and marzipan cakes starting on page 54 of our July issue

Serves 2

10 ripe greengages
75g cream cheese
2½ tsp honey, plus a little extra for drizzling
A pinch of sea salt
4 slices of sourdough bread
A sprig of lavender flowers, divided into tiny individual blooms (optional)
A sprig of bronze fennel flowers, divided into individual blooms (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Halve and stone the greengages. Put them in a single layer in a roasting tin, skin side down, and pop them in the oven for around 10 mins until they’re cooked through, but still holding their shape, and have released a small amount of their pale yellow juices into the tin.
2 While the greengages are cooking, mix together the cream cheese, honey, and sea salt. In doing this the cream cheese will loosen a little, so put it back in the fridge to firm up until you’re ready to serve. Lightly toast the bread and set aside to cool.
3 To assemble, simply spread a spoonful or two of the honeyed cream cheese onto a piece of toast. Top with the roasted greengages and spoon over any juices from the tin, plus an extra drizzle of honey if the fruit is a little on the tart side. Scatter over a pinch of the herb flowers to finish (you’ll only need a tiny amount – use them like a seasoning).

Cook’s note: This is best served with the toast and cream cheese cool and the greengages still slightly warm.

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Make | Grown-up ice lollies

Give the classic lemonade lolly a refreshing twist, and add a cheeky shot of gin if you like, too

Make your own sophisticated lollies and you’ll never again need to wait for the cacophanous tinkle of the ice-cream van, and be disappointed by its saccharine-sweet, slightly melty offerings. Fill your freezer instead with raspberry, bee pollen and honey yoghurt or mango, ginger and lime lollies, chunky orange dark chocolate ice cream or spiced berries sorbet. All the recipes, by Cathy Pyle, are in our July issue, which is on sale now. And because we can’t bear to see any grown-up without a lolly, here’s a recipe from the feature to whet your appetite:

Cucumber, mint and lemonade lollies

Makes 6

350ml traditional lemonade (use a brand that contains real lemons if possible)
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
25g fresh mint leaves

1 Pour the lemonade into the moulds until they are half full.
2 Drop in 3-4 cucumber slices per lolly and some torn mint leaves.
3 Top up the moulds with lemonade and freeze overnight.

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Recipe | Meringue kisses

These melt-in the mouth meringue kisses are great with berries… who needs Wimbledon to enjoy them?

Makes 20 kisses

2 egg whites
125g white caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract (1 tsp sifted cocoa powder, if making chocolate ones)

FOR THE KISS MIXTURE
100ml double cream
3 tbsp lemon curd
2 tbsp blackcurrant jam (Or 100ml double cream and a handful of strawberries, hulled and finely chopped)

1 Put the egg whites in a large, clean bowl and whisk until they hold soft peaks.
2 Add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, whisking in each spoonful as you go. Once all the sugar is combined and the egg whites are glossy and stiff, add the vanilla extract. If making the chocolate variety, now is the time to fold in the cocoa powder, too.
3 Preheat the oven to 120C/Fan 100C/ Gas ½. Fill a piping bag with the mix and pipe 40 little peaks about 2cm apart on a lined baking sheet.
4 Bake for approximately 1 hr, until dry and crisp. Allow the meringues to cool fully before removing them carefully from the baking sheet.
5 In a bowl, whisk the cream and add your chosen fruity component.
6 To serve, take a meringue and sandwich it together with a second meringue using about 1 tsp of filling.

This recipe is part of our June ‘Gathering’ pages, which features some of our most magical summer recipes. You can find the rest of the recipes, including crab toasts and elderflower fizz from page 36.

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Seaside recipe | prawn skewers

Because nothing says ‘beach lunch’ like crustaceons and crusty bread

Whether you’re heading to the coast this weekend or gathering friends in the garden, these hot, citrusy, umami prawns will be a welcome addition to the table, the picnic rug or the sand.

Makes 8

2 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice of ½ lime
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp honey
½ red chilli, finely chopped
350g unpeeled, precooked prawns, fresh or frozen (if frozen, fully defrosted)
2 limes, quartered

1 Add the crushed garlic, lime juice, olive oil, honey and red chilli to a large bowl, whisk together. Add the prawns, toss to coat and leave to marinate for 15 mins.
2 Thread the prawns onto the skewers and add a lime quarter to each. Keep remaining marinade to brush on to the skewers during cooking.
3 On a griddle pan over a medium heat or on a barbecue, cook each side for 1–2 mins, brushing with any extra marinade. Serve immediately.

These skewers are just part of our Seafood and Sandcastles menu featured in our August issue, where you’ll find all the recipes. If you’d like to also try the barbecue nachos, crab burgers, delicious salads and messy Eton mess, you can pick up a copy in the shops today. We guarantee you’ll be the envy of the whole stretch of sand (even if your sandcastles aren’t up to much).

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Mpre recipes for barbecue days…

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Recipe | Watermelon lollies

A simple idea for a pretty and cooling treat

Serves 6

½ small watermelon

6 wooden lolly sticks (recycled from ice lollies)

1 Cut the watermelon in half and cut into slices. Cut out 6 triangle shapes with the watermelon skin at the bottom.

2 Make a small inch-long incision into the middle of the skin and insert the wooden lolly stick.

3 Lay the lollies on a pretty plate and put in the fridge to keep cool. Serve as a refreshing bite any time of day or as a casual palate cleanser between a main course and dessert for a supper in the garden.

This idea is just one of the recipes in our July issue for a celebratory gathering for a special day. The menu includes chilled cucumber soup in tea cups, beetroot and horseradish bites, spanakopita, a delicious fig salad and a showstopper of a sponge cake decorated with berries and edible flowers. It’s a lovely menu for a birthday party, get-together of old friends or simply to celebrate summer having properly arrived this weekend. You can find all the recipes starting on p30 and you’ll find the July issue in any shop worth its salt now or online (see links below).

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Recipe | Shellfish in parcels

Cooking fish the Mediterranean way in a parcel (en papillotte or cartoccio) allows it to cook in its own steam, resulting in a moist and lightly cooked dish. These shellfish pouches can be cooked on a barbecue or in an oven, bringing the flavour of holidays to your table.

Shellfish in parcels

FOR EACH PARCEL
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 large sprig fresh rosemary or thyme
3 spring onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice or a splash of dry white wine
250g shellfish, such as cockles, clams and prawns (with shells on)*

1 Take a large 30cm square of baking parchment for each parcel. On one side, place your mixed herbs and spring onions, season and drizzle with a little oil and lemon juice or wine. Lay the shellfish on top, drizzle over the remaining oil and lemon juice.
2 Fold the paper up and over the filling, and pinch all the way round to secure, tucking the corners under a couple of times to ensure the parcel is thoroughly sealed while leaving plenty of space in the parcel for air to circulate evenly during cooking. If you’re barbecuing them, wrap a sheet of foil around the parcel too, taking care not to squash it. 
3 To barbecue: ensure the charcoal grill is medium hot (your hand over the coals should be comfortable for about five seconds). Place the parcels on a grill rack and cook for 3–4 mins until you start to hear the juices bubbling. Cook for another 5 mins with the lid over the barbecue. Take off the heat and set aside, unopened, for 5 mins.
4 To cook in the oven: preheat to 200C/ Fan 180C/Gas 6, place the parcels on a baking tray and cook for 20 mins. Take out and check the cockles or clams have opened or prawns are bright pink. Remember it will continue to cook when out of the oven. Stand for 3–5 mins.

Recipe from Mediterranean by Susie Theodorou (Kyle Books).

* You can replace the shellfish with 175g fish such as sea bass, mackerel or salmon (about 1.5cm thick, keep skin on). Cook until fish is just flaky.

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