With the arrival of June, we can finally say that summer has arrived!.. Summers in the UK often bring a mixed bag of weather yet every year I’m hopeful for long, hot days. Unfortunately I’m always a little disappointed, however, in that very ‘British’ way it gives me some comfort to moan and laugh about it. And when the sun does finally behave, isn’t it wonderful that the BBQ you’ve planned can actually take place outside?! Eating alfresco isn’t something we can bank on but we always like to try and with that ‘stiff upper lip’ we often only give in when the rain is torrential – “at least we can say we tried!”. Bearing this in mind, I thought that this month I’d share two recipes which are perfect for sunny days and alfresco eating, however, they are cooked in the safety of your kitchen and if the weather turns (which undoubtedly it will if there’s a Bank Holiday on the horizon!) you can be assured that these dishes with their sunny flavours will taste just as good indoors!…

Menu One is in fact two recipes – a true Southeast Asian medley. The main event is ‘Malaysian Roast Chicken with Coconut, Lemongrass & Squash’ and in addition, there’s a salad, ‘Cucumber, Pineapple and Peanut Rojak with Tamarind Dressing’. The chicken is very simple to prepare, it’s a one-pan recipe from Rukmini Iyer’s cookbook ‘A Roasting Tin Around the World’; it’s the ultimate traybake! The rich coconut aromas of this roast will make your kitchen smell wonderful – an advantage of not eating alfresco?! It’s incredibly moreish and mild enough for younger taste buds – serve some fresh, sliced chilli on the side for more daring adults. Meanwhile, the salad is from the cookbook ‘Agak Agak’ by Shu Han Lee; it’s a Singaporean recipe which complements the Malaysian flavours of the chicken deliciously. Menu Two is ‘Salmon with Cajun Spices’ from the cookbook, ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’. The Cajun spices work really well with the salmon, they don’t overwhelm but instead give it a balanced ‘punch’ which is softened with a creamy, lemony sauce. For the perfect light alfresco meal just serve it with some tenderstem broccoli or a good green salad, alternatively, if the rain is closing in and you need a little more ‘love’ on your plate you could add some steamed new potatoes!..

Menu One

Malaysian Roast Chicken with Coconut, Lemongrass & Squash (Serves 4)

(Served with Cucumber, Pineapple and Peanut Rojak with Tamarind Dressing)

This chicken dish is very simple to prepare, it’s a one-pan recipe from Rukmini Iyer’s cookbook ‘A Roasting Tin Around the World’; it’s the ultimate traybake! The rich coconut aromas of this roast will make your kitchen smell wonderful. It’s incredibly moreish and mild enough for younger taste buds – serve some fresh, sliced chilli on the side for more daring adults. You can simply serve with rice or in addition, I’ve discovered that this roast and its spices go particularly well with a salad that I found in the cookbook ‘Agak Agak’ by Shu Han Lee; it’s a Singaporean recipe which complements the Malaysian flavours of the chicken – the combination is a delicious Southeast Asian dream!

1 x 400ml tin coconut milk

1kg chicken thighs and drumsticks

600g butternut squash, thinly sliced

3 shallots, peeled and halved

Spice Paste:

3 shallots, peeled

5cm ginger, peeled

4 cloves of garlic, peeled

1 red chilli, stem removed

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 sticks of lemongrass

3 tablespoons tamarind paste

5 macadamia nuts (optional)

2 teaspoons brown sugar

To Serve:

Thinly sliced chilli and chopped coriander

1. Tip all the ingredients for the spice paste into a food processor with enough of the coconut milk to make everything blend fairly smoothly together.
2. Mix the paste with the remaining coconut milk then tip into a roasting tin along with the chicken, squash and shallots, making sure there’s plenty of sauce over the chicken.
3. Transfer to a preheated oven, 180’c fan, and roast for 1 hour, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through and the squash is soft. Scatter over thinly sliced chilli and chopped coriander. Serve with rice and/or ‘Cucumber, Pineapple & Peanut Rojak’ (recipe below).

Cucumber, Pineapple and Peanut Rojak with Tamarind Dressing

Crisp cucumber, juicy pineapple, crunchy roasted peanuts and a sweet fruity dressing – what’s not to like? This is a Singaporean salad from the cookbook ‘Agak Agak’. It’s delicious alongside so many things – a recipe to remember!

*to roast the peanuts simply put the fresh peanuts in a single layer on a baking tray and roast in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for about 15-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.

1 large cucumber

250g pineapple, peeled, seeds and eyes removed

½ small red onion, very finely chopped

50g of freshly roasted peanuts, crushed (*see note above)

Handful of fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

For the Dressing:

4 tablespoons tamarind paste

4 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 birds eye chilli, finely chopped

1. Combine the ingredients for the dressing, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt.
2. Quarter the cucumber lengthwise, cut out the seedy middle then cut into 1cm pieces. Cut the pineapple into similar-sized pieces.
3. Mix the cucumber, pineapple and onion together with the dressing. Set aside for 5 minutes.
4. When ready to serve, add the peanuts and mint and toss to combine.

Menu Two

Salmon with Cajun Spices (Serves 2)

This is a recipe from the ‘Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain’ cookbook. The Cajun spices work really well with the salmon, they don’t overwhelm but instead give it a balanced ‘punch’ which is softened with a creamy, lemony sauce. The recipe is for two people but can easily be doubled!

2 salmon fillets, skin on

2 teaspoons Cajun spice blend

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

30g butter

Cajun Crème Fraîche Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 banana shallots, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, finely diced

½ teaspoon Cajun spice blend

150ml fish stock

150ml crème fraiche

Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Sea salt and black pepper

Lemon wedges (to serve)

1. Score the skin of the salmon with a sharp knife. Sprinkle both sides of the fillets with the Cajun spice mix and a little salt. Put the olive oil into a frying pan and place over a medium heat.
2. When the oil is hot, add the salmon, skin side down, and press each fillet down with a fish slice for a few seconds. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side then take the pan off the heat. Add the butter to the pan and, as it melts, baste the salmon with it. Transfer the salmon to a warmed plate and leave to rest whilst you make the sauce.
3. Place the frying pan back over a medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Toss in the shallots and cook for 3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and Cajun spice blend and cook, stirring, for a further 2 minutes.
4. Add the stock and let it bubble to reduce by half. Now stir in the crème fraiche and cook for a minute or two until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper and add lemon juice to taste. Remove from the heat and add the chopped parsley.
5. Spoon the sauce onto warmed serving plates and top with the salmon. Serve with lemon wedges and accompany with tenderstem broccoli.