6 Chefs Share Their Favourite Summer Suppers

“My go-to summer supper is a simple English garden summer salad. Salads don’t have to be boring, and this one is packed with asparagus, broad beans, peas and radishes. I like to top it with hazelnuts and crispy shallots to add texture, then finish it with soft-boiled quail eggs and a homemade take on a classic salad cream recipe. It’s perfect for the warm weather, and goes so well with a glass of very cold rosé champagne – and some sourdough that has been brushed heavily with garlic butter and toasted on the barbecue. To make it, start with 120g of mixed salad leaves. Trim 12 asparagus spears and blanch them for three minutes in seasoned boiling water, then refresh in iced water. Blanch 100g of podded peas and 100g of podded broad beans for two minutes each, then refresh in iced water. Drain the vegetables, pod the broad beans, cut the asparagus into 2cm lengths, and place everything in a large bowl with the peas. Add eight finely sliced mixed-colour radishes, a handful of toasted and roughly chopped hazelnuts, and the salad leaves. Drizzle 50ml of hazelnut oil over the mixture, season with sea salt, and toss to coat. 

“Finely slice two banana shallots and deep-fry them in preheated oil at 175°C for a couple of minutes until crisp and golden brown. Drain the excess oil on kitchen paper. Then, gently place 8 quail eggs into boiling water and cook for two minutes to achieve a soft-set yolk. Plunge the eggs into iced water to stop the cooking process, adding a little vinegar to the water to make peeling easier. Once cooled, peel the eggs and store them in water. For the salad cream, whisk together two egg yolks, three tablespoons (45ml) of double cream, one teaspoon of English mustard, one teaspoon of white wine vinegar, and a pinch of salt. Gradually drizzle in three tablespoons (45ml) of rapeseed oil while whisking until the mixture emulsifies and thickens. Halve the quail eggs and arrange them over the dressed salad. Scatter the crispy shallot slices on top and spoon over the salad cream, serving any extra on the side. Garnish with viola flowers or other edible flowers.”

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“My go-to is fish tacos. These Baja-style ones have flaky fish dusted with ground almonds and paprika to give it a guilt-free crust and a crunchy, citrusy slaw. Drinks-wise, this dish begs for a spicy margarita it. To prepare the tacos, set up three bowls for breading the fish: in the first bowl, whisk together 50g of almond flour, one teaspoon of paprika, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, and a pinch of salt; place 45g of gluten-free or all-purpose flour in the second bowl; and whisk one large egg in the third bowl. Cut 340g of cod into 4cm strips and pat dry. Dip the fish strips in the gluten-free flour, then in the egg, and finally in the almond flour mixture. Preheat a frying pan over medium-high heat with 1cm of olive oil and pan-fry the fish in batches until golden, about two minutes per side. For the slaw, mix 70g of plain Greek yogurt with the zest and juice of ½ a lime, season with salt, and toss with half a small red cabbage, thinly sliced, and a handful of chopped coriander.

“To make fresh tortillas, mix 90g of masa harina with 120ml of water in a large bowl, knead until smooth, form small balls, and press into flat tortillas using a tortilla press. For the salsa, grill three to four medium tomatoes, half an onion (quartered), one red chili, and one unpeeled garlic clove on a baking sheet with half a teaspoon of salt under a hot grill until blistered, about five to ten minutes, tossing halfway through. Let them cool, then peel the tomatoes and garlic and blend with the juice of one lime, one teaspoon of cumin seeds, half a teaspoon of honey, half a teaspoon of salt, and reserved coriander stems to your desired consistency. Cook each tortilla in a high-heat skillet for 30 seconds, flip to a medium-heat skillet for another 30 seconds, then flip again for a final 30 seconds. Assemble the tacos by placing the fish on the tortillas, topping with slaw and salsa, and serving immediately.”

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“My citrussy smoked salmon 'tartare' is a great starter. It's so simple – you make the dressing, then combine it with smoked salmon, avocado and coriander. The flavours are incredible, and there’s no actual cooking involved. To make four servings, combine four tablespoons of lime juice (from about two to three limes), the zest of two limes, two tablespoons of orange juice, two teaspoons of rice vinegar, and half a teaspoon of light soy sauce in a mixing bowl. Add a quarter of a finely chopped red onion and between half and one finely chopped red chili (deseeded for a milder heat) to the mixture. Chop 200g of smoked salmon into roughly 2cm pieces and cut a ripe avocado into small cubes, then gently combine both with the lime mixture. Mix in a handful of roughly chopped fresh coriander and transfer to a serving dish. Serve with prawn crackers on the side – and I like to have it with a crisp New Zealand sauvignon blanc. 

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