3 Simple Summer Recipes – Perfect for Picnics

Wow friends and family with these delicious picnic dishes when you’re next dining al fresco!

For Pack-tacular Picnic Paraphernalia to serve the food with click here.

Watermelon Greek Salad

Juicy watermelon, rich olives and salty feta…the fresh, summery ingredients in this salad are delightful together. Enjoy as a barbecue side dish or package up for a picnic.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: none
Total time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • ½ red onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ Waitrose & Partners Watermelon
  • 1 cucumber
  • 20 pitted Kalamata olives, torn in half
  • 100g feta, crumbled
  • 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 5 mint leaves, finely shredded
  • ¼ tsp dried oregano

Method

  1. Put the sliced onion in a bowl of cold water and leave to soak while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Carve the watermelon lengthways into three wedges, then cut away the skin and slice into 1½cm-thick pieces. Halve the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon, then slice into half-moons about ½cm thick.
  2. Arrange the watermelon and cucumber on 4 plates, then scatter over the olives and feta. Drain the onion and add to the salad. Drizzle each plate with 1 tbsp oil and 1 tsp vinegar; season. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the mint and oregano.

Cook’s tip 

Soaking raw onion in cold water helps to tone down its pungency before it is added to a salad.

Courgette risotto torte

Got a glut of homegrown courgettes? Or just looking for something different… we think this one’s a winner!

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients

  • 20g Waitrose Duchy Organic Butter, plus extra for greasing
  • 3 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
  • 250g Riso Gallo Organic Arborio Risotto Rice
  • 1 Waitrose Duchy Organic Onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves Waitrose Duchy Organic Garlic, finely chopped
  • 400g Waitrose Duchy Organic Courgettes, grated
  • 3 Waitrose Duchy Organic Large Free Range Eggs, beaten
  • 50g pecorino cheese, grated
  • 125g mozzarella, grated
  • 25g pack basil, chopped, plus a few leaves to garnish

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Grease a 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin and sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the base.
  2. Place the rice in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes then drain.
  3.  In a large frying pan, melt the butter over a medium heat then cook the onion for a few minutes until starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute. Add the courgettes and cook for 10 minutes until tender then transfer to a large bowl.
  4. Stir in the rice, eggs, pecorino, mozzarella and chopped basil. Spoon into the prepared tin pressing the mixture down firmly and smoothing off the surface.
  5. Place in the oven and bake for 25 minutes until set, golden and a little crispy on top. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then turn out and allow to cool fully. Serve garnished with basil leaves alongside a tomato and red onion salad.

Chicken & chorizo picnic pies

While these are great finger food for picnics, they also make tasty canapes – or cook up a batch for packed lunches.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20–25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Makes: 6

Ingredients

  • 60g Cooks’ Ingredients Diced Chorizo
  • 500g essential Waitrose British Chicken Thigh Fillets, diced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • 150ml chicken stock
  • 1/2 lemon, juice only
  • 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
  • 500g pack shortcrust pastry
  • 3 tbsp milk

Method

  1. Cook the chorizo, chicken, onion and garlic in a pan for 8–10 minutes until the chicken is golden and cooked through with no pink meat.
  2. Stir in the cornflour, cook for a few seconds, add the stock and lemon juice, and bring to a simmer. Take off the heat and stir in the parsley.
  3. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry thinly and cut out 12 x 12cm rounds. Place half the discs on a large baking sheet. Spoon some filling on top of each disc, leaving a narrow border around the edge. Brush the borders with milk, then place the remaining discs on top.
  4. Using a fork, press around the edges of each pie to seal, then make a little hole in the centre of each. Brush with milk and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and piping hot. Serve warm or cold.

Recipes and photography courtesy of Waitrose. Thousands of recipes can be found at www.waitrose.com/recipes

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