You don’t have to hop on an overpriced flight to get a taste of the Mediterranean.
Conjure up memories of sun-soaked getaways with these easy recipes that are perfect for your next summer dinner party.
Lamb chops with parsley aioli
The tender lamb chops is a great addition to a dinner party, paired with the flavours of parsley and garlic to give an underlying depth of spice to the dish. Sprinkle with Maldon Salt to really enhance the succulent taste of the lamb.
Ingredients:
24 small ribs of lamb
3 tbsp Maldon Salt
3 tbsp parsley, chopped
2 garlic cloves
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Method:
1. Remove the lamb chops from the fridge, cover them lightly with oil and leave them to rest at room temperature.
2. Wash, dry and peel the parsley, chop it a finely before placing it on the mortar. Crush it together with the salt and garlic until it forms a paste. Cover and set aside.
3. Heat the grill, greasing the griddle with olive oil. Lightly grease the chops with extra virgin olive oil once the barbecue is hot. Cook them for 4 minutes on each side at 180C. Season them with the salt when they have just cooked and serve them hot with the parsley aioli you made.
Mixed tomato salad with smoked sardines
The humble tomato salad with a twist. Adding sardines will give a smoky depth to the dish – the perfect accompaniment to a summer dinner party.
Ingredients:
500g of tomatoes, different varieties including: yellow, orange and cherry tomatoes
4 fillets of smoked sardines
1 pinch of Maldon Salt
4 tbs of extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs of sherry vinegar
Method:
1. After washing and drying the tomatoes, chop each variety in a different way so they look more appealing (thicker cuts/thinner cuts), then simply season them with salt and a dash of oil.
2. For this dish, the salad will be accompanied by smoked sardines, but it could also be seasoned with fresh herbs and served with a range of different ingredients. We are especially fond of combining tomatoes with tinned fish, whether oily, salted or smoked to give a underlying depth in flavour.
Orange and carrot salad with grilled halloumi
This orange and carrot salad, paired with barbecue grilled halloumi creates the Aperfect salad for any summer dinner party.
Ingredients:
2 Navel oranges
2 blood oranges
2 carrots
200g halloumi cheese
2 tbsp black olives
2 sprigs of fresh mint
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Maldon Salt
1 pinch of cumin
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Wash, dry and de-leaf the fresh mint. Set aside a few whole leaves and chop up the rest finely. Juice ½ a blood orange, filter out the excess bits/pips with a sieve, then season the juice with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil, cumin and chopped mint and mix together well. Put this salad dressing in the fridge for later.
2. Cut the peel and pith away from the rest of the oranges with a very sharp knife until the pulp is completely clean. Cut each orange into segments and toss into a salad bowl. Using a vegetable peeler, finely shred the peeled carrots into the bowl, and add the olives and salad dressing together.
3. Chop the halloumi into thin slices, lightly brush with olive oil and then grill on the barbecue until golden on both sides. Serve together with the salad. Add a pinch of salt for seasoning.
Apricots with rosemary butter
The perfect summer dessert – freshly baked apricots coated with a rosemary, butter glaze. Sprinkle a generous pinch of salt to enhance the sweetness of the fresh apricots.
Ingredients:
8 fresh apricots
100g butter (room temperature)
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
3 tbsp brown sugar
Maldon Salt
Method:
1. Cut the butter into slices, put it in the liquidiser together with the washed and prepared rosemary. Add the sugar and blend at maximum speed for 2 minutes. Put the mixture into a bowl, let it soften at room temperature. Heat the oven to 160C.
2. Wash the apricots and cut into the top of each apricot. Open up the cut with a knife and insert a portion of butter into each cut. Spread the rest of the butter over the dish.
3. Put the dish in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes on indirect heat. Once they begin to brown slightly, take out of the oven and serve with a sprinkle of salt. On a hot summer’s day, serve with vanilla ice cream, cream or frozen yoghurt.
Lavender nectarine whiskey sour
Make the classic whiskey sour with a flowery twist from the infused flavours of lavender and nectarine syrup to give a subtle sweetness to the cocktail…delicious.
Ingredients:
For the nectarine syrup:
100ml water
100g sugar
A pinch of Maldon Salt
½ nectarine, peeled and sliced
1 tsp organic lavender petals
Method:
1. Prepare the syrup the day before by mixing the water, sugar, a pinch of salt and the cut nectarine in a saucepan. Let it boil for 5 minutes, add the lavender and remove from the heat. Cover and leave to cool.
2. Mix the ingredients in a liquidiser at full power until the ice has started to crush and a thick foam has formed.
3. Serve and garnish with a sprig of lavender.
For more recipes putting premium sea salt flakes into action, visit the Maldon Salt blog at maldonsalt.com/recipes-tips-blog.
