absolute brighton

ABSOLUTE RECIPE
50 ABSOLUTE
PICNIC BITES
Impress your friends and family this summer
with these picnic treats
ALFRESCO
NIBBLES
Curried egg salad
Make egg salad with hard-boiled eggs,
mayo, curry powder, Dijon mustard,
lime juice, salt, pepper, parsley, onion
and apple.
Tomatoes and peaches
Toss together sliced seeded
tomatoes and peaches, along with
thinly sliced red onion and chopped
parsley or rosemary. Dress at the last
minute with olive oil, lemon juice, salt
and pepper.
Roast beef and blue cheese
Start with whole-grain rolls. Smear
blue cheese on one side and
prepared horseradish on the other.
Add red onion and sliced beef, pork
or lamb. Pack lettuce, tomato and
crisps on the side.
Cornfl ake chicken bites
Cut boneless chicken breasts
into small pieces. Dip in milk or
buttermilk, then dredge in seasoned
crushed cornfl ake crumbs or
cornmeal. Pan-fry in oil, drain, cool
and eat cold with celery sticks, with
ranch or blue cheese dressing for
dipping.
Mustard potato
salad
Ingredients
1½ kg new potatoes, halved if large
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
juice of 1 lemon
3 spring onions, chopped
Method
1. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of salted
water until just tender, about 10-15 mins.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil,
mustard and lemon juice in a large bowl. Drain
the potatoes and leave to cool for 5 mins, then
tip into the bowl along with the spring onions.
3. Toss everything until the potatoes are well
coated.
4. Leave to cool. The dish will keep in a covered
container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 slices of ‘bloomer’ bread
75g/3oz blue Stilton cheese,
sliced
25g/1oz roasted red peppers
in brine
30ml/2tbsp sunfl ower oil
15ml/1tbsp lemon juice
2.5ml/1/2tsp clear honey
salt and freshly ground black
pepper
175g/6oz mixed lollo rosso
and lollo biondo
12 English strawberries,
hulled and halved
8 radishes, sliced
Picnic tortilla
Ingredients
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion , thinly sliced
350g new potatoes, sliced
4 rashers rindless smoked back bacon , chopped
6 large eggs
85g mature cheddar
Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a small non-stick frying pan, add the
onion and potatoes and fry for 8 minutes, turning the veg
frequently until tender but not browned. Add the bacon and fry
for a further 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a large
bowl with plenty of salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese.
2. Remove the potato mixture with a slotted spoon and stir
into the eggs. Reserve most of the excess oil, leaving a little in
the pan. Pour in the egg mixture and leave to cook undisturbed
over a gentle heat for 8 minutes until fi rmly set underneath but
not set on top.
3. Invert the tortilla on to a plate and return the pan to the heat
with a bit more of the reserved oil. Slide the tortilla back into
the pan, uncooked side down, and cook for 5 minutes until set
all through. Pack for a picnic or serve in wedges with salad and
bread for an easy supper.
THE BEST OF ENGLAND SALAD
Method
1. Preheat the grill. Toast the
bread on both sides. Arrange
the sliced Stilton on top of
the toast then pop it back
under the grill and cook until
the cheese is melted and
bubbling.
2. Cut each toast in half.
Thinly slice the peppers into
strips then place a St Georges
fl ag on top of each.
3. For the dressing: whisk the
oil, lemon juice and honey
together and season to taste.
4. Arrange the lettuce,
strawberries and radishes on
a platter then drizzle over the
dressing. Top with the Stilton
toasts and serve.