Easy Recipes For Summer Outdoor Dining At Home – Watermelon & Goat Feta Salad, Lamb Kebabs, & Roasted Apricots
How to turn peak summer produce into an easy salad, grill and dessert trio.
Watermelon and Goat Feta Salad
Serves 4
Crisp, fresh and juicy watermelon is summer on a plate, making a wonderful salad. It’s time to use it every way possible, and don’t forget to chill and munch on a large piece while you cook.
450g peeled watermelon
1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled
150g goat’s feta, crumbled
½ cup finely sliced red onion
½ cup edamame, thawed
¼ cup chopped green olives
½ green chilli, sliced
½ cup chopped mint leaves
2 Tbsp lemon olive oil
2 Tbsp lime juice
Method
1. Cut the watermelon into triangles around 4cm long and place them on to a large platter.
2. Slice and add the cucumber, feta, red onion, edamame, olives, chilli and mint leaves.
3. Drizzle with the olive oil and lime juice. Serve with bread or as a side to your barbecue.
Coriander Pesto, Lamb Kebabs on Eggplant
Serves 4
All that’s needed is a salad to accompany this dish – perhaps some crusty bread to round off your meal. If you’re lucky enough to have coriander going crazy in your garden, then this is an excellent use for it.
Pesto
2 cups roughly chopped coriander leaves
1 clove of garlic
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
Salt and pepper to taste
Kebabs
500g lamb steaks, cubed
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sumac
1 red pepper, cut into 2cm cubes
1 eggplant, sliced 1cm, plus 2 Tbsp olive oil
Method
1. Firstly, make the pesto. Into a kitchen processor, place the coriander, garlic, zest, juice, and olive oil, and blitz until well combined. Pulse the pine nuts until coarsely ground – don’t crush them too much – then season with salt and pepper.
2. For the kebabs, place the lamb into a large bowl. Add the garlic, oil and sumac, mixing to combine. Leave to sit for 20 minutes.
3. Place the lamb and pepper on to skewers until all are used.
4. Mix the eggplant slices with the olive oil.
5. Preheat a barbecue to medium heat. Cook the eggplant slices on both sides until softened and golden brown. Place on to a serving platter. Cook the kebabs for four or five minutes on each side until done to your liking.
6. Place the kebabs and drizzle over the pesto.
Thyme and Orange Roasted Apricots
Serves 6
Like all stone fruit, the apricot season is short and serious eating is required. Roasting apricots brings out exceptional flavour. Keep it simple and serve with mascarpone or ice cream.
They are also delicious served on your breakfast porridge.
6 apricots, halved, stoned removed
¼ cup runny honey
1 Tbsp orange zest
¼ cup orange juice
2 tsp thyme leaves
To serve
1 cup mascarpone
Extra runny honey
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C.
2. Into an ovenproof dish, place the apricot halves snugly. Drizzle over the honey, add the orange zest, juice and thyme leaves. Place into the oven for 15-20 minutes until just softened but still holding their shape. Remove and cool.
3. Serve with a good dollop of mascarpone and extra drizzle of honey. Dot with a few extra thyme leaves.