SPRING IS now finally upon us: cherry blossom, lighter evenings, and we would all hope, some sunshine. Feeling the approach of summer is wonderful, and a great way to enjoy it, albeit rather infrequently in Manchester, is to partake in a wee bit of alfresco dining. Here are two great ideas to mark the passing of dissertation deadlines – something light to go with the case of twenty beers shrewdly acquired from the supermarket. Each serves four.
1. Mezze Platter
There is no cooking involved in this, which is one of the reasons why it is perfect for a sunny evening. Just simply put it all on a board and each grab a plate, fork and napkin. There are no rules or ingredients, just go for whatever you like. Here are the things that I would say are essentials:
Dips
• Pot Humous
• Pot Tsatsiki
To Dip
• Toasted pitta bread
• Some crusty bread to tear up and share
• Posh crisps
Other Bits
• Parma Ham, Chorizo or a meat of your choice
• Olives
• Salad leaves: rocket or a bag of interesting salad of some sort. Dress with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and some seasoning
• Cherry tomatoes: to add to the salad
2. Linguine with Prawns
Ingredients:
• Packet of Linguine pasta
• 400g cooked prawns
• Two garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp dried red chilli
• 4 tbsp sun-dried tomato puree
• Large glass of white wine
• A few rocket leaves
Method:
1. Boil the Linguine in salted water for about 11 minutes.
2. Fry the garlic and the red chilli in olive oil for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomato puree and cook for a further 2 minutes.
4. Stir in the wine and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. Add in 400g of cooked prawns and season, and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
6. Roughly chop the rocket leaves and stir into the sauce.
7. Drain the pasta and transfer the sauce to the pasta pan and mix well.
8. Serve immediately.
This is great served with some warmed ciabatta, a green salad and a glass of ice cold Pinot Grigio.
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