Picnic

Make your picnic shine with a few of our twists!
You will need:
Soda bread:
170g self-raising flour
170g rye flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
290ml buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 beetroot, grated
Sandwich filling:
4 smoked mackerel fillets
2 large tablespoons of cream cheese
2 tablespoons of chopped dill and chives
Zest from 1 lemon
Pickled quail eggs:
10 cooked and peeled quail eggs
300ml beetroot juice
1 tablespoon of garam masala
40ml red wine vinegar
Buffalo chicken wings:
2-3 wings per person
150ml Louisiana hot sauce
2 heaped tablespoons of red pepper and almond pesto
Salmon roulade:
200g smoked salmon, sliced
100g small brown shrimp
100g hot smoked, flaked salmon
Zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of chipped dill and chives
1 tablespoon of black sesame seeds
2 heaped tablespoons of ricotta cheese
10-15 spinach leaves
Truffled popcorn:
100ml cooking truffle oil
2 tablespoons of popping corn
Large pinch of salt

Serves 2

Soda bread:
Preheat the oven to 200C
Mix the flours with the salt and the dill
Add the grated beetroot and combine well, then add the baking soda
Next, add the buttermilk and mix it quickly to form a soft dough
Dust a large baking tray with flour
Transfer it gently onto the baking sheet
Use a large, straight spoon handle and coat it in flour
Use the handle to push a cross shape into the dough
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped
Leave to cool on a wire rack
Filling:
Peeling the skin off some fillets of smoked mackerel, then break it into flakes with your fingers
Next, zest a whole lemon into the bowl, and add the soft cheese
Mix together, adding the chopped dill and chives as you go
Keep cool until you’re ready to make the sandwiches
We suggest spreading it thickly and serving between two slices!
Alternative fillings:
– hummus, grilled vegetables (oregano bread)
– basil, mozzarella, tomato (basil bread and lemon zest bread)
– tuna mayo with fresh corn (lemon thyme bread)
– egg mayo with finely chopped chives, red onion and watercress (dried onion bread)
– fresh avocado, fried egg, chilli flakes and a generous squeeze of lemon juice (chilli flakes in the bread)

Beetroot pickled quail eggs:
Simply marinate them overnight in a bowl with some beetroot juice, red wine vinegar and garam masala
Next day, remove them from the marinade and give them a gentle rinse under cold water

For the chicken:
Start with a Louisiana hot sauce, combine it with the red pepper and almond pesto
Get the chicken wings into the bowl and coat them thoroughly, using a spoon
Leave these to marinate for 30 minutes, then cook in the oven for about 20 minutes on 220C, until dark brown areas are starting to form on the crust
Make sure the juices run clear and serve

Salmon roulade:
Start with the flaked salmon and brown shrimp and add the black sesame seeds, zest of a lemon and the chopped chives and dill
Add the ricotta and combine
Taste it and season to your preference, then roll out a sheet of clingfilm across your worktop
Arrange your smoked salmon slices in a rectangular shape, making sure they overlap
Spread the filling as evenly as possible, about 5 millimetres high, leaving a little space on all sides
Top with some fresh spinach leaves
Roll up as tightly as possible, then twist the ends to push it into a tight cylinder
Leave in the fridge for 2 hours at least, so it has a chance to set, before slicing for service

Popcorn:
Pour a thin film of truffle cooking oil into your pan, then add the corn and salt
Bring to a medium to high heat
Cover with a lid and let them cook
You can give them a shake every now and then to make sure they don’t stick and burn
Once four seconds have passed without anything popping, remove from the heat but leave the lid on
Leave to cool for a couple of minutes, then remove from the pan, either to serve immediately or later. They are best when they are fresh and warm

Louisianna style hot sauce:
10 fresh red chiles
4 medium cloves garlic, sliced in half and peeled
1 tsp finely chopped fresh basil
1 tsp finely chopped fresh oregano
1/4 tsp ground celery seed
Salt and black pepper
250ml white wine vinegar

Place the chillies under a hot grill
Grill the chillies under the hot grill fro 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until they blister and start turning black
Transfer the chilies to a large bowl, cover with cling film, and let cool for 10 minutes
Stem and peel the chilies
Put the chillies, garlic, basil, oregano, celery seed, a big pinch of salt, and 1/2 tsp back pepper in a food processor
With the machine running, slowly add the vinegar through the feed tube and process until smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and season to taste with more salt
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge

For the pesto:
For the pesto- blitz 1 clove of garlic with a little pinch of salt, small handful of parsley leaves, handful of almonds and 200g of grilled red peppers and blitz further (keep chunky)
Add 50g grated parmesan and blitz for a couple seconds
Add enough olive oil to bind
Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice