Barbecue isn’t the only way to eat al fresco. Indeed many people don’t have access to a barbecue or garden, but in a country where public parks abound, and are generally pretty clean and decent, what’s to stop you from taking a picnic and doing your bit to mop up a bit of the sunshine that has been so uncharacteristically leaking out lately.

The secret to a successful picnic is all inclusive food. And by that I mean food where the packaging is part of the meal. Homemade pies, stuffed pitta breads, the good old english sarnie, or a fresh baked quiche, allowed to cool. This cuts down on crockery, cutlery, washing up and the need for a colonial-type army of butlers and footmen to carry all the kit and set up your feast for you. Keep it simple, put everything in one dish (meat, veg & dairy) and enjoy.

Quiche can always be made in advance, although I think it is so vastly improved by being fresh baked. This doesn’t mean you have to spend all morning indoors getting lunch ready on the one day a year we have blue skys. On the contrary, pastry can be made and chilled, or even frozen, and your filling can be braised and then chilled. All you have to do is assemble and bake on the day, no more than 5 minutes’ work plus baking time.

It’s perfect picnic food when baked in individual tins, and perfect brunch or summer evening food when served with a fresh green salad. Really, I can’t think of anything better…

Recipes

Any tart is only as good as the pastry you put it in. I’ve done a quick step-by-step of my mom’s tried and tested shortcrust pastry that works every time:

• Sift 2 cups of organic plain flour
• Dice 150g of chilled organic butter and add to flour
• Working with just your fingertips (so you don’t overheat the butter and release all the oil), work the flour into the butter until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs
• In a separate bowl, beat 2 egg yolks and 60 ml water.
• Pour half of the eggmix into the flour and work in
• Slowly add the rest bit by bit until your dough holds together – you may not use it all.

Checking regularly to make sure that your pastry is not sticking.

At this stage the pastry can be wrapped and frozen. Take out and bake straight from frozen.

Red Onion, Mature Cheddar & Tomato Tart

• Slice 3 large red onions and finely chop 2 cloves of garlic
• Cook in a little olive oil, with seasoning and thyme
• Once softened toss in with 450g grated mature cheddar cheese
• Layer in the tart case and lay thickly sliced tomatoes on top
• Mix 6 free range eggs : 2 cup of cream and season with freshly ground sea salt and pepper, and some fresh grated nutmeg
• Top the tart with some fresh thyme and half fill with egg mix
• Slide the tart tin into a pre-heated oven and top up with a jug.
• Bake @ 200*c for 35-45 minutes
• If the centre is a little runny don’t worry it will set as it cools, if it is very runny pop it back in for 5 or 10 minutes

Bell Pepper and Brie Tart

• Slice 3 large onions and braise with 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic, some olive oil and seasoning
• When partially softened, add strips of sliced bell peppers (no greens – they give you wind)
• Add 1 teaspoon of dark brown sugar
• When the onions and peppers have some nice colour, mix with 400g of grated mature cheddar and fill your tart case
• Add some slices of brie on top and half fill with egg mix (6 eggs : 2 cups cream)
• Slide into the pre-heated oven and top up with a jug
• Cook @ 200*C for 35 – 45 minutes

NB . My tart tins are large catering size ones and the pastry makes one case. It should make two smaller tins, so you can try both fillings, just halve the filling ingredients.

I made one of each and served it with a delicious salad of fresh greens, beetroot leaves and cherry tomatoes, all from the garden, plus some seriously delicious little salted anchovies (not from the garden). A simple lemon dressing was all this needed

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