Summertime, and the cooking is easy – or at least it should be. This is the season to spend less time in the kitchen and more round the table. Celebrity chef Yotam Ottolenghi shares his philosophy on simple summer entertaining, along with two vibrant recipes perfect for sharing.
The Philosophy of Summer Cooking
Ottolenghi reflects on a peculiar experience of experiencing February 22 twice due to crossing the international date line. This disorienting travel led him to appreciate the importance of seasonal eating and attention. He emphasizes that summer cooking should be about restraint and presence, allowing fresh ingredients to shine without excessive labor.
Visiting friend Samin Nosrat, he learned that time and attention are the most precious gifts. A meal of shop-bought rotisserie chicken and salad, dressed with homemade vinaigrettes, became a lesson in simplicity. Summer, he argues, asks us to unlearn the impulse to overcomplicate: tomatoes, courgettes, cherries, and nectarines need little more than a light dressing to be perfect.
Vadouvan Coronation Chicken Salad with Lime Yoghurt
This updated coronation chicken uses a shop-bought rotisserie bird for convenience. The vadouvan spice blend adds a sweet-savory depth, while lime yoghurt and fresh herbs keep it bright.
Ingredients
- 150g Greek yoghurt
- 120g mayonnaise
- 1 lime (zest and juice)
- Fine sea salt and black pepper
- 1 shop-bought rotisserie chicken (1kg), picked into 3cm pieces (650g)
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 50g mixed herbs (mint, coriander, basil, tarragon, or parsley)
- 50g pea shoots
- 3 spring onions, thinly sliced
For the Vadouvan Chilli Oil
- 175ml rapeseed oil
- 50g cashews, chopped
- 100g dried apricots, chopped
- 50g vadouvan spice blend (or mild madras curry powder)
- ¼ tsp sugar
- 15g Aleppo chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
Method
Make the vadouvan oil: heat oil, add cashews and apricots, cook 8-10 minutes until golden. Cool slightly, then stir in spices, sugar, chilli, and vinegar. Set aside.
Whisk yoghurt, mayonnaise, lime zest, ½ tbsp juice, and ¼ tsp salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix chicken with 1½ tbsp oil, ¼ tsp salt, and pepper. Add herbs, pea shoots, spring onions, remaining 1½ tbsp oil, 1 tbsp lime juice, and ⅛ tsp salt.
Arrange on a platter, spoon over half the yoghurt and half the vadouvan oil. Serve remaining on the side.
Mango Mess with Yoghurt Cream and Lime Leaf Sugar
A tropical twist on Eton mess, this dessert combines mango, yoghurt cream, and a fragrant lime leaf sugar. Shop-bought meringues keep it easy.
Ingredients
- 6 meringues (70g)
For the Yoghurt Cream
- 600ml double cream
- 100g Greek yoghurt
- 1½ tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 lime (zest and juice)
- 60g palm or brown sugar
For the Lime Leaf Sugar
- 10g lime leaf (stems removed)
- 40g caster sugar
- 2 limes (zest)
- ⅛ tsp flaked sea salt
For the Mangoes
- 3 mangoes, peeled and sliced (400g)
- 150ml sweetened Alphonso mango puree
- 15g palm or brown sugar
- 2 limes, peeled, segmented, and cut into 1cm pieces
Method
Make yoghurt cream: whisk cream, yoghurt, vanilla, lime zest and juice, and sugar until soft peaks form. Refrigerate.
Make lime leaf sugar: blitz lime leaves, caster sugar, lime zest, and salt until finely chopped and green.
Combine mangoes with puree, sugar, and lime pieces. Refrigerate.
To assemble: spoon half the cream on a platter, top with meringues, then some mango mixture. Scatter lime leaf sugar, dollop remaining cream, then more mango mixture and sugar. Serve with extra mango and sugar on the side.
