I LOVE a picnic, they're free, fun and involve food - my idea of a perfect summer activity! However, it's so easy to get bored of plain sandwiches and crisps so here are a few ideas you might not have tried to brighten up your picnics this summer!
Proper Cloudy Lemonade
This is the taste of summer in a drink! Make a day ahead of your picnic and chill in the fridge overnight. Keep cool by transferring into a cooled thermos bottle for the journey.
You Will Need:
- 1 litre of water
- Juice of 4 very large lemons (or 6 small ones)
- about 1 cup of white sugar
- Plenty of ice
Method:
- Start by juicing your lemons into a large saucepan, making sure to remove any pips as you go.
- Top up the pan with water and set on a low heat (I like to add in the lemon rinds at this point to add to the flavour).
- Add 1 cup of sugar to start and stir to dissolve.
- Taste the lemonade. If you feel it needs it, gradually add more sugar, continuing until the taste is to your own liking - everyone likes their lemonade differently, it really is personal preference!
- Once you are happy with the flavour and the sugar is dissolved, switch of the heat, remove the lemon rinds and transfer to a large heat proof jug.
- Leave to cool to room temperature and then transfer the jug to the fridge until you need it.
- Serve with plenty of ice (and a glug of gin is good too!)
- If you taking the lemonade on a picnic, chill your thermos bottle in the fridge overnight then pour the lemonade in when you are ready to leave.
- Remember to bring plastic cups with you!
Yummy Sticky Marmalade and Mustard Cocktail Sausages - By Alex Hollywood:
This is a great twist on the classic honey and mustard sausage! I originally discovered this recipe at Christmas time but soon realised they would make a great cold snack for summer. I tried them on picnic a with my friends and they went down an absolute treat and are now a firm favourite. Even if you don't like marmalade on its own (like me) I would urge you to try these as you can't really taste the marmalade, it just gives a wonderful sweet and sticky quality to the sausages!
You Will Need:
- Pack of 6 Chipolata sausages
- 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Smooth marmalade
- 2 tablespoons Whiskey (totally optional but SO YUM)
- drizzle of olive oil
Method:
- Heat the oven to 190oc.
- Pinch, twist and snip (with scissors) each sausage to make 2 smaller cocktail sausages, place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- In a bowl mix the mustard, marmalade, whiskey and olive oil to form a smooth sauce.
- Use about 2/3 of the sauce to coat the sausages and oven cook for about 10 minutes.
- Now add the rest of the marinade and cook for a further 10 minutes or until dark brown and sticky.
- Leave to cool completely, then pop in the fridge in tupperware until needed!
- Remember to bring cocktail sticks and napkins to as these are very sticky.
Chicken and Chorizo Empanadas:
An empanada is a type of savoury pasty originating from Southern Europe. They can have a variety of fillings including chicken, beef, pork, vegetables and cheese. They are also easily transportable, making them a great picnic option!
I first discovered empanadas in a Spanish supermarket when I was looking for an easy lunch option to take to the beach. At the time, I couldn't even translate the Spanish label, I just knew they looked yummy and hoped they would taste nice - needless to say, when I tried them I soon realised how good they were and bought one every other day of the holiday!
This recipe uses a roll of bought puff pastry for ease, so all you have to do is make the simple filling and bake! This might not be the most traditional recipe but it is easy and delicious which is the most important thing in my opinion!
You Will Need:
- 1 roll of all butter puff pastry
- 1 beaten egg (or milk to glaze)
- 6 slices of Spanish chorizo slices
- 1 large chicken breast, sliced into bitesize pieces
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 Yellow pepper
- 1 onion
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato puree
- 1 cup of chicken stock
- 2 large salad tomatoes (chopped)
- handful chopped black olives
Method:
- Begin by preparing the meat. Slice the chorizo and chicken into small bitesize pieces and season liberally with salt and pepper.
- In a large pan, heat a couple of glugs of olive oil on a medium heat. Then add the chorizo and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the chicken.
- When the chicken is brown, add the paprika, cayenne pepper and oregano and continue to cook for a couple more minutes, staring well.
- When the spices are fragrant, remove the meat from the pan and transfer onto a plate.
- Heat a tablespoon more oil in the pan and add the onion, garlic and peppers and fry until soft.
- Now add the tomato puree and fry for a couple more minutes. After this, add in your chopped salad tomatoes, bay leaves, chicken stock and meat. Turn the heat to low and the mixture to simmer with the lid on for about 15 minutes.
- When the sauce has thickened add in your chopped black olives and check the seasoning once again. When you are happy with the taste, turn the heat off and allow the mixture to cool completely.
- Now ensemble the empanadas. Unroll your pastry and cut into rounds using a small saucer or plate as your guide.
- Spoon a small amount of cold filling onto one half of each pastry round then brush the other half with egg wash and fold over and crimp with a fork.
- Continue until all the pastry is used up then place the pasties on a lined baking sheet and brush the tops with egg wash.
- Bake in a 180oc oven for around 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown, then leave to cool and refrigerate until needed!
Other Picnic Tips:
- Paper plates are a great option because they can be easily disposed once used.
- Always bring a couple of black sacks - one for rubbish and once for dirty tupperware!
- Kitchen roll is an essential!
- Most supermarkets sell cans of ready made cocktails that you can easily take with you! M&S ones are particularly good, but I've also found that Aldi also do some great affordable options!
I hope this post has given you some inspiration to try something new on your next picnic!
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