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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIt\u2019s the easiest party you\u2019ll ever throw \u2013 all it takes is a table, a few chairs and something delicious to share. The Big Lunch returns this weekend (7-8 June), inviting neighbours across the UK to come together over food and friendship. Whether it\u2019s a full street bash or a few snacks on the front step, it\u2019s a chance to break the ice, not the bank, and feel part of something bigger.<\/p>\n
Now in its 16th year, the Eden Project\u2019s initiative has become a national fixture, with more than 10 million people joining in last summer. This year\u2019s event is backed once again by Co-op, Greene King and the Pears Foundation \u2013 and while it\u2019s all about community, the food doesn\u2019t hurt either.<\/p>\n
To help get you started, we\u2019ve rounded up a handful of brilliant recipes perfect for sharing. From Prue Leith\u2019s vibrant watermelon and halloumi salad to Poppy O\u2019Toole\u2019s viral smashed potato nachos, this is food designed to get people talking. There\u2019s also a hearty veggie burger from Tom Kerridge, a clever cauliflower salad from Yotam Ottolenghi, Raymond Blanc\u2019s summery cherry clafoutis and Nicola Lamb\u2019s foolproof Earl Grey scones for something sweet with your cuppa.<\/p>\n
All that\u2019s left to do? Send out the invites (verbal will do), make a little space and enjoy the simple pleasure of eating together.<\/p>\n
Prue Leith\u2019s summer watermelon and halloumi salad<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n \u201cWatermelon seems to me the essence of summer. During my South African childhood, we\u2019d cool ourselves with long slices eaten in our hands. When I came to England, watermelon was often a disappointment \u2013 pale and tasteless \u2013 but it\u2019s much better now (the darker the flesh, the sweeter it will be). <\/p>\n
\u201cI once had to make a dish on Saturday Kitchen<\/em> for the adventurer Ben Fogle, who had declared watermelon his least favourite food. I changed his mind by wrapping fat sticks of watermelon flesh in prosciutto, frying them and serving them with feta and pomegranate. I could have given him this dish, which makes an interesting starter or a satisfying veggie main.\u201d<\/p>\nServes<\/strong>: 4-6<\/p>\nIngredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n3 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour<\/em><\/p>\n200g\/7oz halloumi, sliced<\/em><\/p>\nVegetable oil, for frying<\/em><\/p>\n200g\/7oz watermelon, skin removed and cut into thin slices<\/em><\/p>\n30g\/1oz rocket (arugula) leaves<\/em><\/p>\n20g\/\u00beoz\/2 tbsp pomegranate seeds <\/em><\/p>\nAbout 10 mint leaves, torn<\/em><\/p>\nFor the pickled shallots<\/strong>:<\/p>\n3 tbsp white wine vinegar<\/em><\/p>\n1 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bd tsp salt<\/em><\/p>\n2 shallots (or 1 small red onion), finely diced<\/em><\/p>\nFor the dressing<\/strong>:<\/p>\n2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil<\/em><\/p>\n1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar<\/em><\/p>\n1 tsp clear honey<\/em><\/p>\nSalt and black pepper<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Make the pickled shallots. Tip the vinegar, sugar and salt into a small saucepan and add 3 tablespoons of water. Stir, then place on a medium\u2013high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat and add the shallots (or onion). Set aside to cool.<\/p>\n
2. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.<\/p>\n
3. Tip the flour into a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dip the halloumi slices into the flour to coat.<\/p>\n
4. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan on a medium-high heat. Add the halloumi slices and fry on each side for a few minutes, until golden and crisp. Leave to cool.<\/p>\n
5. Arrange overlapping layers of halloumi, watermelon and rocket (arugula) on a large serving plate.<\/p>\n
6. Drain the shallots (or onion), and sprinkle them on top of the salad, along with the pomegranate seeds and mint leaves. Drizzle the dressing over or serve it on the side.<\/p>\n
Tip<\/strong>: If you are making this in advance, let the halloumi cool before arranging the plate (warm halloumi will wilt the rocket). If you want to serve the halloumi hot, just add it to the rest of the salad at the last minute.<\/p>\n
Tom Kerridge\u2019s halloumi and aubergine burgers<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Proof that veggie BBQ food doesn\u2019t need to be second best (Supplied)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\u201cThese burgers are so good that they will impress all your guests, not just vegetarians. Halloumi and aubergine are charred on the grill for a great balance of textures. The toppings here are extra special: smoky garlic and herb mayo, a fiery roasted chilli butter, and peppery rocket that brings a pop of freshness to every bite.\u201d <\/p>\n
Serves<\/strong>: 4<\/p>\nIngredients<\/strong>: <\/p>\n2 large aubergines<\/p>\n
2 \u00d7 250g blocks of halloumi, each halved horizontally<\/p>\n
Salt and freshly ground pepper<\/p>\n
For the roasted chilli butter<\/strong>: <\/p>\n3 long red chillies <\/em><\/p>\n100g butter, softened<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bd tsp sweet smoked paprika <\/em><\/p>\n1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley<\/em><\/p>\nFor the garlic mayonnaise<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1 large whole garlic bulb<\/em><\/p>\n1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<\/em><\/p>\n2 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked <\/em><\/p>\n2 handfuls of hickory wood chips (for the barbecue)<\/em><\/p>\n100ml mayonnaise <\/em><\/p>\nJuice of \u00bd lemon<\/em><\/p>\nTo assemble<\/strong>: <\/p>\n4 burger buns <\/em><\/p>\n60g rocket<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. First, make the chilli butter. Place the chillies on a hot barbecue and cook for about 10 minutes, turning often, until blackened all over. Pop them into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and let steam for a few minutes.<\/p>\n
2. For the garlic mayo, cut the top off the garlic bulb to expose the clove tips. Sit, cut side up, in a small heavy-based frying pan, drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme.<\/p>\n
3. Scatter a large handful of hickory wood chips onto the barbecue coals for extra smokiness. Place the frying pan on the barbecue over indirect heat. Put the lid on the barbecue and cook the garlic for 45 minutes or until it is soft.<\/p>\n
4. Meanwhile, peel, deseed and finely chop the chillies. Place in a bowl with the softened butter, smoked paprika and chopped parsley. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.<\/p>\n
5. Remove the pan from the barbecue and transfer the garlic to a plate. Leave to cool. Once cooled, squeeze the soft garlic flesh out of the skins into a bowl and mash well with a fork. Add the mayo and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper to taste and mix to combine.<\/p>\n
6. Halve the aubergines lengthways and then cut a 2cm thick steak from each half.<\/p>\n
7. Cook the aubergine and halloumi steaks on the barbecue over a medium-high heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side until nicely browned and tender. Turn and brush them with a little chilli butter as they cook but allow the halloumi to caramelise before flipping it over.<\/p>\n
8. Towards the end of the cooking, lightly toast the burger buns on the barbecue, cut side down, then remove and smear the cut surfaces with any remaining chilli butter.<\/p>\n
9. To assemble, spread some garlic mayo on the burger bun bases. Add an aubergine steak, a halloumi steak and then a big handful of rocket. Spread some more garlic mayo on the bun lids. Sandwich the burgers together and secure the lid with a wooden skewer. Tuck in!<\/p>\n
Yotam Ottolenghi\u2019s cauliflower, pomegranate and pistachio salad<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Roasted, raw, nutty, fresh \u2013 the cauliflower glow-up you didn\u2019t know you needed (Supplied)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\u201cIt was a little moment of revelation, I remember, when I first combined roasted cauliflower and raw grated cauliflower in the same dish. So different from one another, but working so well combined. <\/p>\n
\u201cThis is lovely as it is, served as part of a spread, or spooned alongside some roast chicken or lamb. Don\u2019t throw away the leaves of the cauliflower here. They\u2019re lovely to eat, roasted and crisp, or grated raw as you would the rest of the cauliflower. <\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want to get ahead, roast the cauliflower up to 4\u20136 hours in advance. Keep at room temperature and then just combine with the remaining ingredients when ready to serve.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ingredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1 large cauliflower (800g)<\/em><\/p>\n1 medium onion, roughly sliced (130g)<\/em><\/p>\n80ml olive oil<\/em><\/p>\n25g parsley, roughly chopped<\/em><\/p>\n10g mint, roughly chopped<\/em><\/p>\n10g tarragon, roughly chopped<\/em><\/p>\nSeeds from \u00bd medium pomegranate (80g)<\/em><\/p>\n40g pistachio kernels, lightly toasted and roughly chopped<\/em><\/p>\n1 tsp ground cumin<\/em><\/p>\n1\u00bd tbsp lemon juice<\/em><\/p>\nSalt<\/em><\/p>\nServes<\/strong>: 4<\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1. Preheat the oven to 200C fan.<\/p>\n
2. Coarsely grate a third of the cauliflower and set aside in a bowl. Break the remaining cauliflower into florets, roughly 3cm wide, and add these to a separate bowl with the cauliflower leaves, if you have any, and onion. Toss everything together with 2 tablespoons of oil and \u00bc teaspoon of salt, then spread out on a large parchment-lined baking tray. Roast for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.<\/p>\n
3. Once cool, put the roasted vegetables into a large bowl with the 50ml oil, the grated cauliflower and the remaining ingredients, along with \u00bc teaspoon of salt. Toss gently, just to combine, then transfer to a platter and serve.<\/p>\n
Poppy O\u2019Toole\u2019s smashed potato nachos<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Crisps out, carbs in \u2013 this viral nacho twist hits all the right notes (Supplied)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\u201cA nacho dish\u2026 without the nachos. Hear me out, though. Sometimes I find with nachos that the toppings are insanely good, but then you dig a little deeper and are faced with those sad, bland tortilla crisps that no amount of cheese can save.P<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve rectified that. Say goodbye to the crisps and hello to golden, crunchy, smashed potatoes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Serves<\/strong>: 4<\/p>\nIngredients<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1.2kg Maris Piper potatoes, halved (no need to peel)<\/em><\/p>\nSalt and black pepper<\/em><\/p>\nFor the spiced oil<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1 tsp smoked paprika<\/em><\/p>\n1 tsp garlic granules<\/em><\/p>\n2 tbsp olive oil<\/em><\/p>\nFor the pickled red onions<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1 red onion, finely sliced<\/em><\/p>\nJuice of 3-4 limes<\/em><\/p>\nPinch of caster sugar<\/em><\/p>\nTo serve and garnish<\/strong>:<\/p>\n1 ripe avocado<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bd red onion, finely diced<\/em><\/p>\nJuice of 1 lime<\/em><\/p>\nSmall bunch of coriander, leaves finely chopped<\/em><\/p>\n3 slices of American processed cheese<\/em><\/p>\nSplash of whole milk, or as needed<\/em><\/p>\nSour cream<\/em><\/p>\nSliced pickled jalape\u00f1os<\/em><\/p>\nSliced red chilli sliced spring onions<\/em><\/p>\nMethod<\/strong>: <\/p>\n1. Get your potatoes into a saucepan of heavily salted, cold water. Place the pan over a high heat and bring the water to the boil. Reduce the heat and leave on a gentle boil for 20\u201325 minutes, until the potatoes fall off the tip of a knife. Drain in a colander. Place the colander over the pan on the turned-off hob and leave to steam-dry with a tea towel over the top for 5\u201310 minutes.<\/p>\n
2. Meanwhile, heat your oven to 200C\/180C fan\/400F\/gas 6.<\/p>\n
3. On a large baking tray, space out the potatoes and use the bottom of a jar or tin to press them down and crush them so they have lots of edges to go crispy.<\/p>\n
4. To make the spiced oil, mix together the smoked paprika, garlic granules and a big pinch each of salt and pepper with the olive oil. Use some of this to brush all over the potatoes, then roast them in the oven for 30-40 minutes, before flipping them over, brushing with a little more spiced oil, and roasting for 15-20 minutes more, until the spiced oil has turned a dark red and the potatoes are cooked and crispy.<\/p>\n
5. Meanwhile, mix together the ingredients for the pickled red onions (you want just enough lime juice to cover them) and leave them to soften and infuse for at least 10 minutes, then set aside.<\/p>\n
6. Destone the avocado and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Smash the avocado with a fork and mix through the red onion, lime juice and chopped coriander. Season well with salt and pepper.<\/p>\n
7. In a small microwaveable bowl, microwave the American cheese slices with the splash of milk, on full power in 30-second bursts. Stir after each burst, until the cheese has melted to a sauce. Add in a bit more milk if it is a little thick.<\/p>\n
8. Layer up the potatoes with the pickled onions, dollops of guacamole and sour cream, and a few jalape\u00f1o and chilli slices, then drizzle with the cheese sauce and garnish with a sprinkling of spring onions.<\/p>\n
Raymond Blanc\u2019s cherry clafoutis<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n\n
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open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>A French classic perfect for sharing, if you can bring yourself to (Supplied)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\u201cA clafoutis is a baked dessert featuring ripe, seasonal stone fruits traditionally, such as black cherries but other stone fruits, such as peaches, plums, apricots or figs, work beautifully too. <\/p>\n
\u201cClafoutis has been a staple dessert on our menus at Brasserie Blanc.\u201d<\/p>\n
Serves<\/strong>: 4<\/p>\nPrep time<\/strong>: 30 mins, plus 2 hours macerating | Cook time<\/strong>: 30\u201335 mins<\/p>\nSpecial equipment<\/strong>: 20cm round ceramic or cast-iron baking dish (5cm deep), cherry stoner<\/p>\nIngredients<\/strong>: <\/p>\nFor the cherries<\/strong>:<\/p>\n450g best-quality ripe cherries (such as Montmorency or Morello), stoned<\/em><\/p>\n50g caster sugar<\/em><\/p>\nA squeeze of lemon juice (optional)<\/em><\/p>\nFor preparing the dish<\/strong>:<\/p>\n10g unsalted butter, melted<\/em><\/p>\n30g caster sugar, plus extra to finish<\/em><\/p>\nFor the batter<\/strong>: <\/p>\n2 organic\/free-range medium eggs<\/em><\/p>\n45g caster sugar<\/em><\/p>\n\u00bd tsp vanilla extract<\/em><\/p>\n20g unsalted butter<\/em><\/p>\n20g plain flour<\/em><\/p>\n50ml whole milk<\/em><\/p>\n75ml whipping cream<\/em><\/p>\nPinch of sea salt<\/em><\/p>\n