al fresco

A favourite of Good Food's associate food ed, this quiche just had to be on the site. Perfect comfort food

Leek, mushroom & gruyère quiche

butter

leeks,sliced and washed

pack chestnut mushroom,sliced

eggs

double cream

gruyère,coarsely grated

plain flour

cold butter,cut into pieces

To make the pastry, tip the flour and butter into a bowl, then rub together with your fingertips until completely mixed and crumbly. Add 8 tbsp cold water, then bring everything together with your hands until just combined. Roll into a ball and use straight away or chill for up to 2 days. The pastry can also be frozen for up to a month.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a round about 5cm larger than a 25cm tin. Use your rolling pin to lift it up, then drape over the tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. Using a small ball of pastry scraps, push the pastry into the corners of the tin (see picture, above left). Chill in the fridge or freezer for 20 mins. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

While the pastry is chilling, heat the butter in a pan and cook the leeks for 10 mins, stirring occasionally, until they soften. Then turn up the heat and add the mushrooms. Cook for 5 mins more, then turn off the heat.

Lightly prick the base of the tart with a fork, line the tart case with a large circle of greaseproof paper or foil, then fill with baking beans. Blind-bake the tart for 20 mins, remove the paper and beans, then continue to cook for 5-10 mins until biscuit brown

While the tart case cooks, beat the eggs in a bowl, then gradually add the cream. Stir in the leeks, mushrooms and half the cheese. Season, then tip the filling into the tart case. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, then bake for 20-25 mins until set and golden brown. Leave to cool in the case, trim the edges of the pastry, then remove and serve in slices.

A taste of summer, this quiche is full of Italian flavours and is perfect for dinner in the garden

Roasted tomato, basil & Parmesan quiche

cherry tomato

olive oil

parmesan(or vegetarian alternative), grated

pot double cream

basil leaves, shredded,

plain flour,plus extra for dusting

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a round about 5cm larger than a 25cm tin. Use your rolling pin to lift it up, then drape over the tart case so there is an overhang of pastry on the sides. Using a small ball of pastry scraps, push the pastry into the corners of the tin. Chill in the fridge or freezer for 20 mins. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6.

In a small roasting tin, drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the tomatoes in a low shelf of the oven.

Lightly prick the base of the tart with a fork, line the tart case with a large circle of greaseproof paper or foil, then fill with baking beans. Blind-bake the tart for 20 mins, remove the paper and beans, then continue to cook for 5-10 mins until biscuit brown.

When you remove the tart case from the oven, take out the tomatoes, too.

While the tart is cooking, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Gradually add the cream, then stir in the basil and season. When the case is ready, sprinkle half the cheese over the base, scatter over the tomatoes, pour over the cream mix, then finally scatter over the rest of the cheese. Bake for 20-25 mins until set and golden brown. Leave to cool in the case, trim the edges of the pastry, then remove from the tin. Scatter over the remaining basil and serve in slices.

Gorgeous sticky tomatoes and zingy pickle add a wonderful brightness to this dish, but the super-tender, melt-in-your-mouth lamb is the real star of the show. Delicately spiced and cooked so slowly it falls right off the bone, then shredded into homemade flatbreads, this one’s definitely a winner.

Spiced lamb flatbreads

1.4 kg lamb shoulder bone

cumin seeds

coriander seeds

fennel seeds

saffron

white pepper

½ a bunch of fresh thyme (15 grams)

rosemary

orange

g unsalted butter (at room temperature)

tomatoes

garlic

flour

cos lettuce

pomegranate

rose harissa

½ a bunch of fresh mint (15 grams)

150 ml Greek yoghurt

red wine vinegar

½ a medium red cabbage

½ a bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley (15 grams)

cloves

This pudding from reader Elizabeth Clark is the perfect centrepiece, complete with chewy meringue, creamy lemon filling and retro decoration

Almond & lemon meringue roulade

caster sugar

almond extract

tsp white wine vinegar

ground almond

icing sugar

lemon curd

almond

strawberries

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and line a Swiss roll tin (about 23 x 30cm) with baking parchment.

Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until stiff. Slowly add the sugar, still whisking, until stiff and glossy.

Fold in the almond extract, vinegar and ground almonds until lightly incorporated. Pour into the Swiss roll tin and smooth over, tapping the tin to remove any big air bubbles.

Bake for 30-35 mins or until the top is golden and feels firm and set. Remove from oven, cover with baking parchment and a damp tea towel. Leave to cool.

To serve, whip the cream until thick. Spoon a third into a piping bag and set aside. Invert the roulade onto a large sheet of baking parchment sprinkled with icing sugar. Carefully peel off lining paper and spread over the lemon curd, then spread over the rest of the cream.

Roll up carefully, using the paper to help you. Pipe the remaining cream on top of the roulade, and decorate with flaked almonds and strawberry halves.

This creamy pasta salad is loaded with fresh flavors from herbs, fennel, capers and more. It&#039;s the perfect side dish for picnics and cookouts!

Creamy Pasta Salad

mayonnaise

low fat Greek yogurt

apple cider vinegar

honey

cornichons (chopped)

fennel (chopped fine)

chopped herbs

celery

capers (chopped)

pasta

salt

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar and honey. Stir in the cornichons, fennel, herbs, celery and capers until combined. Add the cooked and cooled pasta and salt and toss until well coated.

This slight twist on an Indian classic uses lighter ingredients to freshen up a widely known dish. Turmeric, the most important spice in Ayurveda, gives the potatoes that familiar colour. Perfect as a side for curry, instead of rice, or even as part of a Sunday roast.

Bombay potato salad

1.5 kg salad potatoes

extra virgin olive oil

turmeric

red onion

lemon

seeds,

herbs,

peas

These are great to make with kids. You will need: an apron, a table knife, rolling pin, baking tray, tablespoon, chopping board, kitchen cloth, mixing bowl, speed peeler, cheese grater and oven gloves.

Vegetable tartlets

x 500 g block of ready-made puff pastry

pesto

cherry tomatoes

asparagus spears

baby courgettes

roasted peppers

½ a bunch of fresh basil

black olives

x 100 g ball mozzarella

Parmesan cheese

Slow cook these American-style pork ribs so they're really tender then coat in an irresistibly sweet, sticky sauce

Stickiest ever BBQ ribs with chive dip

baby back pork ribs

cola

tsp toasted sesame seed (optional)

tbsp tomato ketchup

brown sugar

soy sauce

Worcestershire sauce

tbsp sweet chilli sauce

paprika

soured cream

tbsp salad cream

chive, snipped

spring onions, sliced

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and snugly fit the ribs into a roasting tin. Pour over the cola and enough water to cover the ribs, then cover the tin tightly with foil. Roast for 2-3 hrs, turning halfway through, until the ribs are really tender but not falling apart.

Meanwhile, put all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan. Gently heat, then bubble for about 2 mins, stirring.

When the ribs are done, carefully lift each out of the tin and sit on kitchen paper to dry. Tip away the liquid and wipe out the tin. Put the dry ribs back in the tin and coat all over with the sticky sauce. Cover and chill for at least 1 hr to marinate, but better still up to 24 hrs. Can be frozen at this stage.

Mix the dip ingredients together and chill until ready to serve.

Heat the barbecue and wait for the flames to die down, or heat oven to 220C/200C/gas 7. Add the ribs (in a roasting tin, if using the oven) and cook for 20 mins, turning occasionally, and basting often with remaining sauce. When ribs are sticky, hot through and crisping on the outside, slice to serve. Scatter with sesame seeds, if you like, and plate up with any remaining sticky sauce, warmed, and the chive dip.

It’s rich, and you shouldn’t eat it every day, and the mere mention of this culinary classic divides people. We think there’s nothing better than a slice of warm quiche lorraine, with a chilled glass of Alsace white wine.

Quiche lorraine with carrot & parsley salad

bacon

140 g higher-welfare ham

140 g Gruyère cheese

fraîche

ml milk

nutmeg

unsalted butter

carrots

parsley

These breakfast baps with creamy eggs are camping-friendly, but work just as well as a casual brunch

Cheesy scrambled egg croissants

grated cheddar

milk

chives

croissants

In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cheddar, milk and some seasoning. Pour into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring continuously, until softly scrambled. Stir in chives, then split open croissants (warm them first if you have an oven) and put the scrambled eggs inside.

One of Australia's greatest cookery contributions - shell-on prawns cook quickly and stay succulent on the barbecue

Barbecued prawns with chilli, lime & coriander butter

1kg large raw tiger prawn, heads removed, but unpeeled

garlic clove

coriander

red chilli

lime

To make the butter, put the garlic, coriander, chilli and lime juice in a food processor and pulse until chopped but not sludgy. Remove 1 tbsp of the mix, toss with the prawns and set aside in the fridge. Add the butter and some seasoning to the food processor, and pulse again until everything is combined. Scrape out onto a sheet of foil, roll into a sausage and put in the freezer to harden.

Fire up the barbecue. When the coals have just turned white, cook the prawns for 3-4 mins on each side until they turn pink. Lift them off the barbecue onto a platter and, while still sizzling hot, melt thin slices of about half the butter over the prawns. Melt the remaining butter and serve with the prawns to dip into, and lime wedges for squeezing over.

Make the most of tomatoes with this summer pipi dish.

Pipis in spicy lemongrass tomato broth

(80 milliliters) vegetable oil

eschalots, thinly sliced

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

lemongrass stalk,

kaffir lime leaves

(25 grams) ginger, thinly sliced

(25 grams) galangal, finely grated

coriander, stems finely chopped, leaves

tbs fish sauce

tbs sambal oelek

ripe tomatoes, finely chopped

grape tomatoes

1kg pot-ready pipis, purged

Lime wedges, to serve

Churn up smooth homemade ice cream with hints of lemon zest and vanilla - great all year round!

Crème fraîche ice cream

full-fat crème fraîche

vanilla extract

Whisk together the milk, sugar, crème fraîche, lemon zest and vanilla. Set aside for 10 mins for the sugar to melt. Churn in an ice-cream machine, following manufacturer’s instructions, before freezing. Or freeze for 1 hr, then give a good whisk and return to the freezer for another hour. Repeat 3 or 4 times until it becomes solid.

If spring is in the air you don't want to be slaving over a hot oven, so make the most of seasonal lamb the easy way with this lazy roast

Greek roast lamb

leg of lamb, about 3kg/6lb 8 ounces

oregano

½kg new potatoes

can chopped tomato

baby kalamata olives

Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. Pound the garlic, half the oregano, lemon zest and a pinch of salt in a pestle and mortar, then add the lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Stab the lamb all over with a sharp knife, then push as much of the herb paste as you can into the holes.

Tip the potatoes into a large roasting tin, then toss in the remaining olive oil and any remaining herb paste. Nestle the lamb amongst the potatoes, roast for 20 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Roast for 1 hr 15 mins for medium-rare, adding another 15 mins if you prefer your lamb medium. Baste the lamb once or twice with the juices and toss the potatoes. When the lamb is done to your liking, remove from the tin and let it rest. Throw the rest of the oregano in with the potatoes, scoop from the tin and keep warm.

Place the roasting tin over a medium flame, add the canned tomatoes and olives to the pan juices, then simmer for a few mins. Serve the lamb with the potatoes and sauce and a simple salad.

We’ve spread the bread with a little jam to stop it getting too soggy, but this isn’t traditional.

Top 28 al fresco recipes from across the web

The most viewed al fresco recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Leek, mushroom & gruyère quiche

Roasted tomato, basil & Parmesan qu...

Spiced lamb flatbreads

Almond & lemon meringue roulade

Creamy Pasta Salad

Bombay potato salad

Vegetable tartlets

Stickiest ever BBQ ribs with chive ...

Quiche lorraine with carrot & parsl...

Cheesy scrambled egg croissants

Barbecued prawns with chilli, lime ...

Pipis in spicy lemongrass tomato br...

Crème fraîche ice cream

Greek roast lamb

Summer pudding

Sliced fennel, orange & almond sala...

Spicy grilled vegetable rolls & chi...

Blueberry Crumble

Lemony Greek Potato Salad

Creamy Limoncello Bars

Griddled vegetables & feta with...

No-Churn Ube Swirl Ice Cream

Quiche leekraine

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Painkiller Cocktail

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Top 28 al fresco recipes from across the web

The most viewed al fresco recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Leek, mushroom & gruyère quiche

Roasted tomato, basil & Parmesan qu...

Spiced lamb flatbreads

Almond & lemon meringue roulade

Creamy Pasta Salad

Bombay potato salad

Vegetable tartlets

Stickiest ever BBQ ribs with chive ...

Quiche lorraine with carrot & parsl...

Cheesy scrambled egg croissants

Barbecued prawns with chilli, lime ...

Pipis in spicy lemongrass tomato br...

Crème fraîche ice cream

Greek roast lamb

Summer pudding

Sliced fennel, orange & almond sala...

Spicy grilled vegetable rolls & chi...

Blueberry Crumble

Lemony Greek Potato Salad

Creamy Limoncello Bars

Griddled vegetables &amp; feta with...

No-Churn Ube Swirl Ice Cream

Quiche leekraine

Chichinga: suya goat kebabs

Potatoes yiachni

Tomato, black olive, feta & anchovy...

Painkiller Cocktail

Tsukune (Grilled Japanese Chicken M...

The most viewed al fresco recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Griddled vegetables & feta with...