Summer is finally here and brought with it almost everything you need for a great dinner party – long evenings, fresh ingredients and a great excuse to break out the rosé. All that's missing are delicious dinner dishes that don't keep us trapped in the kitchen, and get us out in the sunshine instead. We've taken inspiration from Ibiza-based food writer Anne Sijmonsbergen's new cookbook Eivissa to bring the sun-soaked taste of the white isle straight to your plate. From a marinated main course sizzling with summer flavours to a dessert inspired by our favourite cocktail, click through to see the summer dinner dishes you need to treat yourself to now.
Asparagus, Beans and Rocket with Lemon Ricotta
This bright, fresh plate of perfectly cooked veggies makes a perfect starter for any dinner party. Not only is it packed with more vitamins and nutrients than your guests may be able to handle, the mix of fresh greens with creamy ricotta and parmesan perfectly capture the taste of summer.
Ingredients:
400g green beans, topped and tailed
1kg fresh broad beans, shelled
4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tsp lemon juice
300g fresh ricotta
1 lemon, finely zested
100g rocket
750g asparagus (about 20 spears)
20g Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and black pepper
Bring 60ml of water to a rapid boil in a large frying pan. Add the asparagus and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Cook the asparagus spears for 5–6 minutes until al dente, tossing them gently with rubber- or silicone-tipped tongs. Pour in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, toss to coat the pan in the oil, then fry the asparagus over a high heat for 1–2 minutes, until the spears are evenly coated with salt and oil.
Boil a medium saucepan of water, add 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt and the green beans. Blanch for 1-2 minutes, remove with tongs, and plunge into a bowl of cold water. Return the water in the pan to the boil and add the broad beans. Cook for 3-4 minutes until al dente, drain and leave to dry on a tea towel until they are cool enough to peel away the thin membrane.
Toss the broad and green beans together with 1 tablespoon of the oil and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Mix the ricotta in a bowl with most of the lemon zest and season. Toss the rocket with the remaining olive oil and a pinch of salt.
Divide among 4 plates. Top each with the asparagus, beans, plus a dollop of lemon ricotta. Dress with more oil, season with pepper, sprinkle over the cheese and the remaining lemon zest.
Serves 4
Photo: Courtesy of Eivissa: The Ibiza Cookbook.
Marinated Entraña with Chimichurri
Ibizan style steak makes a perfect main for those who want to add a bit of spice to a summer evening. The steak needs to be marinated overnight to soak in the flavour so almost all the work is done the night before. Luckily this leaves you free to spend more time with your guests, and, maybe more importantly, your drink.
Ingredients:
1.5kg (3lb 4oz) skirt steak, cut into strips
Marinade
120ml extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp sherry vinegar
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 lemon, zested
Large handful rosemary leaves
Large handful thyme leaves
Salt and black pepper
Chimichurri
240ml extra virgin olive oil
90ml red wine vinegar
Large handful flat-leaf parsley, leaves roughly chopped
Handful oregano, leaves roughly chopped
Handful coriander, leaves roughly chopped
1 dried red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
To make the marinade, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, chilli, lemon zest and herbs in a measuring jug and mix well. Divide the strips of skirt steak into three large resealable freezer bags and pour a third of the marinade into each. Seal and massage the meat in the bag, to completely coat it. Transfer to the fridge to marinate for 24 hours.
Place all the ingredients for the chimichurri in a jar, seal it and shake well to combine. Set aside until needed.
Remove the steak strips from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and preheat the barbecue or a griddle pan to very hot. Remove the steak from the marinade. Season the steak strips with salt and pepper and grill them on the grill or griddle pan for 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or 4 minutes for medium-well done – any longer and the steak will be tough as it is a very thin cut. Remove the steak from the grill and leave to rest for 5 minutes, then slice on the diagonal and serve.
Serves 6
Photo: Courtesy of Eivissa: The Ibiza Cookbook.
Tomato Gratinado
Tomatoes are at their best during the summer and this quick, simple dish preserves all of their delicious flavour and freshness. The crispy top and hint of parmesan also makes it a fantastic accompaniment to entraña, or a tempting main course for those wanting to keep their dinner vegetarian.
Ingredients
1kg tomatoes, cut into 2cm thick slices
1 large bunch basil, leaves cut into ribbons
2 tbsp sherry vinegar, or to taste
1⁄2 ciabatta, sliced, fried and crumbled
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
30g toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F), gas mark 4.
Place the tomato slices in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Grease a glass or ceramic baking dish with oil, and cover the bottom with a layer of tomatoes. Scatter some of the ribboned basil leaves over the top. Season with salt, pepper and a sprinkle of sherry vinegar. Continue layering until all the tomatoes and basil are used up.
In a separate bowl, combine the crumbled ciabatta and grated cheese and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the tomatoes then transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle over the walnuts. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F), gas mark 6 and bake the gratinado for a further 3–4 minutes until crisp.
Serves 6
Photo: Courtesy of Eivissa: The Ibiza Cookbook.
Caramalised Grapefruit Halves with Campari
Are you thinking what we're thinking? Why haven't we made this before? The Campari kick to this super simple dessert brings out the sweetness of the grapefruit, while still keeping it sharp and juicy.
Ingredients
2 pink grapefruits
4 tbsp Campari
4 tbsp caster sugar
Turn the oven grill to its highest setting and place the oven rack directly beneath the grill. Cut the grapefruits in half horizontally. Use a sharp paring knife to cut the flesh away from the inside of the peel and white membrane. Cut along the inside of each membrane, against the flesh, to separate the segments, cutting to the bottom without piercing the peel. The segments should be easy to prise from the shell when cooked. Place the grapefruit halves on a baking tray and poke the top of the grapefruit segments with a toothpick.
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of Campari over each half and set aside for
10 minutes to allow it to soak into the fruit. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoon of sugar, completely coating the tops of the grapefruits, and immediately place them under the grill. Grill the grapefruit halves for 2 minutes, then turn the tray or move the fruits if necessary to ensure they caramelise evenly. Grill for a further 1–2 minutes, until the sugar is completely caramelised. Serve straight away.
Serves 4
Photo: Courtesy of Eivissa: The Ibiza Cookbook.Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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