Cornelia van der Poll serves a summer spread of pork meatloaf, cold ratatouille, potato salad and lemon and almond cake, ideal for a picnic.
The best outdoor meals evoke a sense of spontaneity. Even if the cook has been planning and preparing meticulously behind the scenes, fine weather and fresh air call for effortlessly simple presentation, and also robust flavours, because dishes to be eaten outdoors need to withstand being served cold. This pork meatloaf looks tempting, has a depth of flavour and is easy to transport. Add a simple salad of sliced ripe tomatoes, basil torn into pieces, good olive oil and vinegar, and perhaps a sourdough loaf and some unsalted butter, or a potato salad, and your picnic or lunch in the garden is complete. A cold ratatouille turns it into a grander summery meal. The lemon and almond cake requires only raspberries, and some whipped cream, if logistics allow. What to drink? Champagne, rosé, a dry cider or even a cold pale ale.
Cold ratatouille
1lb/450g each of onions, red or mixed peppers, aubergines and courgettes, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tin of plum tomatoes and juice
6 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
Few sprigs of parsley, chopped
Few torn basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Sprinkling of cayenne pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
This is a fragrant ratatouille, flavoured with plenty of herbs and lightly spiced with cayenne pepper, which can successfully be served cold. After cooking, the juices are drained and concentrated to avoid a watery texture and give the dish an intense flavour.
Heat some olive oil in a heavy pan and add the onion. Cook gently and do not let it brown. When the onion is soft, add the aubergines, peppers, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper. When these become soft, after about 10 minutes, add the tomatoes, thyme, parsley and bay leaf. Simmer gently, covered, over a very low heat for about an hour, and then add the courgettes and continue to simmer until all the vegetables are very tender, which may take another hour.
Put the contents of the pan in a colander over another pan and allow the juices to drain, then return it to the original pan and continue cooking over a very low heat without the lid. Meanwhile, reduce the liquid over a high heat until syrupy while stirring with a wooden spoon. When it has become concentrated, return it to the vegetables, allow to cool, add some basil and chill. Before serving, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle more basil and parsley on top.
Pork meatloaf
1lb/450g minced pork
1 thick slice of bread, soaked in water and squeezed dry
3 anchovy fillets, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp capers
Few sprigs of parsley, finely chopped
Grated zest and juice of a lemon
1 egg
Large pinch of salt and a generous grinding of black pepper
Dry breadcrumbs for coating
This meatloaf can be made a day or two in advance, improves with keeping and also freezes well. The coating of dry breadcrumbs forms a satisfying golden crust. To make the breadcrumbs, tear some bread into small pieces and dry out in a low oven, then pulverise in a food processor. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly with your hands and shape the mixture into a loaf shape. Carefully coat it in breadcrumbs and lay on a sheet of baking paper in a roasting tin. Bake at 180°C for one hour. Leave to cool and then lift out of the tin and trim off any congealed meat juices. Cut into thick slices to serve. Serves four as a main dish or six as part of a buffet.
Potato salad
Boil some waxy potatoes until tender. Remove the skin while they are still warm and cut into thick slices (or halve if they are small). Dress with red wine or cider vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and salt while the potatoes are still warm. There is no need for further elaboration, but you could add some chopped fresh herbs from the garden, if you like.
Lemon and almond cake
7oz/200g unsalted butter, softened
7oz/200g unrefined caster sugar
5 eggs, separated
2oz/50g plain flour
7oz/200g ground almonds
Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
This cake will keep for a week or more, and the flavour continues to improve. It can be frozen. Cream the butter and sugar together and beat until pale. Beat in the egg yolks. Mix in the almonds, lemon zest and juice. Sift the four and fold in. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold in. Add a little milk if the mixture is too stiff. Pour into an 8-inch tin lined with baking paper and bake at 180ºC for about an hour.
The top burns easily, and it may be necessary to cover it with a piece of baking paper towards the end. The cake is ready when a knife comes out nearly clean or the top springs back when pressed.
The mixture also makes good cupcakes or muffins. Spoon it into paper cups or a greased muffin tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown. Watch carefully towards the end that they don’t burn. Alternatively, the recipe will also make about two dozen small cakes.
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