Five Things I Ate This Week

Loving this summer we're having, it's good as a bought one. So I thought I'd share five things I made this week that fit the summer theme and were utterly gorgeous to eat.

 There was spinach pie - I had some small bits of cheeses to use up, along with a few spring onions, lots of eggs and half a bunch of fresh dill. All I needed was spinach and filo. Pleased to say that I discovered that reheating in a small pan with a little olive oil re-crsiped the pastry next day for lunch. 100% yum.

 Went to see Liola at the National - a delightful production - so I made salami sandwiches topped with cucumber, peashoots and greens from my garden. Doesn't get fresher than that! Enjoyed them as a picnic on the theatre terrace overlooking the Thames with a glass of wine and a packet of crisps. All made for an enjoyable evening.

 This is the very definition of garlic chicken! I boiled potatoes with garlic and olive oil, then mashed them as the base for chicken I fried with garlic, bay leaves and sherry and served a side dish of roasted Amalfi lemons, banana shallots and garlic. Inspiration came from Jose Pizzaro's book - and it was a great mid week supper

 Continuing the Spanish theme this is a white gazpacho, made with cucumber, avocado and yoghurt with an intense underlying flavour from ginger, coriander and sherry vinegar. I loved it, the man was not convinced.

He was however utterly delighted with home meade pizza - and so he should be! I made this beauty - my first ever successful pizza - with dough topped with buffalo mozzarella, spicy salami and marinated mushrooms in a very hot oven, then topped with a sprinkle of greek basil. We ate it double quick, then ate another. Friday night at its best.