There are some truly fantastic British foods in season during May and early June. Elderflowers are blossoming in the hedgerows; asparagus is at its finest and the glorious scent of wild garlic escapes from ancient woodlands on warmer days. CENA is passionate about the very best food cooked to perfection, so what better way to celebrate these great British ingredients than with some spring recipes! There is nothing better than getting out in the open air and cooking up a storm on your outdoor kitchen as the warm weather and long, light evenings arrive.
SPRING VEGETABLE FRITTATA
It’s National Vegetarian Week this week (the 13th– 19thMay) which aims to encourage us to go meat-free for just one week and take the chance to try some of the enormous range of vegetarian recipes out there. This got the team at CENA thinking about a vegetarian recipe that use some of the most fabulous in-season ingredients in the UK right now. Your spring vegetable frittata can be made from any combination of in-season vegetables you like, but the CENA favourites are asparagus, jersey royal new potatoes, spinach and fresh peas. Combine the vegetables with eggs and seasoning before gently cooking in an oiled frying pan over the side burner. Finish in the grill until the top is cooked but has a gentle wobble in the middle.
WILD GARLIC PESTO
If you look carefully in ancient woodlands and hedgerows at this time of year you might spot wild garlic. Dark green leaves and white allium-style flowers are the giveaway, as is the heady aroma of garlic if it’s a warm day. Use wild garlic leaves to create a rich and vibrant green pesto that you can then use as an accompaniment to some succulent slow roasted lamb, fresh from the rotisserie on your CENA kitchen. Lamb is strongly associated with the Easter Sunday lunch, but British lamb is actually at its very best in May and makes an impressive outdoor meal.
BAKED MACKEREL
Mackerel comes into season in June and is such a wonderful treat for an alfresco supper in the summertime. Score the sides of the prepared fish and stuff with lemon, thyme and oregano. Add a drizzle of olive oil and some seasoning before you wrap the fish in foil and place it in the grill on a medium heat. The cooking time is dependent on how hot the grill is but you will know the fish is cooked when the flesh easily comes away from the bone.
ELDERFLOWER CORDIAL
Looking for a cool and refreshing drink to serve your guests when they gather around your CENA outdoor kitchen? You’ll find elderflower thriving in the British countryside from late May until the middle of June so why not use it to create a floral and sweet cordial? Mix with sparkling water, ice and a slice of lemon for a driver-safe beverage, or add to a gin and tonic or some sparkling wine.
FEELING INSPIRED?
Why not explore the world of CENA outdoor kitchens and start dreaming about what your perfect outdoor kitchen would have on it? Take a look here.
