Bring the Mediterranean to you
This summer not all of us can leap on a plane, get behind the wheel and drive, or let the train take the strain.
Some of us have got responsibilities: bills, kids, a commitment to personal fitness, a military diet and 4am starts.
Like I say, that’s not all of us. But you get the gist. We’re not all basking on a Barcelona beach or luxuriating in a Lisbon sunset.
“Can you eat your way to the sunshine? Whip up some dishes that transport you straight to the Costa del Somewhere nice?”
But how about bringing the holiday to you?
What I mean by that is: can you eat your way to the sunshine? Whip up some dishes that transport you straight to the Costa del Somewhere nice?
Here’s a few menu options. Light, breezy and – hopefully – easy. And with a few listening recommendations so you can boogie while you BBQ.
A taste of…Spain
Aaaah el classico! Viva España! The home of tapas. Sangria. And of course, Lays crisps.
But when it comes to going Iberian in the kitchen, you might be thinking of a paella. And there’s nothing wrong with paella. But why not try one with a difference: fideuà.
Originally from the Valencian region of Spain – much like paella, then – fideuà uses noodly pasta rather than rice. And the version you should be looking to chef up would be the seafood one.
Cuttlefish. Monkfish. Squid. All the tentacle types, basically. And quick hint: this one is often a hit with the kids.
Soundtrack: The best of Julio Iglesias
A taste of…Greece
We could go souvlaki. We could have gone gyros (an overnighter this one, to really let the flavours flav’).
But in the end, we’ve gone: Moussaka.
A classic of the Greek table since the early 20th century. There’s a bit of prep time to this one, but what you put in you get out, in ladles full.
Soundtrack: Classic Greek rock
A taste of…France
Still one of the most popular holiday destinations for Brits, and a go-to cuisine for kitchen tourists all over our rainsodden paradise.
For my selection here, I’ve gone for a taste of the French Riviera. A plat du Provence, if you will. Is that even accurate?
I don’t know and I can’t work Chat GPT so that will have to do.
Here it is then: Chicken Provençal.
*extremely Chef’s Kiss*
Soundtrack: The best of Johnny Hallyday
