How To Cook A Brighter Summer Sunday Roast | Cooking aid

It's summer, but I still want a Sunday roast. How can I lighten it? Jenny, Cambridge

The first port of call, Jenny, is to reevaluate the surroundings of your roast. "Bringing lighter sides is the answer," says Tom Harris, chef and co-owner, alongside Jon Rotheram, of the Marksman pub in east London. “Maybe lose sauces and sauces; we also tend to lean more towards condiments, which means lots of herb aioli and such. That doesn't mean you have to get rid of the sauce completely. Rotheram suggests adding chicken gravy to salad dressings (with vinegar or crème fraiche): "It works great with little gems, as does beef gravy with a rolled vegetable salad."

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Said the tumble could be "pretty summer carrots" (or beets, fennel or onions) roasted and served cold with a green sauce. "People think salads are lettuce, but we're talking roasted vegetables [mixed with] a lettuce leaf," Harris explains. "Or maybe something more substantial like roasted chicory mixed with lighter leaves." has a chicken in the oven, Rotheram can accessorize it with a salad of roasted tomatoes and anchovies: "It's beautiful and different. Then serve a bowl of boiled or steamed royal jersey on the side, which is a good alternative to roasted potatoes, coleslaw (cabbage, fennel, onion) and roasted new potatoes "drowned in ns roasted garlic butter and parsley”. And the bird should be "stuffed with lemons and brushed with tarragon butter". Original MasterChef winner and Guardian columnist Thomasina Miers opts for an olive and garlic butter stuffing. This involves chopping four cloves of garlic, adding salt, then crushing them into a paste. She adds kalamata olives and fresh oregano, then minces everything in garlic, before tossing with 65g of butter, black pepper and lemon zest. "Gently lift the skin of the chicken away from the breast and thighs - just enough to generously coat the butter mixture under the skin - then spoon any remaining butter into the cavity." Squeeze some lemon juice, season inside and out, nest the bird on steamed and mashed potatoes drizzled with olive oil, add thyme, cherry tomatoes and slices of lemon, and roast. Eat with salad and you'll have a great time.

"We also do a lot of rotisserie," says Harris, who might add peas or artichokes, too. "It's a little lighter, but you still get the roast meat thing." But, Rotheram wisely adds, it's not just about the meat. At Marksman, you'll find pies topped with seasonal vegetables, which is another great tactic: "They're room temperature and go really well with roasted tomato salads or this carrot salad."

< p class="dcr -3jlghf">For Maunika Gowardhan, author of Thali, however, pan roasts are hard to beat: "Those are my favorites." His go-to is a cauliflower and cashew poriyal served with pulao, dal and chutneys. "Although the classic recipe is a stir-fry, I also like to roast the cauliflower in a tray with turmeric, shredded coconut, green chilies and cilantro." Luckily, things don't have to stop there either: "All leftovers are great stuffed in pav bread with green chutney."

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