Anna Jones' summer recipes for vegetarian pavlova and picnic rolls
Instead of zigzagging all the way to Portugal in our motorhome this summer, we'll be at home. Still, I intend to make it an unforgettable summer. I see the beauty of our parks and countryside with fresh eyes and, thanks to the recent bad weather, we have taken most of our meals outside. This pavlova has been on our table a few times – it brings a lot of cheer – and the leek and mustard rolls have been packed for low-key family picnics. It's going to be a British summer in every way, and I embrace it.
Brown Sugar Pavlova with Pimm's Roasted StrawberriesVegans can make meringues with aquafaba (water from a can of chickpeas). Here's a quick recipe: Whisk 150g chickpea water with a pinch of salt until very firm, add 150g caster sugar and 1½ tsp cream of tartar, and whisk over high heat brisk until the grains of sugar are dissolved. Use coconut yogurt instead of dairy products. For this, you will need a stand mixer or an electric whisk.
Preparation 20 minCooking 1 h 20 minFor 8 people
For the meringue4 eggs (see above for a vegan alternative)100 g brown sugar100 g caster sugar1 pinch of salt mint in a small bouquet
For the cream200 ml double cream 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Heat the oven to 140C (130 fan)/gas 2. Separate the eggs and set the yolks aside for another use. (You can use them for mayonnaise, custard, or add them to scrambled eggs, which makes them richer).
Make sure the bowl you use for the egg whites is very clean, then whip them into stiff peaks. Add the sugars and salt, one tablespoon at a time, whisking between additions. Once all the sugar is added, whisk on the highest setting for about five minutes, until all the grains of sugar are gone. Rub the meringue with your fingertips: if you still feel the grains, continue.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, sprinkling a little mixture on each corner of it. tray for gluing the paper. Pour the mixture into the middle of the tray: use the back of a spoon to form a circle about the size of a large dinner plate (about 24-26cm in diameter), then use the spoon to lower it down the middle and a little higher on the sides. Once you have a shape you like, use the spoon to create waves and peaks in the meringue, which will look great when baked. Bake for an hour, until golden on the outside and soft on the inside.
Remove the meringue from the oven and turn the oven up at 190C/(180C fan)/ gas 6. Toss strawberries in Pimm's, lemon zest and mint, spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, until caramelized . You want the strawberries to soften but retain their shape. Leave to cool.
Whip the cream with the vanilla and a few tablespoons of the liquid from the roasting pan. Once everything is cold and you're ready to eat, pile the cream on the meringue and garnish as artfully as you like with the fruit.
Picnic with leek seeds and mustardUse all the root vegetables you need here; mine included carrots and squash, but parsnips, celeriac and sweet potato would all work – skip the potatoes, though, as they're too starchy. If you're vegan, use store-bought puff pastry (most supermarket brands are vegan), vegan cheese in place of cheddar, and non-dairy milk in place of egg wash.
Instead of zigzagging all the way to Portugal in our motorhome this summer, we'll be at home. Still, I intend to make it an unforgettable summer. I see the beauty of our parks and countryside with fresh eyes and, thanks to the recent bad weather, we have taken most of our meals outside. This pavlova has been on our table a few times – it brings a lot of cheer – and the leek and mustard rolls have been packed for low-key family picnics. It's going to be a British summer in every way, and I embrace it.
Brown Sugar Pavlova with Pimm's Roasted StrawberriesVegans can make meringues with aquafaba (water from a can of chickpeas). Here's a quick recipe: Whisk 150g chickpea water with a pinch of salt until very firm, add 150g caster sugar and 1½ tsp cream of tartar, and whisk over high heat brisk until the grains of sugar are dissolved. Use coconut yogurt instead of dairy products. For this, you will need a stand mixer or an electric whisk.
Preparation 20 minCooking 1 h 20 minFor 8 people
For the meringue4 eggs (see above for a vegan alternative)100 g brown sugar100 g caster sugar1 pinch of salt mint in a small bouquet
For the cream200 ml double cream 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
Heat the oven to 140C (130 fan)/gas 2. Separate the eggs and set the yolks aside for another use. (You can use them for mayonnaise, custard, or add them to scrambled eggs, which makes them richer).
Make sure the bowl you use for the egg whites is very clean, then whip them into stiff peaks. Add the sugars and salt, one tablespoon at a time, whisking between additions. Once all the sugar is added, whisk on the highest setting for about five minutes, until all the grains of sugar are gone. Rub the meringue with your fingertips: if you still feel the grains, continue.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, sprinkling a little mixture on each corner of it. tray for gluing the paper. Pour the mixture into the middle of the tray: use the back of a spoon to form a circle about the size of a large dinner plate (about 24-26cm in diameter), then use the spoon to lower it down the middle and a little higher on the sides. Once you have a shape you like, use the spoon to create waves and peaks in the meringue, which will look great when baked. Bake for an hour, until golden on the outside and soft on the inside.
Remove the meringue from the oven and turn the oven up at 190C/(180C fan)/ gas 6. Toss strawberries in Pimm's, lemon zest and mint, spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, until caramelized . You want the strawberries to soften but retain their shape. Leave to cool.
Whip the cream with the vanilla and a few tablespoons of the liquid from the roasting pan. Once everything is cold and you're ready to eat, pile the cream on the meringue and garnish as artfully as you like with the fruit.
Picnic with leek seeds and mustardUse all the root vegetables you need here; mine included carrots and squash, but parsnips, celeriac and sweet potato would all work – skip the potatoes, though, as they're too starchy. If you're vegan, use store-bought puff pastry (most supermarket brands are vegan), vegan cheese in place of cheddar, and non-dairy milk in place of egg wash.
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