Yotam Ottolenghi's recipes for a perfect picnic
There are two ways to have picnics, I think. You can sweep the supermarket, of course, but that risks everyone bringing the same thing and you end up with four quiches and a kilo of carrot sticks. The other option is to go ridiculously big: divide and conquer by asking each person to be responsible for one thing - and for that thing to be wonderfully supreme.
Muffuletta (top photo)Go big or go home with this, my take on the epic New Orleans sandwich. If you're eating it at home (i.e. near an oven), skip the initial toasting step and put the filled bread in the oven instead for a perfectly fudgy sandwich.
Preparation 20 minPress 2 h+For 8 people
1 sourdough bread (600g-700g)95ml olive oil 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped 2 tbsp za'atar 8 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped 2 red chillies, seeds and pit removed, flesh finely chopped (30g) 2 shallots (80g), peeled and chopped thinly sliced 200 g pitted nocellara olives, drained and coarsely chopped 450 g jarred red peppers, drained, patted dry and halved (350 g) 3 tbsp. fine capers, drained (or rinsed, if salted; or regular capers, chopped) 10 g coarsely chopped parsley leaves (about 2½ tbsp) 30 g coarsely chopped basil leaves (about 5¾ tbsp) soup) Salt and black pepper 1½ tablespoons English mustard 1 tablespoon runny honey 70 g salami, thinly sliced 100 g gouda cheese, sliced 2 balls of buffalo mozzarella, cut into 2 cm thick slices and patted dry (250 g) 100 g thin mortadella thinly sliced
Heat oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/Gas 9. Cut top third of bread into lengthwise: this will be the lid later. Using your hands, carefully hollow out the bread, removing as much of the breadcrumbs as possible (reserve for making breadcrumbs), while leaving the crust intact. Place the hollowed-out bread and its cover separately on a baking sheet, bake for three to five minutes, until crispy and lightly browned inside, then remove and set aside.
< p class="dcr-3jlghf" >Meanwhile, prepare the salsa. Put 50ml oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and when hot add the garlic and cook, stirring often, for three minutes, until softened. Stir in the zaatar and anchovies, then remove from the heat. Pour the zaatar mixture into a medium bowl, let cool, then stir in the chilli, shallots, olives, peppers, capers, parsley, basil, a good ground pepper and a quarter teaspoon of salt .Place the mustard and honey in a small bowl with the remaining three tablespoons of oil and stir until very smooth. Using a pastry brush, spread the mustard mixture evenly on the inside of the bun and on the underside of the lid.
To assemble the muffuletta, pour two-thirds of the salsa olive to the base of the bread and spread it evenly. Layer the salami on top, followed alternately by the gouda, mozzarella, and bologna, pressing down firmly on each new layer as you go. Spoon the rest of the salsa and place the lid on it.
Wrap the bread tightly (in reusable cling film, ideally) and place it on a tray. Weight down with a heavy wooden board (or a tray filled with molds) and leave at room temperature for two to three hours (or refrigerate overnight).
Cut the bread thickly sliced and serve at room temperature.
Horseradish Pea Dip with Pickled Ginger type=" model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement" class=" dcr-10khgmf">
There are two ways to have picnics, I think. You can sweep the supermarket, of course, but that risks everyone bringing the same thing and you end up with four quiches and a kilo of carrot sticks. The other option is to go ridiculously big: divide and conquer by asking each person to be responsible for one thing - and for that thing to be wonderfully supreme.
Muffuletta (top photo)Go big or go home with this, my take on the epic New Orleans sandwich. If you're eating it at home (i.e. near an oven), skip the initial toasting step and put the filled bread in the oven instead for a perfectly fudgy sandwich.
Preparation 20 minPress 2 h+For 8 people
1 sourdough bread (600g-700g)95ml olive oil 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped 2 tbsp za'atar 8 anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped 2 red chillies, seeds and pit removed, flesh finely chopped (30g) 2 shallots (80g), peeled and chopped thinly sliced 200 g pitted nocellara olives, drained and coarsely chopped 450 g jarred red peppers, drained, patted dry and halved (350 g) 3 tbsp. fine capers, drained (or rinsed, if salted; or regular capers, chopped) 10 g coarsely chopped parsley leaves (about 2½ tbsp) 30 g coarsely chopped basil leaves (about 5¾ tbsp) soup) Salt and black pepper 1½ tablespoons English mustard 1 tablespoon runny honey 70 g salami, thinly sliced 100 g gouda cheese, sliced 2 balls of buffalo mozzarella, cut into 2 cm thick slices and patted dry (250 g) 100 g thin mortadella thinly sliced
Heat oven to 240C (220C fan)/475F/Gas 9. Cut top third of bread into lengthwise: this will be the lid later. Using your hands, carefully hollow out the bread, removing as much of the breadcrumbs as possible (reserve for making breadcrumbs), while leaving the crust intact. Place the hollowed-out bread and its cover separately on a baking sheet, bake for three to five minutes, until crispy and lightly browned inside, then remove and set aside.
< p class="dcr-3jlghf" >Meanwhile, prepare the salsa. Put 50ml oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and when hot add the garlic and cook, stirring often, for three minutes, until softened. Stir in the zaatar and anchovies, then remove from the heat. Pour the zaatar mixture into a medium bowl, let cool, then stir in the chilli, shallots, olives, peppers, capers, parsley, basil, a good ground pepper and a quarter teaspoon of salt .Place the mustard and honey in a small bowl with the remaining three tablespoons of oil and stir until very smooth. Using a pastry brush, spread the mustard mixture evenly on the inside of the bun and on the underside of the lid.
To assemble the muffuletta, pour two-thirds of the salsa olive to the base of the bread and spread it evenly. Layer the salami on top, followed alternately by the gouda, mozzarella, and bologna, pressing down firmly on each new layer as you go. Spoon the rest of the salsa and place the lid on it.
Wrap the bread tightly (in reusable cling film, ideally) and place it on a tray. Weight down with a heavy wooden board (or a tray filled with molds) and leave at room temperature for two to three hours (or refrigerate overnight).
Cut the bread thickly sliced and serve at room temperature.
Horseradish Pea Dip with Pickled Ginger type=" model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement" class=" dcr-10khgmf">What's Your Reaction?
