“Usually,” wrote reader LaCoccinelle by way of introduction to her picnic submission, “in May when the weather warms up, a couple of friends and I take a picnic to the local riverbank to look for dippers. It is always the same: bacon sandwiches, still warm, banana and cinnamon muffins, a bottle of sparkling wine and orange juice for Buck’s fizz, and a flask of coffee.” LaCoccinelle’s description perfectly captures the beauty of the picnic. My guiding criteria in choosing the recipes that follow were that the dish be portable and not require a container of any kind (nothing kills the picnic buzz more decisively than bags that are as heavy when you return home as they were when you set out).
The winning recipe: Muffuletta (whole stuffed loaf – main picture)
Being sent a recipe for the quintessential New Orleans showstopper of a sandwich was a treat. I like that clairetweet simply uses a large sturdy loaf, instead of specifying the sesame-sprinkled white Italian bread that gave the sandwich its name. It makes her muffuletta more of a system than a recipe, adaptable to whichever loaf, cold meat, cheese and pickle you might have to hand. Most relevant to this week’s theme is that it has to be made ahead of time, it comes ready-wrapped, and it is as filling an outdoor bite as you’re likely to muster.
Serves 4-8
1 large round sturdy loaf, unsliced
130g tapenade (or pesto)
Olive oil
100g rocket
A few handfuls of capers
2 handfuls of sundried tomatoes
2 handfuls of black and green olives
10-15 slices salami
10-15 slices of cheese
280g artichoke hearts in oil
1 small raw beetroot, sliced or grated
Salt and black pepper
A large dollop of mayonnaise
4 rashers of bacon (or pancetta), finely chopped and fried
1 Slice the bread horizontally and scoop out some of the insides.
2 Spread the base with tapenade and drizzle with oil. Add a layer of rocket and a handful of capers, then continue building up the layers: sundried tomatoes, olives, salami, cheese, peppers or artichoke hearts, beetroot and more rocket. Season with salt and pepper; add drizzle of oil every few layers, and some mayonnaise. Finish with a layer of bacon and spread the inside of the lid with tapenade before placing it on top of the base.
3 Wrap the whole loaf in a large piece of greaseproof paper or baking parchment, and secure it with string. Weigh it down with a heavy-based frying pan and a few heavy tins, or a heavy cast-iron pot, and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour, preferably overnight. Transport to your picnic whole. When ready to eat, slice the loaf into wedges through the greaseproof paper, using a very sharp bread knife.
Salmon and avocado onigirazu
I make on average 15 lunchbox onigiri – Japanese rice balls – a week, so I was delighted Anna Thompson sent in this sandwich-style alternative. Again, you can easily adapt it to whatever filling you might find in your fridge – just avoid anything too wet.
Makes 4
4 sheets of nori (seaweed sheets)
660g cooked Japanese rice (made with 320g uncooked rice and 410ml water)
4 tbsp gomashio (4 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds mixed with a large pinch of salt)
2 salmon fillets, poached, then left to cool
2 avocados, sliced lengthways
6cm piece of cucumber, halved and finely julienned
4-5 lettuce leaves, roughly torn
4 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tsp umeboshi (pickled plum) paste or 2-3 umeboshi, pitted and finely chopped, optional
1 On a chopping board lay out a large square of clingfilm and place a nori sheet on top with a corner facing you, in a diamond shape.
2 Put half the rice in the middle and flatten into a rough square. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp gomashio, then cover with half a salmon fillet, flaked. Layer avocado, then cucumber, on top.
3 Mix the mayo with the umeboshi paste (if using) and spread a quarter over the cucumber, then cover with lettuce leaves.
4 Cover with the remaining rice, flattening to keep the square shape as much as possible.
5 Now, fold two opposing corners of the nori sheet over the rice square, then fold over the second pair of corners, to make a small, square parcel.
6 Bring the clingfilm up to wrap the parcel securely. Press down on all sides to make the parcel compact. Set aside until the rice has cooled completely, then cut in half with a sharp, wet knife, and place the halves, filling-side-up in a lunchbox. Or, transport to your picnic as they are and cut just before serving.
Caramelised onion and fig sausage rolls
Bobby Ananta’s flavour combos are off-the-chart inspiring. Fresh out the oven, these are a little delicate for a picnic, but give them an hour or two to cool down and solidify and you’re sorted.
Makes 6–8
3 onions, finely sliced
4cm ginger, finely chopped
½ tbsp butter
½ tbsp rapeseed oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 sage leaves, finely chopped
5 fresh figs, halved
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp honey
Salt and black pepper
1 sheet ready-roll puff pastry (30cm x 30cm)
400g plain sausage meat
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp black sesame seeds (optional)
1 Fry the onion and ginger over a low heat with the butter and rapeseed oil until soft and slightly caramelised.
2 Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce and sage, then cook for 2-3 minutes.
3 Add the figs, balsamic vinegar, white pepper, honey and salt and pepper, then stir gently to coat the figs. Set aside to cool down.
4 Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Roll out the puff pastry and spread the sausage meat across the centre of the sheet. Top with the fig and onion mix (discarding any excess liquid). Bring the sides of the pastry up and over the filling to form a roll, sealing with egg. Cut the long roll into 6-8 portions, brush with egg yolk and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.
5 Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden and puffed. Set aside to cool down completely.
Pizza chelsea buns
The thing about making a tray of these is the way they come out of the oven in one portable rosette, to be pulled apart at will. Colonial Cravings – like Ananta, Thompson and Tweet – keeps things flexible, calling simply for your favourite pizza topping.
Makes 14-16
For the dough
230g strong white bread flour
1 tsp sugar
A big pinch of salt
7g yeast (1 sachet)
125ml warm milk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 egg
For the filling
3-4 tbsp tomato paste or pesto
A handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced
A handful of olives, chopped
1 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped
10 sundried tomatoes
8 slices ham/pepperoni/salami
A handful of mushrooms, sliced
A handful of peppers, chopped
A sprinkling of chillies, finely chopped
Black pepper
75-100g cheese, grated
1 Mix together the flour, sugar, salt and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Using a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the warmed milk, oil and egg. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in about half of the liquid. Stir together using a butter knife. Gradually incorporate the remaining liquid (you may not need all of it) until you have a soft dough. Place the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 5 minutes. It should lose any stickiness that it might have had and become soft, smooth and springy.
2 Wash and dry your mixing bowl to leave it nice and warm, then lightly oil it. Put the dough in the bowl and cover it with a piece of oiled clingfilm. Put the dough in a warm spot and leave it to rise until it has doubled in size: this should take about an hour.
3 Once the dough is ready, carefully lift it out of the bowl and knead it for a 1-2 minutes. Oil your work surface, or a large chopping board and roll out the dough into a rectangle. Try to persuade it to be as big as possible so that you can maximize your surface area. You need to have the long edge of the rectangle facing you.
4 Spread the entire surface (right up to the edges) with the tomato puree or pesto, then evenly scatter on your other chosen fillings, finishing with the cheese.
5 Roll the dough up, starting with the edge nearest you, and roll it away. Cut the roll of dough into even pieces (about 3cm wide) and arrange them in a greased cake tin. Cover this again with clingfilm and put it back in a warm place to rise for a second time. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5.
6 Once this second rise is complete, uncover the tin and bake the buns for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Leave them to cool in the tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes before turning them out.
Banana, pecan and cacao loaf cake
Obviously, every picnic needs a cake and Bryony Bowie’s is a wonderful specimen. Moist, textured and flavourful enough that no messy icing is called for, and made as a loaf, meaning you can slice it and wrap it up again in one neat parcel. Do not be tempted to substitute the cacao nibs with anything else – they make the cake.
Makes 1 small loaf cake
100g butter, softened
125g soft brown sugar
2 eggs
2 large, ripe bananas, mashed
125g self-raising flour
30g cacao powder
1 tsp baking powder
50g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
20g cacao nibs
50g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
3-4 tbsp milk/almond milk
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease and line your loaf tin. Beat together the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2 Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the mashed banana. Gently fold in the flour, cacao powder and baking powder until no white streaks remain, then stir in the chopped pecans, cacao nibs and chocolate. Stir in enough almond milk to loosen the mixture, then pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin.
3 Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a sharp knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before turning out.
