A FRESH APPROACH Ed Smith’s fuss-free recipes

A fresh APPROACH

Vibrant, colourful and fuss free, Ed Smith’ s light and fragrant recipes look uplifting and taste delicious

resh and fragrant means salads full of herbs with crisp lettuce leaves cupping and clinging to droplets of perky dressings, ’ says Ed Smith, food writer and author of the cookbook Crave. ‘It means crunchy raw vegetables, the lactic tang of cheeses like feta, ricotta and burrata, plus ingredients that pop when chewed, drawing an involuntary smile – peas, sweetcorn, radishes. Fresh and fragrant feels good. ’ Savour the balmy days of late summer with these low-effort recipes redolent of holidays and happiness.

F O O D I N S P I R AT I O N

Cook’ s note

If you can’t find or don’t fancy hot-smoked trout, try smoked mackerel, or grilled fresh mackerel or trout.

Chopped kale, dill and chickpea salad with smoked trout

The herbs, cucumber and yogurt in this salad are a cooling combination that’s a particularly good foil for hot-smoked river trout.

SERVES 4

2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained 1tbsp olive oil 250g kale, leaves shredded (stems discarded) 1 lemon, zest finely grated and the juice of ½ 1½ large cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthways, seeds scooped out and discarded, flesh cut into 1cm crescents 10 dill sprigs, ½ fronds finely chopped and ½ left whole Leaves picked from 10 sprigs mint, finely chopped 100g Greek yogurt 4 fillets hot-smoked trout Flaky sea salt; ground black pepper

1 Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7. Spread half the chickpeas over a baking sheet. Add the oil, roll the chickpeas in it until glossy, and roast for 30min until golden. Season with lots of flaky salt then set to one side. 2 Transfer the kale leaves to a mixing bowl, add ½tsp flaky sea salt, then use one hand to squeeze or ‘massage’ the kale for a minute or so, until reduced in volume. 3 Add the lemon zest and lemon juice along with the non-roasted chickpeas, mix them together and fluff with a fork. 4 Put the cucumber crescents into a separate bowl, add a pinch of salt and stir. 5 Add the chopped herbs and the yogurt to the cucumber before transferring two thirds of the mixture from the bowl to the kale. Mix again with a fork, then add most of the remaining dill fronds (saving a few for the garnish) along with lots of black pepper, and mix again. 6 Decant onto a large platter or individual plates. Top with the remaining cucumber and yogurt, the crisp chickpeas, then the smoked fish in large flakes, and finish with the final dill fronds.

Chilled cucumber and melon soup

The chopped salad beautifully balances the salty fried coppa.

SERVES 4

1 cantaloupe melon, quartered, seeds scooped out and skin cut away 3 large cucumbers, peeled 1 small garlic clove 12 yellow cherry tomatoes 100g ice 1 small banana shallot 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling Juice of 1 lemon 8-10 small radishes, quartered Leaves picked from 2-3 sprigs of mint, finely chopped 1tbsp neutral cooking oil 50g sliced coppa (see cook’s note) Flaky sea salt Crusty bread, to serve

1 Very roughly chop half the melon and two of the cucumbers and transfer to a blender jug. Add the garlic, tomatoes, ice, half the shallot, the olive oil, 1tsp salt and half the lemon juice, then pulse and blitz for 2min, or until completely smooth. Refrigerate until you’ve finished the next stage. 2 Chop the remaining shallot as finely as you can and dice the leftover melon and cucumber into 1-2cm pieces. Combine in a bowl, adding the radishes, mint, a good pinch of salt and the remaining lemon juice. 3 When ready to eat, warm the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the ham until crisp, flipping just once. 4 Meanwhile, give the chilled soup a good stir (it may have separated a little) and divide among four bowls. 5 Pile the chopped salad in the middle of each bowl, add the crisp ham, and season the soups with a few flakes of salt, a decent glug of extra virgin olive oil, and additional lemon juice if you think it needs it.

F O O D I N S P I R AT I O N

Cook’ s note

Coppa is a traditional Italian ham made from pork neck fillet, dry cured in a gentle mix of herbs and spices, then air-dried for three months. Prosciutto would make a good alternative.

Bún cha

There are quite a few elements here but it’s very easy to put together.

SERVES 4

FOR THE PORK PATTIES 500g pork mince 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 small banana shallot, very finely chopped 1 stick lemongrass, very finely chopped 3tsp golden caster sugar 3tbsp fish sauce 2tbsp cold water 1 lime, zest finely grated, remainder quartered 1tbsp neutral cooking oil, for frying FOR THE SAUCE 3tbsp fish sauce 3tbsp rice vinegar 1tbsp golden caster sugar 1 clove garlic, minced 1 red bird’s eye chilli, finely chopped 150ml water FOR THE NOODLE SALAD 2 large carrots, peeled 25g mint 25g coriander 25g Thai holy basil (or Italian basil if you can't find the Thai variety) 400g dried rice vermicelli noodles 1 butterhead lettuce, torn 2-3tbsp salted peanuts, crushed 2tbsp crisp fried shallots or onions 1 lime, zested and quartered (included above)

1 Combine all the ingredients for the patties in a bowl (except the oil, which is used for frying), mix well, then use wet hands to shape into eight balls, approximately 80g each. Set on a plate, lightly press into patty shapes and refrigerate until required. 2 Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl. 3 Cut the carrots into thin matchstick-like strips. Cut away the thickest stems from the herbs but otherwise leave as intact sprigs. 4 Cook the noodles following the packet instructions, drain and cool under a running tap, then drain again, shuffling them with clean fingers so they don’t clump together. 5 Place a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add 1tbsp cooking oil and, once hot, add the patties. Fry for 90secs before flipping and cooking for the same amount of time, then repeat on both sides. Sear the edges too, then remove from the heat. 6 While the pork patties are cooking, assemble four separate bowls of noodles, adding the carrots, lettuce and fresh herbs. Add the patties, a sprinkling of peanuts, shallots or onions, and a lime quarter to each bowl, before pouring the sauce over.

Burrata with burnt peaches and basil

The fruit and herbs relax effortlessly into cold, creamy fresh cheese.

SERVES 2

2 flat peaches or 1 large white peach, pitted and quartered 4-5tbsp extra virgin olive oil 6-8 basil leaves, largest leaves roughly torn 20g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped Juice ¼ lemon 125g burrata (a creamy Italian cheese) Flaky sea salt and ground black pepper

1 Place a griddle pan or frying pan over a high heat and allow it to warm for 3-4min. 2 Brush the peach flesh with a little oil, then place on the pan and leave to colour for 2-3min. Use tongs to turn the peach segments and char any other cut surfaces, then transfer them to a chopping board. Chop into 1-2cm dice. 3 Put the diced peach into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the basil leaves over the peach, then add 3tbsp olive oil along with the pistachios, lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt and a couple of grinds of black pepper, and mix well. 4 Place the burrata in the centre of a plate, using a sharp knife or scissors to open it up, then spread it out a little so that the middle oozes out. 5 Spoon the peach mixture over the top and drizzle with the remaining olive oil.

Papaya, lychee and Thai basil fruit salad

This combination will reinvigorate your palate.

SERVES 4 ½ large papaya, peeled, seeds scooped out 12 fresh lychees, peeled About 15 leaves Thai holy basil Thick-set coconut yogurt, to serve FOR THE SYRUP 2 sticks lemongrass, chopped 50g fresh ginger, thinly sliced (skin on) 1 star anise 120g caster sugar 120ml water

1 Combine the syrup ingredients in a pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for around 8min, so the liquid is glossy and fragrant. 2 Remove from the heat and leave to cool for an hour. Strain through a sieve into a bowl, discard the aromatics and chill the syrup until required. 3 Cutting across the width of the papaya, slice it into 2cm crescents. Arrange them on a platter and scatter the lychees into the gaps, then spoon the syrup over the top. 4 Drag the basil leaves through any residual syrup, add as a garnish, and serve with a generous dollop or two of coconut yogurt. HB F O O D I N S P I R AT I O N

Crave: Recipes Arranged by Flavour, to Suit Your Mood and Appetite by Ed Smith (£25, Quadrille Books). Photography by Sam A Harris