PACK AN AUTUMN PICNIC The mild days of Autumn are perfect for eating outdoors. Here are our picks of tasty and portable food, perfect for the season
CITRUS SALAD WITH AVOCADO (SERVES 4) Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped shallot 1 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 medium oranges, preferably a mix of varieties such as cara cara, blood and navel Flesh of 1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, for garnish Method: Whisk together the oil, lemon juice, shallot, honey, salt and pepper in a liquid measuring cup to form an emulsified dressing. Slice off the top and bottom of an orange, standing it on one cut end. Make a series of downward cuts as you work around the fruit, to remove the peel and all white pith. Repeat with the remaining oranges, then slice them crosswise into thin rounds. Discard any pits. Arrange the orange slices on individual plates. Fan out or arrange the avocado on top. Drizzle each portion with the dressing and scatter coriander leaves over the salads, and serve.
LEMON SQUASH Ingredients: 10 lemons 4 cups water 3 cups sugar Method: Use a vegetable peeler or channel knife to zest 4 of the lemons. Bring the water to a boil in a large, wide pot over high heat, then add all the lemons, including the zested ones, and the strips of lemon peel. Cook for 2 minutes, then transfer the lemons to a bowl to cool. Reserve 2 cups of the lemon cooking water and the boiled strips of lemon peel in a separate medium-sized saucepan. When the lemons are cool enough to handle, cut them in half, then juice them into a large measuring cup, straining and discarding the pulp, seeds and spent lemon halves. The yield should be 1 to 1½ cups. Add the sugar to the lemon cooking water and lemon peels in the saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, cook for 5 minutes then remove from the heat. Discard the lemon peels, or reserve them for candying. Stir in the fresh lemon juice until well mixed. Fill the jars, leaving a 0.5cm head space. Wipe the jar rims well and place the lids and rings, tightening until just secure. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath, starting timing from the moment the water returns to a boil. Remove the jars from the water bath, setting them upright on a folded towel to cool completely.
