When the weather is hot, food that can be served slightly warm or at room temperature often feels much more appealing than anything heavy. These two recipes work especially well for summer because most of the preparation can be done in advance, leaving only a little assembly before serving.
Both serve two and can easily be doubled for a larger table.
<h3>Confit Trout Salad</h3>
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Serves: 2
<b>For the pickles</b>
1 tbsp sugar
100 ml mild white vinegar
1 tsp salt
½ cucumber, finely sliced
5 breakfast radishes, finely sliced
<b>For the trout</b>
2 trout fillets, about 150 g each, skin on
Salt and black pepper
300 ml sunflower oil
200 ml olive oil
3 sprigs thyme
2 garlic cloves, peeled
<b>For the salad</b>
6 tbsp good-quality olive oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp mild white vinegar
1 bunch watercress, about 80 g
Juice of ½ lemon
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 sprigs chervil
4 sprigs dill
<h3>Prepare the Pickles</h3>
Combine 100 ml water with the sugar, vinegar and salt in a small saucepan. Warm gently until the sugar dissolves.
Place the cucumber and radishes in a bowl, pour over the liquid and leave them to pickle while you prepare the fish.
<h3>Cook the Trout</h3>
Season the trout and leave it at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Combine the sunflower oil, olive oil, thyme and garlic in a wide pan and warm to about 50C.
Pat the trout dry, place it carefully in the oil and keep the temperature between 50C and 55C for 15–20 minutes, until cooked through.
Allow the fish to cool slightly, remove the skin while it is still warm, then leave it to cool completely.
Whisk together the olive oil, mustard and vinegar.
Drain the pickles and combine them with the watercress and about 1½ tablespoons of dressing. Add lemon juice, a little extra olive oil, salt and black pepper to taste.
Break each trout fillet into several large pieces. Divide half between two plates, add some of the watercress mixture, then repeat the layers. Finish with chervil, dill and a pinch of sea salt.
<h3>Courgette, Apricot and Stracciatella</h3>
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
<b>Ingredients</b>
1 green courgette
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Zest of 1 lemon
½ bunch basil, leaves picked
1 garlic clove, peeled and thinly sliced
Salt and black pepper
2 ripe apricots
200 g stracciatella
<b>For the almond dressing</b>
45 g whole roasted almonds
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red vinegar
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
<h3>Grill and Marinate</h3>
Slice the courgette lengthways into thin pieces and brush lightly with olive oil.
Heat a griddle pan until hot and cook the slices for about two minutes on each side, until tender with dark grill marks.
In a bowl, mix three tablespoons of olive oil with the balsamic vinegar, lemon zest, basil, sliced garlic, salt and black pepper.
Add the warm courgette and gently turn until evenly coated.
<h3>Make the Almond Dressing</h3>
Crush the roasted almonds roughly with a mortar or chop them
Mix with the olive oil, vinegar, rosemary, salt and black pepper.
Halve the apricots, remove the stones and cut the fruit into thin slices.
<h3>Assemble the Dish</h3>
Spoon half the stracciatella onto each plate.
Arrange the marinated courgette on top, followed by the sliced apricots. Finish each portion with about one tablespoon of the almond dressing.
Serve immediately.
<h3>Built for Summer</h3>
The trout salad balances soft fish with peppery greens and sharp pickles, while the second dish brings together creamy cheese, sweet apricot, smoky courgette and crunchy almonds.
<b>Both recipes rely on contrast rather than complexity, making them ideal for warm evenings when you want something fresh, colourful and satisfying without spending too long in the kitchen.</b>
