I seem to start every post with something weather related these days, us Irish love to discuss such things especially if the sun is SHINING!

On that note, the sun was splitting the stones on Monday when I ventured down to my parents house in Kilmacanogue, armed with the enthusiasm to make Mum and Dad a lovely lunch as well as picking up a few boxes of eggs fresh from the coop.

Lunch consisted of 3 salads, smoked salmon with lemon wedges and a rye and poppyseed baguette from The Happy Pear in Greystones.

I wanted to make something light as lunch on a hot day should be. The only thing missing was a nice cold glass of vino:)

The first salad I made was a rocket salad with gorgonzola, toasted seeds, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and sprouted radishes with a lemon and olive oil dressing.

Ingredients:

Rocket

Cherry tomatoes

Gorgonzola

Sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds, toasted

Cucumber

Sprouted radishes

Add all to a serving bowl and mix together with the juice of half a lemon, 2 tbsp. of olive oil and salt and pepper

Then a baby potato salad with red onion, bacon and fresh mint with an English mustard dressing.

Ingredients:

10 baby potatoes, cooked and sliced in half

4 slices of crispy streaky bacon

1/2 red onion, finely sliced

Handful of fresh mint

1 tsp. Colmans English mustard

3 heaped tbsp. salad cream (Heinz is the best)

1 heaped tbsp. mayo

Add the mayo, mustard and salad cream with a pinch of salt and pepper to a bowl and mix throughly. Pour over the potatoes, onion, bacon and mint and coat evenly.

And finally a quinoa salad with broccoli, goats cheese, semi-sundried tomatoes, mint, coriander, toasted seeds and pomegranate seeds with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa

7 or 8 florets of steamed broccoli

Seeds from half a pomegranate

Sunflower, sesame and pumpkin seeds toasted

100g goats cheese

8-10 semi-sundried tomatoes

Handful of mint and coriander, chopped finely

Juice of half a lemon

Cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions and leave to cool for a few minutes before adding to the remaining ingredients. Season with salt and pepper.

Accompanied by these dishes was some delicious smoked salmon, Wrights of Howth or Cavistons are a favorite of mine and its always worthwhile buying the best you can as the flavor difference is enormous.

It was my first day eating “al fresco” as they say this year and it was divine! Roll on the summer and all its glory.

I think Mum and Dad enjoyed it and I managed to get some lovely fresh eggs from the chickens as well as borrowing a good book from my sister.

Lots more posts to come to please keep reading!!!

x