Watermelon, feta and black olive salad.

Now that summer has (finally) arrived, I thought I would share what is possibly my favourite summer salad of all time. I have been meaning to post this for a while, but somehow, the grey skies and relentless rain didn't seem to complement what is such a lively and refreshing salad (which, now I’m thinking of it, would have brightened up even the dullest of summer days).

This seemingly bizarre combination of watermelon, feta and black olive came to my attention in Nigella’s optimistically named ‘Forever Summer’. These three ingredients, together with red onion, lime juice, parsley and mint all get along swimmingly with one another, yet provide enough mouth watering contrasts of both flavour and texture to keep it exciting. The crumbly and salty feta pairs wonderfully with the perfectly pink watermelon flesh, which bursts with subtly sweet juices as it melts in your mouth. Meanwhile, the sharpness of raw red onions that can often be too overpowering are tamed sufficiently by the lime juice, leaving a delicate tang and a satisfying crunch (it also tinges them a beautiful transparent pink colour).

You will need:

1 small red onion, sliced finely

2-4 limes, depending on juiciness

1.5 kg sweet, ripe watermelon

250g feta cheese

Bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley

Bunch of fresh mint, chopped

3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

100g pitted black olives

Black pepper

Serves 8

Steep the finely sliced red onion in a bowl with the lime juice (don’t be stingy with the lime juice, the more the merrier). Remove the rind and most of the pips (as many as you have patience for), and cut into approximately 4cm triangular chunks. Cut the feta into similarly sized pieces and put them both in a large, but shallow bowl.  Tear off sprigs of parsley and add to the bowl as well as the chopped mint.

Tip the soaked onions, along with the newly pink stained juices over the salad and add both the oil and the olives. Use your hands to gently toss the salad (you will find the watermelon and feta will start to disintegrate quickly if put under too much stress). Grind in black pepper to taste, and add more lime if necessary.

If like me, you are completely enchanted with this salad, I have no doubts that it will (as Nigella says), ‘become a regular feature of your summer table". Enjoy!

Who knew watermelon and feta could be such good mates!?

Gnocchi from scratch.

Gnocchi. You can buy it from the supermarkets in packets and they take only a couple of minutes to cook. Simple supper?  Yes, although making them from scratch really isn’t that much of an ordeal. Having never even considered making gnocchi before now, I would consider myself a convert – all thanks to Jamie Oliver’s easy to follow recipe.

These potato based dumplings are traditionally Italian and are often served very simply with a good sauce. However, they are nowhere near as heavy as they may sound (they do however fill you up very quickly!)

You will need:

6 medium potatoes

Olive oil

½ a nutmeg, grated

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large free-range or organic egg yolk

1-2 handfuls of plain or tipo 00 flour

Semolina flour

Serves 6 (or 3 very hungry people!)

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.

Rub your potatoes with olive oil, prick them with a fork and lay them in a roasting tray. Put in the preheated oven and bake for an hour until the potatoes are fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Allow them to cool for a couple of minutes and then, when they are still nice and hot,  use a tea towel to pick up your potatoes and one at a time cut them in half and carefully scoop the flesh out of the skins into a mouli or ricer.

When you have lovely smooth mashed potato, put it in a bowl. Add the nutmeg, a tablespoon of salt, a pinch of pepper, the egg yolk and enough of the flour to bind your mixture – you may not need it all. Mix together and then kneed with your hands until you have a dry, doughy consistency. Add a little water if you feel it’s too dry, or a little more flour if it’s too wet. If you’re unsure, try testing one by placing it in boiling water – if it falls apart, add a bit more flour to the dough.

Once you have your gnocchi dough, divide it into 3 pieces and roll each piece out on a floured surface into long tubes the thickness of a sausage. Cut each of the tubes into 2.5cm/1 inch pieces. Place them on a bed of semolina flour on a tray and put in the fridge for 10 to 20 minutes to set.

I found that quantity of flour needed to bind the mixture is highly dependent on the size of potatoes used. Therefore, I’m afraid this stage does need to be played by eye a little; cooking a small portion of dough will help with this. Once you are happy with your gnocchi, and it has had time to rest in the fridge, it is ready to cook and serve with a sauce of your liking. The gnocchi should be cooked in boiling water for 4 minutes or until they bob to the surface, then drain them very carefully in a colander (they will be delicate!).

I chose to enjoy my serving with a gorgonzola dolce sauce (I think cheese works particularly well with gnocchi). This only required mixing 2 tablespoons of gorgonzola dolce cheese, with 3 tablespoons of butter and 6 tablespoons of double cream over a very low heat. Mix with the back of a wooden spoon to try and get rid of the lumps. Season with black pepper and serve with a scattering of marjoram and some parmesan.

I know this sounds like a heart attack in a bowl, but it does serve 6 people – and it’s so worth it, I promise!