Welcome to the first SPECIAL EDITION of my newsletter! This week is all about holiday cooking, what to buy, and how to make it easy. Thanks so much for all your suggestions and holiday cooking questions - I hope my guide helps you out.
We all know the feeling - you’ve arrived in your new city/beachside location/rural escape for the next few days, and it’s time to head to the nearest market or shop to grab some holiday essentials. I love supermarkets abroad, so naturally this part of holidaying is very exciting to me, but I realise not everyone is this cool (read: sad). With lots of holiday accommodation severely lacking in good cooking equipment and cupboard basics, it’s easy to either spend a small fortune on all the bits you’re used to at home, or spending ages in the kitchen searching for things that aren’t there, and ending up with something that’s pretty sub-par. In my opinion, holidays are all about making life easy for yourself, cooking with a cold beer and a bowl of Lays on the side, and not taking it to seriously, so hopefully this shopping list and recipe suggestion guide will help you achieve holiday cooking bliss.
This newsletter is mainly focused on dinner, as for me, breakfasts and lunches are best as a picky-bit situation. We’re talking fruit, yoghurt, juice, coffee, meats, breads, cheeses etc. Lunch is much the same -perhaps you’re packing a cheese, tomato and aioli baguette for the beach (props to Tam for introducing these into our Mallorca holiday and my life more generally), or you’re having some leisurely tapas on your city day excursion, but if you’re just sitting poolside, there’s nothing better than a few bits from the fridge, washed down with a cool beer and finished off with a lolly.
This guide is mainly aimed at short breaks in Europe, perhaps in holiday accommodation that’s not got an oven, loads of pans, or useful cupboard staples. If you’re away for over a week, or have a great kitchen available, then you’ve got loads more freedom to get creative and spend more time creating fun feasts. However, if you’re a little strapped for time and equipment, these mix-and-match recipes will (I hope) come in handy.
Shopping list
What you really need if your accommodation doesn’t have it:
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Vinegar
Fresh things to keep on hand:
Lemons
Soft herbs like parsley and mint
Tomatoes and any other fresh local vegetables you like the look of
Bread
Garlic and onions
Potatoes
Salad leaves
Fresh local fruit
Cupboard essentials to pick up:
Pasta or spaghetti
Capers
Chilli flakes/something spicy
Olives
Crisps
Fridge bits:
Local cheese
Milk for your cafe au lait
Yoghurt
10 recipes for simple summer holiday cooking
(All recipes serve 2, so adjust quantities depending on how many you’re cooking for)
Summer tomato pasta
Pre-chop some fresh tomatoes from the local market or shop, and finely chop 1 clove of garlic. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil gently on a low heat in a pan, then add 1 clove of garlic and stir until fragrant but not brown. Add the tomatoes (or use tinned toms in a pinch) and simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 mins. Meanwhile, cook your pasta in salty boiling water according to packet instructions. Try a new shape - you’re on your holidays. Add a spoonful of the pasta water to your sauce along with a pinch of salt, sugar and pepper, and roughly chop some fresh soft herbs and add. Drain the pasta, then mix together gently with the sauce. Serve with a zesty salad and crusty bread for scooping up the sauce.
Pasta alla Norma
Pre-chop 1 aubergine into rough 2cm chunks, then heat 2 tbsp olive oil gently in a large pan. Add the aubergine and fry for 6-8 minutes until golden and soft. Meanwhile, finely chop 2 cloves of garlic and as many fresh tomatoes (or again, tinned would be OK) as you want in your sauce. Add the garlic to the pan and stir until fragrant but not brown, then add the tomatoes and a splash of water. Simmer until the tomatoes start to break down and become saucy, adding splashes of water here and there to loosen. Then, cook your pasta in salty boiling water according to packet instructions. Roughly chop some capers and soft fresh herbs and add to the sauce along with a spoonful of pasta water and a pinch of salt, sugar and pepper. Drain the pasta and stir together with the sauce. Serve with a grating of parmesan (if that’s available where you are).
Kind-of-caponata
Follow the same method as the pasta alla Norma, except when the aubergine has finished browning, remove from the pan and add 1 finely chopped onion. Fry on a gentle heat for 15 minutes, then add the garlic and follow the tomato and caper sauce recipe before adding the aubergine back in towards the end of cooking. Serve with potatoes or crusty bread and a fresh salad.
Speedy ratatouille
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan, then finely chop an onion and fry gently on a low heat for 15 minutes until soft and translucent. Add 2 cloves of garlic and stir until fragrant. Roughly chop some tomatoes, peppers, courgette, aubergine or whatever vegetables you like. Tip into the pan and season with salt, pepper and a little sugar. Stir, adding splashes of water to make it saucy for about 20 minutes. Serve with some potatoes or crusty bread on the side.
Pan-fried fish
This one’s not really a recipe, more of a suggestion. One of the nicest things to eat when it’s hot outside is a lovely piece of local fish or some shellfish from the market or local shop. I like mine pan-fried for a few minutes on each side (or just a few minutes stirred or grilled on the barbecue if it’s prawns) with garlicky butter, fresh chopped herbs and a pile of chopped capers and olives on top. Serve with the lemony or crispy potatoes and a salad.
Citrusy salad
Get your leaves in a bowl, and add extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice in a 3:1 ratio (so 1 tsp olive oil = 3 tsp lemon juice), a pinch of salt and pepper and, if you like, some chopped fresh herbs or olives.
Fresh chopped salad
Chop loads of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers into rough chunks, tip into a bowl and add sliced red onion and plenty of lemon juice and fresh mint or parsley. Season with salt and pepper, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. This one’s great for lunch with bread and cheese, or with barbecues.
Crispy pan-fried potatoes
These are called ‘lid-on’ potatoes in my house, we make them both and and off holiday, and they are delicious. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil, then chop enough floury potatoes for your diners into 2cm cubes. Par boil for a few minutes, then drain and let steam-dry for a couple of minutes. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and a little butter, if you have it, in a pan, then tip in your potatoes. Cook until golden on each side, then toss with salt and woody herbs like rosemary.
Lemon and herb potatoes
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook evenly-sized new potatoes for 12-15 minutes until tender. Drain, then squeeze over plenty of lemon juice, salt, pepper and a little butter or olive oil. Roughly chop some fresh herbs and add, along with capers if you’ve got them.
Bruschetta
Roughly enough ripe tomatoes for your diners, and mix in a bowl with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar. Finely chop garlic, a little onion and fresh herbs, and add to the bowl with a splash of vinegar. Toast some bread or baguette slices, drizzle with olive oil and top with the tomato mix. To make into a more substantial spread, serve charcuterie board style with local meats, cheeses and olives.
I don’t know who this “tam” is you mention but she sounds great!!!
Love Mary x