With its sweet courgettes, ruby-red tomatoes and tumbles of gorgeous green beans, summer has well and truly landed.

It’s the season brimming with sweet, sun-ripened British produce, and I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to get stuck in!

If you’re not sure where to start, here are eight of my favourite summer ingredients, and the recipes that’ll take them to the next level. So join me this week as we make the most of Britain’s best-in-season vegetables with herby fish kebabs, sizzling Spanish salads, mouthwatering Korean pork belly and more.

Heritage tomatoes

Tomato season is here! When they’re this good, there’s no need to overdo it. Simply toss your British-grown toms through a Heritage Tomato, Basil & Green Bean Salad with lemon juice and basil to release their juices and create a light, silky dressing.

Top tip! Store your tomatoes at room temperature to keep them tasting their best. For more storage tips, check out How To Store Fresh Fruit & Veg So They Last Longer

Ingredients

2 lemons

400 g conchiglie pasta

20 g basil

240 g trimmed fine green beans

360 g heritage tomatoes

11 g dijon mustard

40 g rocket

70 g Italian hard cheese

Method

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 7. Boil a full kettle and chop the heritage tomatoes in half.

Step 2: Add the chopped tomatoes to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Put the tray in the oven for 10 min or until the tomatoes are beginning to blister and caramelise.

Step 3: Trim the ends off the green beans and chop in half. Add the conchiglie to a pot of boiled water with a large pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat.

Step 4: Cook the conchiglie pasta for an initial 7 minutes. Meanwhile, roughly tear the half the basil, including the stalks. Then roll the lemons with your hand on a hard surface (to release more juice) and cut in half

Step 5: Add the torn basil and a large pinch of salt to a pestle & mortar and bash for 1-2 min or until it looks like a purée (or pulse in a food processor). Add 6 tbsp olive oil with the Dijon mustard, 1 tsp sugar, a generous crack of black pepper and the juice of 1 lemon. Stir to combine – this is your basil & lemon dressing.

Step 6: Once the pasta has been cooking for 7 min, add the green beans to the pot and cook for a further 2-3 min or until the pasta is cooked with a slight bite and the green beans are tender. Once done, drain and run both under cold water until slightly cooled.

Top tip! If you prefer your salad warm, don’t run the pasta under cold water!

Step 7: Peel the Italian hard cheese until you end up with a pile of cheese shavings. Grate the remaining Italian hard cheese and chop the remaining basil finely, including the stalks.

Step 8: Cut the remaining lemon into wedges. Add the pasta and green beans to your bowls and top with the rocket and heritage tomatoes drizzle over the basil & lemon dressing. Top with the Italian hard cheese, chopped basil, a grind of black pepper and the lemon wedge.

Little gem lettuce

Few vegetables add a sweet, refreshing hit to a meal quite like a little gem. So rather than limiting this lettuce to salads or sarnies, stuff it with spicy Korean-Style Spicy Pork Belly. It’s an explosion of umami-rich meat and crunchy delicious veg in every bite.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 red onions

2 green peppers

2 little gem lettuce

2 garlic cloves

30 g fresh ginger

1 cucumber

600 g British Pork belly

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

50 g honey

260 g basmati rice

1 tbsp sriracha hot chilli sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 green chilli

Method

Step 1: Add the basmati rice and 600 ml cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked. Then remove from the heat and keep covered until serving.

Step 2: Pat the pork belly dry with kitchen paper,  Chop in half lengthways, then slice into 16 slices. Then season generously with salt.

Step 3: Heat a large, dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a high heat. Once hot, add the pork belly slices and cook for 15-18 min, turning every couple of minutes until very golden, crisp and cooked through.

Top tip! Reduce the heat to medium after approx. 5 min, once the pan gets very hot!

Step 4: Meanwhile, peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic and ginger.

Step 5: Add the chopped garlic (not a fan of raw garlic? Just add a little!) and ginger to a pestle & mortar and grind to a paste, then stir in 4 tbsp of vegetable oil, the sriracha, 2 tsp sugar and half the soy sauce (save the rest for later!). This is your spicy sauce.

Step 6: Chop the roots from the little gem lettuces and separate the leaves. Cut the cucumber in half and scrape out the inner seeds with a teaspoon, throw the watery seeds away. Slice the cucumber into thin batons and the green chillies into rounds.

Step 7: Once the pork is cooked through and crispy, add the dried chilli flakes to the pan and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the remaining soy sauce and honey and cook for 1 more min, turning the pork until it’s fully coated and sticky.

Step 8: Fill the lettuce leaves with some cooked rice, cucumber batons, sticky pork and sliced green chilli.

Crisp courgettes

Sweet, delicately flavoured courgettes crop up everywhere in summer. That’s why this weekend, I’m piling into a platter of Mediterranean Vegetables with tangy whipped feta, lemony roasted courgettes and flatbreads for dippin’. Delish!

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 lemons

2 red peppers

2 garlic cloves

2 courgettes

250 g cherry tomatoes

1 tsp dried chilli flakes

10g parsley

2 plain naans

200g Greek feta cheese

2 tins of chickpeas

200g natural yoghurt

Method

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 7. Top, tail and slice the courgettes into discs. Deseed the red peppers (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into bite-size pieces

Step 2: Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic and drain and rinse the chickpeas

Step 3: Roll the lemons with your hand on a hard surface (to release more juice) and cut in half

Step 4: Add the chopped vegetables, cherry tomatoes and chickpeas to a baking tray and sprinkle over the grated garlic. Squeeze the juice of a lemon, add a generous drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and put the tray in the oven for 10-12 min or until the vegetables are lightly charred and juicy.

Step 5: Whilst the vegetables are in the oven, combine the greek yogurt and feta and whisk together until fairly smooth. Add a crack of black pepper and give it a good mix up – this is your whipped feta.

Step 6: Meanwhile, cut the plain naans in half on the diagonal, then add them to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and half the dried chilli flakes. Put the tray in the oven for 3 min or until the bread is hot – these are your chilli flatbreads.

Step 7: Chop the parsley roughly, including the stalks. Assemble your plate with the whipped feta to the side and the roasted veg in the centre.

Add the chilli flatbreads and sprinkle over the chopped parsley and remaining dried chilli flakes. Garnish with the lemon wedges, and enjoy!

Tender, aromatic green herbs

Nothing lifts a dish to the next level like the right mix of herbs. So while they’re growing in abundance, add a hit of freshness to spaghetti, salads or these Herby Marinated Fish & Red Pepper Kebabs with refreshing coriander and mint.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 lemons

2 red peppers

2 garlic cloves

8 skewers

100 g baby leaf salad

2 tsp ground turmeric

10 g fresh coriander

10g mint

200 g basa fillets

8 white potatoes

160g natural yoghurt

2 tsp smoked paprika

Method

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 7. Cut the potatoes (skins on) into wedges and add them to a large baking tray with a drizzle of vegetable oil and a generous pinch of salt. Put the tray in the oven for 30-35 min or until the wedges are tender and starting to crisp

Step 2: Meanwhile, deseed the red pepper and cut into bite-sized pieces then add the chopped pepper to a separate baking tray (use tin foil to avoid mess!) with the smoked paprika, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and mix together. Put the tray in the oven for 5-6 min or until lightly charred and starting to soften, then remove from the oven and set aside.

Step 3: Meanwhile, strip the mint leaves from their stems and chop them finely, discard the stems. Then chop the coriander finely, including the stalks and peel and grate the garlic. Soak the skewers in cold water

Step 4: Combine the grated garlic and half the natural yogurt with the ground turmeric, chopped mint and half the chopped coriander in a bowl. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon and season with a very generous pinch of salt and pepper – this is your herby marinade.

Step 5: Chop the basa fillets into bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped basa to the herby marinade and give everything a good mix up

Step 6: Thread the chopped basa and charred pepper evenly onto the soaked skewers and season with a pinch of salt and pepper – these are your fish & pepper skewers. Add the fish & pepper skewers to the baking tray used to cook the pepper and put the tray in the oven for 8-10 min or until the fish is cooked through.

Top tip! Your fish is cooked once it turns opaque and flakes easily

Step 7: Whilst the kebabs are cooking, combine the remaining natural yogurt, lemon and coriander with a pinch of salt and pepper – this is your coriander yogurt.

Step 8: Serve the fish & pepper skewers with the wedges and salad to the side. Dollop the coriander yogurt onto the plate ready for dipping and add a drizzle of olive oil and a crack of black pepper to the salad

Freshly picked spinach

The light, peppery kick of summer spinach is when this veg truly stands out. To take advantage of those tender leaves, dive into deliciously melty Spanakopita-style Gnocchi with a gorgeous Greek-inspired blend of creamy feta, spinach and bright, aromatic dill.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 lemons

2 leeks

100 g rocket

10 g basil

10 g dill

240 g baby leaf spinach

700 g gnocchi

200g feta cheese

Method

Step 1: Boil a kettle. While it boils, wash the leek[s] carefully to remove any grit from between the leaves, then top, tail and slice finely. Chop the dill and basil finely, including the stalks.

Step 2: Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the sliced leeks to the pan and cook for 3-4 min or until softened.

Step 3: Heat a separate large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a generous drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the gnocchi and cook for 8-10 min or until beginning to crisp.

Top tip! Don’t stir too often as this will prevent the gnocchi from crisping!

Step 4: Meanwhile, wash the spinach, then add it to a colander and pour boiled water all over it so that it starts to wilt. Rinse the wilted spinach under the cold tap until it’s cool to touch, then squeeze the water out as much as you can and chop it roughly

Step 5: Once the leek has softened, add the wilted spinach to the pan and cook for 1-2 min. Roll the lemon[s] with your hand on a hard surface (to release more juice) and cut into quarters. Combine the juice of 1/2 a lemon, 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper – this is your lemon dressing

Step 6: Squeeze the juice of 1/4 [1/2] lemon into the pan and add most of the chopped dill and basil (save some for garnish!). Season with a crack of black pepper and give everything a good mix.

Step 7: Crumble the feta into the pan and cook for 1-2 min or until the cheese starts to melt into the mixture. Transfer the crispy gnocchi to the pan and stir everything together – this is your spanakopita-style gnocchi

Step 8: Serve the spanakopita-style gnocchi with the rocket to the side. Drizzle over the lemon dressing and season with a crack of black pepper then
garnish with the reserved chopped herbs and lemon wedges.

Green beans

In my eyes, a summer picnic or barbecue isn’t complete without a perfect potato salad. For extra texture, level yours up with sweet bursts of British green beans warming curry spices and smoky like in this Indian-inspired Crispy Chicken and Curried Potato Salad.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 shallots

640 g British chicken thighs, skin on

2 tsp nigella seeds

2 tbsp curry powder

800g waxy potatoes

120g trimmed fine green beans

10g fresh coriander and mint mix

15ml white wine vinegar

50ml mayonnaise

Method

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 7. Heat a large, dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper and season them generously on both sides with salt. Once hot, add the chicken, skin-side down and cook for 10 min or until the skins have browned and crisped.

Step 2: Meanwhile, boil a kettle. Chop the waxy potatoes into large, bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped waxy potatoes to a pot with plenty of boiled water and a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 12-15 min or until fork tender.

Step 3: Once the chicken skin has crisped, turn the chicken thighs over and cook for 1 min further. Transfer the chicken thighs to a baking tray (skin side up) and put the tray in the oven for 12-15 min further or until cooked through (no pink meat!). Reserve the pan and any remaining oil.

Step 4: Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the shallot[s]. Strip the mint leaves from their stems and chop them roughly, discard the stems. Chop the coriander finely, including the stalks. Reboil half a kettle.

Step 5: Once the potatoes are fork tender, drain them and set them aside in a colander. Add the green beans to the potato pot and cover them with boiled water until fully submerged. Bring to the boil over a high heat and cook for 3-4 min or until tender, then drain and set aside until serving.

Step 6: Return the reserved pan to a medium heat with with curry powder and cook for 2 min or until fragrant.

Top tip! Add a drizzle more oil if your pan is looking a little dry!

Once fragrant, remove the pan from the heat and add the drained potatoes with the white wine vinegar, mayonnaise, sliced shallot and most of the chopped herbs (save some for garnish!)

Step 7: Give everything a good mix up – this is your curried potato salad
Chop the crispy chicken into smaller pieces.

Step 8: Serve the crispy chicken with the curried potato salad and green beans to the side. Garnish with the reserved chopped herbs and nigella seeds. Enjoy!

Waxy potatoes

Buttery waxy potatoes are sweet and delicious at the moment, so when the weather’s more scattered showers than blue skies, swap cold salads for a warming bowl of our Summery Sausage & Pea One-Pot brimming with in-season spuds, fresh podded peas and a rich, meaty gravy.

Ingredients (serves 4)

4 shallots

8 Cumberland sausages

2 courgettes

400 g waxy potatoes

10 g parsley

1 chicken stock cube

100 g soft cheese

11 g dijon mustard

320 g blanched peas

Method

Step 1: Boil a kettle. While that boils, peel and cut the shallots into wedges. Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the shallot wedges to the pan with a pinch of salt and cook for 2-3 min or until they are slightly softened and beginning to caramelise.

Step 2: Whilst the shallots are cooking, cut the Cumberland sausages into thirds. Once slightly softened, add the chopped sausages to the pan and cook for 3-4 min or until beginning to brown.

Step 3: Meanwhile, chop the waxy potatoes into halves, lengthways. Dissolve 1 Knorr chicken stock cube and Dijon mustard in 800 ml boiled water – this is your mustardy stock.

Step 4: Once the sausages have browned, add 2 tbsp flour and cook for 1 min. Then add the chopped potatoes and mustardy stock with a generous grind of black pepper and cook covered for 18-20 min or until the potatoes are fork tender and sausages cooked through (no pink meat!)

Step 5: Whilst the potatoes are cooking, slice the courgettes on a diagonal and then in half. Chop the parsley roughly, including the stalks

Step 6: Once the potatoes are fork tender, add the sliced courgette to the pan and cook, covered, for a further 3-4 min or until softened.

Step 7: Once softened, add the blanched peas, most of the chopped parsley (save some for garnish) and the soft cheese. Season with a pinch of salt and stir everything together until the soft cheese is fully combined.

Step 8: Serve the summery sausage & pea one-pot in bowls and garnish with the remaining parsley. Season with a grind of black pepper and enjoy!

Peppery rocket

For a twist on lettuce, in-season rocket adds a crisp, mild kick to this warm Spanish Chicken Salad. And if, like me, you seem to always have rocket leaves left over, give it a blitz with walnuts, garlic and a good glug of olive oil for the perfect pesto in salads, sandwiches and pastas.

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 red onions

2 green peppers

2 tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

100 g rocket

4 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cayenne pepper

30 ml red wine vinegar

3 white potatoes

30 ml mayonnaise

250 g British Chicken breast fillets

Method

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 7. Chop the potatoes (skins on) into small bite-sized pieces, then add to a baking tray with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sprinkle the dried oregano all over, give everything a good mix and put the tray in the oven for 25-30 min or until golden and crisp.

Step 2: Meanwhile, peel and chop the red onion[s] into wedges. Chop the tomatoes into wedges. Add the red onion and tomato wedges to a separate baking tray and set aside.

Step 3: Add the smoked paprika to a plate with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix everything together, then add the chicken breasts and turn them several times until they’re fully coated in all the spices

Step 4: Add the coated chicken to the tray with the onion and tomato and drizzle everything with olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and put the tray in the oven for 12-15 min or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables have softened

Step 5: Whilst everything’s cooking, peel and finely chop the garlic. Combine the mayonnaise with the red wine vinegar and cayenne pepper in a small bowl.
Add the chopped garlic with a pinch of salt and stir it all together – this is your aioli dressing.

Step 6: Deseed the green peppers and cut into rough, bite-sized pieces. Heat a large, wide-based pan with a drizzle of olive oil over a high heat. Once hot, add the chopped pepper and cook for 4-5 min, turning occasionally, until starting to char and soften.

Step 7: Slice the cooked chicken finely

Step 8: Divide the rocket between plates and top with the crispy potatoes, roasted onion and tomato, sliced chicken and charred pepper. Drizzle the aioli dressing all over and enjoy!

I hope these recipes have inspired you to dive head-first into all the fresh summer vegetables that the UK has to offer, and whip up sumptuous summer dinners in your own kitchens.

What’s your favourite recipe to cook with summer vegetables? Let us know in the comments, or better yet share a photo with us @goustocooking on Instagram.

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