The Summer Opera Picnic

A few very simple staples to take on a summer picnic

Summer is not England’s best feature, but as soon as the calendar tells us it has arrived, the English like to put on an opera festival.    The Italians stage their summer opera in places originally built so that people could kill each other in imaginatively gruesome ways for entertainment – so it saves a fortune on scenery,  although nobody gets torn to pieces these days. Unless the tenor fluffs his top C.

We prefer to do it in people’s back gardens. Not because the English object to gruesome things in the name of entertainment, but they are much better places to have a picnic, which is the whole point. Unless, like me, you are a Diva, in which case it’s anything you can sing, I can sing higher. And regardless of what you might have been led to believe, there are still  people in Britain who love opera so much that they don’t just think it should be performed in pubs and car parks.

This year, summer has rather pulled its socks up and on Sunday I am off to the opera – Garsington (my favourite), Barber of Seville (not quite so favourite) – so after I have told you that the star of the show, a wonderful mezzo called Katie Bray (Cardiff Singer of the World, Audience Prize), is not just a friend, but painted my house* – I’ll get onto some picnic things.

*Yes that is the ultimate obnoxious  name-drop, but it was during lockdown, the ultimate opera-diva Armageddon, and Divas like to help each other out.** 

** Of course we do no such thing – we’d rather hurl them over the ha-ha – but it was lockdown so there were no housepainters. And I am proud to say, it was undoubtedly the  pinnacle of her house-painting career – when all paid employment for singers and musicians inevitably ceases in this country, I expect she will institute an Audience Prize at the Cardiff Housepainter of the World.

So, back to the picnic.

I am currently reading Chris van Tulleken’s Ultra Processed People – more (much more) about that later – and it highlights and makes specific, just how damaging the chemicals and processes used by the food industry are, so here are three very simple recipes for picnic staples, which you might, if rushed ( we are always rushed) reach for the supermarket to supply, and which after you have read the book (you must, your life depends on it) you will never do again. Especially if you have children.

The Ultimate Roast Chicken

Hummus with Pomegranate Seeds

Panna Cotta.

Roast Chicken

There are many ways to roast a chicken, and this way is just astonishingly good – and eye-wateringly easy.  It self-bastes which reduces calorie-density and faff.

You can add or take away any herbs or spices, but frankly, it’s delicious with salt and pepper: it’s roast chicken and roast chicken is delicious.

Serves 4

1.5 kg Chicken

Half an unwaxed lemon (very optional)

Sprigs of rosemary and thyme

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to  200º / 180º / gas mark 6

2. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper.

3. Put the lemon, rosemary, and thyme inside the chicken.

4. Put the chicken upside down in a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes.

5. Turn the oven down to 180º / 160º / gas mark 4 for 15 minutes.

6. Turn chicken right side up and roast for another 15 minutes.

7. Turn the heat back up to 200º / fan 180º / gas mark 6 for 15 – 20 minutes to crisp up the skin. Check the juices run clear, and let it rest in a warm place, covered in foil.

Diva Notes

Downsizing Realities

However much I might object to this tragic reality, if you want to increase downsizingability, eating the breast rather than all of the skin is a better option.

Hummus with coriander and pomegranate seeds

Serves 4 – 6

2 tins of chickpeas, or 200g dry chickpeas soaked and cooked with peppercorns,  cardamom (deseeded) and coriander seeds.

A little of the cooking water   

A pinch each of cumin, coriander, and cardamom (husk removed) seeds, and smoked paprika.    

Zest and juice of a lemon

A handful of parsley and coriander

A clove or two of garlic

4 teaspoons olive oil

A tablespoon of tahini

Pomegranate seeds

Salt and pepper

1. Give the spices a thorough pestle-and-mortaring.

2. Roughly chop the parsley and coriander.

3. Chuck everything except the pomegranate seeds and some of the herbs in the food processor and blend until smooth.

4. Season until it tastes fabulous.

5. Mix in the pomegranate seeds and sprinkle a few on top, along with some chopped parsley and coriander.

Diva Notes

Tahini

Hummus should have tahini in it but that increases its calorie-density. Not everybody likes it – and if you are one of them or want keep things as LCD as possible, leave it out.

Adding some of the cooking liquid helps the hummus be creamy without using too much oil or tahini.  You can add more olive oil and tahini if you want more calorie density in your life.

And now for Panna Cotta:,  it is not only utterly delicious, but ridiculously easy to make.

It has asked me not to disclose exactly how many calories it contains. Says if that gets out it’ll never get taken to Glyndebourne again. In the interests of decency, there are NO photos, and it is too simple to merit an actual recipe.

Serves 4 – 6

,

Put 4 tablespoons of sugar in 500ml of double cream and bring it slowly to the boil.

Meanwhile, soak 2 sheets of gelatine in cold water until they go spongy.

When cream is just boiling – or about to boil, it doesn’t seem to matter which – take it off the heat, remove the spongy gelatine from the water, and add it to the cream, giving it a good stirring to mix it in well.

And that’s it.

You can flavour it with something like lavender or rosemary, but I like it very well as it is.

Pour it into ramekins, coffee cups, or a shot glass, and put it in the fridge to set. Or the freezer, if you have left it till the last minute. If you make it in advance, you can leave it in the freezer till you need it.

You can eat it on its own, or this goes very well with it:

Nectarines with Lemon, Honey, and Thyme

Serves 4

4 finely diced nectarines

Grated lemon zest

Squeeze of lemon juice

Teaspoon of honey

Finely chopped thyme.

Mix it all together and put it in the fridge. You don’t have to eat it with Panna Cotta, it’s delicious on its own.