Anna Barnett Cooks • Al fresco

Al fresco dining is typically a casual affair; fun and celebratory in atmosphere. The phrase is borrowed from Italian for ‘in the cool’ or ‘in a cool place’. It’s the essence of a good and memorable Summer; eating outdoors in the fresh, open air with friends and family.

This Brunch Platter and Red Apple and Fennel Salad from Anna Barnett work beautifully together, especially when served using our new feasting salad bowls.

The recipes can be easily adapted for vegetarian and vegan diets and promise to be quick, taking only 20 minutes to prepare and serve.

Brunch Platter with Red Apple and Fennel Salad

Ingredients

160g Manchego – finely sliced
small pot of truffled honey
2 heritage breed hard boiled eggs – peeled & sliced
1 ripe mango – peeled and sliced into strips
100g of prosciutto
2 sprigs of fresh thyme – leaves picked
2 red apples, finely sliced, skin left on
½ fennel – finely sliced
½ lemon – juice squeezed over apple
3 tbsp toasted hazelnuts – roughly chopped
several sprigs of coriander – roughly chopped
sprinkle of sea salt flakes
several turns of freshly ground black pepper
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp honey
Serve with griddled bread brushed with melted salted butter

Method

Arrange the Manchego, truffled honey, eggs, mango and prosciutto on a sharing platter or dinner plate. Scatter over the sprigs of thyme and add a little freshly ground black pepper once arranged.

For the red apple salad, squeeze the lemon over the apple and combine the apples, fennel, hazelnuts, coriander, sea salt flakes and black pepper in a bowl. Mix the olive oil, vinegar and honey together to make the dressing and drizzle over the salad just before serving.