Simple Carrot Salad

My mother used to make this colourful carrot salad when we were small. It's so simple, is kid-friendly and is a great side dish for a family summer gathering. She grated carrot and beetroot into a bowl, added a few raisins, salt and pepper and some lemon juice and that was it! I've left out the beetroot and given it a Middle Eastern flavour with ground cumin, cinnamon and mint. For a more substantial dish, add some chickpeas and crumbled feta cheese.

500g carrots, coarsely grated

1 shallot or 2 spring onions, finely sliced

50g raisins

50g flaked almonds

25g mint leaves, washed and sliced

1 tbsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground or 1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

zest and juice of 1-2 lemons

sea salt

First of all, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan and then grind in a pestle and mortar. Soak the raisins in a cup of hot water for about 10 minutes so that they plump up.

Put all the ingredients into a large bowl and sprinkle in a small amount of sea salt. Give it a good stir and add the zest and juice of a lemon.

Mix again and put it into the fridge for an hour to let the flavours mingle. Taste before serving and add more lemon juice if needed.

Fresh Apricot Jam

Apricots are in season in July and August and this wonderful homemade jam is the perfect way to preserve them. It is very quick to make and is delicious with scones, as a filling for a sponge cake or stirred into yoghurt. And if you thin the jam with a tablespoon of boiling water, it can also be used as a glaze for fruit tarts or to stick marzipan to a cake. This recipe makes about 5 jars.

1 kg fresh apricots – washed

1 kg granulated sugar

juice of 1 lemon

Wash your jam jars in hot soapy water, rinse and place in a low oven for about 10 minutes or until they are dry.

Have a look at 'all you need to know about making jam' to learn about testing for set and tips on sterilising and filling the jars.

Put a plate in the freezer.

Halve the apricots, remove the stones and put the apricots into a preserving pan with the lemon juice. Simmer gently until soft.

Add the sugar to the pan and heat slowly until dissolved. Then turn the heat up and bring to a rolling boil for 10-12 minutes. If you think it might be catching on the bottom, give it a stir but be careful, as the jam will be very hot.

Remove your plate from the freezer and test for set by putting a small amount of the jam on to the cold plate. Push your finger across it and if it wrinkles, it is ready. If not, give it another five minutes and then test again. When you have a set, remove the pan from the heat and stir in a knob of butter. This will get rid of any scum that has formed.

Leave to cool slightly before putting into warm sterilised jars.

This is also an essential ingredient for my curry mayonnaise which I use to make coronation chicken.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

I have a couple of recipes for cucumber soup, one is from my mother's book and one is from mine. Both are chilled and both use yoghurt as a base. One calls for grating the cucumber, and one calls for blending it to a purée. Either way the result is a refreshing summer soup, perfect for the hot days.

Lebanese Cucumber & Yoghurt Soup

This chilled soup is a bit like tzatziki particularly if you use Greek yoghurt and garnish it with mint. I've reduced the amount of double cream and increased the yoghurt to make it lighter than my original recipe. You could also use creme fraiche or sour cream.

This amount serves 4.

1 large or 2 small cucumbers

100ml double cream

500ml natural yoghurt

1 small clove garlic, grated

2 tbsp tarragon or white wine vinegar

salt and pepper

freshly chopped mint to garnish

Wash the cucumber (no need to peel), remove the seeds and coursely grate into a large bowl. Stir in the cream and yoghurt and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and season to taste. Chill for a couple of hours and garnish with the chopped mint.

Cucumber and Yoghurt Soup

This version is from my mother's recipe book and uses an electric blender to produce a smooth summery soup. If you want to add texture, garnish with diced or sliced cucumber and serve with a slice of crusty bread.

1 large or 2 small cucumbers

250ml single cream

300ml natural yoghurt

a squeeze of lemon juice

salt and pepper

2 tbsp double cream to serve

Fresh dill to garnish

Peel the cucumber, remove the seeds and cut into chunks. Place into an electric blender with the cream, cover and blend until smooth.

Pour into a large bowl and stir in the yoghurt. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and check for seasoning.

Chill for a couple of hours and serve in deep bowls with a swirl of double cream and a sprig of fresh dill.