The Mediterranean Table by Ryland Peters & Small

Vibrant, delicious and naturally healthy food for warm days beside the sea

Whenever people ask me what my favourite kind of food is, I always straight up say ‘Mediterranean’! The rich flavours of the Mediterranean, with my favourites being Italian and Greek food, is always a treat but really matches Spring and Summer most of all. This month’s book tip is your ideal food guide this summer: delicious flavourful plates!

From the sparkling shores of Santorini to the sun-dappled lemon groves of Italy this collection of recipes celebrates the very best of the Mediterranean. Packed with flavour, quick and easy to prepare and steeped in tradition, eating the Mediterranean way is not only delicious but also naturally good for you.

Each recipe in this book looks like summer on a plate, and each photo will make you want to hop on a plane down to the Mediterranean. I’ve been dreaming of going to Greece myself since I was about 15, and I’d love to one day drive through Italy on a culinary food trip! I’ve spent many years as a kid going on holidays to France and absolutely loved the food down in Spain & Portugal when I went on holidays there but there is still plenty to discover. It’s safe to say this book has helped me bring the Mediterranean home to my kitchen here on the Emerald Isle, and I hope it’ll do the same for you!

Prosciutto, artichoke, fig and roquefort salad with balsamic dressing – Photography by Steve Painter / Recipe by Miranda Ballard

The first chapter, Small Bites and Plates to Share, features great ideas for summer appetizers and light snacks. There’s a classic Spanish tapas board, silvery Marinated Fresh Anchovies or a gutsy Sicilian recipe for Bruschetta with Caponata and Marinated Mozzarella, all perfect accompaniments to serve with drinks.

Nothing beats a salad on a hot, sunny day, and you won’t be disappointed by the recipes in the Salads and Summer Soups chapter. There’s a vibrant Broad/Fava Bean, Feta and Dill Salad, striking Black Garlic Tricolore Salad and light Tomato, Melon and Feta Salad. Surprisingly refreshing soups include Gazpacho, Ajo Blanco and Tuscan Bean Soup.

Some of the very best ingredients that the Med has to offer really shine in the Sunshine Lunches chapter. For a taste of the sea try the Harissa Sardines with Tomato Salad and the Summer Tomato Tart is not only packed with Mediterranean flavours but also gloriously simple to make.

There is a long tradition of barbecuing in the Med and what better way to celebrate the summer than to fire up the grill. Recipes for a cook-up over the coals include a hearty Rack of Lamb with Harissa and Pomegranate, a decadent Grilled Lobster with simple Chive Butter and Grilled Herb-Stuffed Pork.

For entertaining on those long summer evenings the Al Fresco Feasts chapter includes a feisty, spicy Italian Polenta Puttanesca, a colourful Mediterranean Garlicky Fish Stew and Lamb Steaks with Cherry Tomatoes and Anchovy Sauce. Finally, Sweet Treats and Drinks features some of the most divine desserts and reviving drinks including an elegant Fig and Honey Ricotta Cheesecake, Sorrento Lemon Sorbet and a wickedly refreshing Limoncello.

Fried courgette/zucchini flowers – Photography by David Munns / Recipe by Ursula Ferrigno

Tuna carpaccio with lemon parsley sauce – Photography by David Munns /Recipe by Ursula Ferrigno

Book description
Discover the joy of cooking and eating Mediterranean food with this tempting selection of 150 recipes, full of sunshine flavours that will transport you to a summer vacation state of mind.

The only cookbook you will need this summer provides all the inspiration you need to create memorable occasions in the warmer months. Mediterranean food is known for its punchy yet warm flavors of garlic, fresh herbs, chile, olive oil, and lemon. It is renowned for its naturally healthy ingredients and quick and easy methods—from cured meat and fresh seafood to salty cheeses, olives, anchovies, and roasted vegetables. Whether you are having an impromptu cook-out on the beach with the kids, an al fresco lunch with a friend on a shaded verandah, or a romantic dinner under a canopy of stars, you will find just the recipe you need here.

Chapters include Snacks and Plates to Share—a selection of Mediterranean-style small dishes to share—perfect for serving with drinks on a warm evening. In Salads & Summer Soups, you’ll find Zucchini, Feta, and Mint Salad, Chorizo and Squid Salad and Iced Gazpacho. Best-Ever BBQ shows you how to get the best from cooking outdoors over charcoal. Try Olive-infused Chicken with Charred Lemons or Sicilian-spiced Seabass with Grilled Tomatoes and Baby Fennel. Sunshine Lunches features great ideas for light meals and picnics. Al Fresco has simple yet stunning ideas for more substantial fare for feeding a crowd in the fresh air, from simple pastas, such as Penne with Melted Ricotta and Herb Sauce to Oven-roasted Bell Peppers with Anchovies and Basil. Finally, a chapter of fresh ideas for Desserts & Drinks includes Blood Orange and Amaretto Ice Cream, Caramelized Figs with Vanilla Mascarpone Cream, and homemade Limoncello.

Left: Giorgio and Ilaria Miani’s Podere Casellacce in Val d’Orci
Right: Sicily, Italy

Book info
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Ryland Peters & Small (6 Jun. 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1849758131
ISBN-13: 978-1849758130
Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 2 x 25.4 cm

Giveaway
I’m giving away one copy of this book, thanks to Ryland Peters & Small! All info on my Facebook page

Grilled squid with chorizo, feta and asparagus salad – Photography by Kate Whitaker / Recipe by Acland Geddes & Pedro da Silva

Sardine Crostini – Photography by Steve Painter / Recipe by Mat Follas