Celebrate National Picnic Month

Attivo Life Magazine has delighted to bring you some of The Great British Bake Off finalist Crystelle Pereira’s summer recipes from her new book, Flavour Kitchen. Enjoy!

Opening the pages of Crystelle Pereira’s new cookery book is a little like stepping into an Aladdin’s cave of foodie delights. Attivo Life Magazine was lucky enough to be given a sneak peak into some summer eats as Crystelle kindly shared a selection with us. You can view others in our latest magazine here.

There are 75 recipes, many of which may have started life as traditional favourites but, with Pereira’s culinary twists, have become something new, exciting and refreshing, influenced by her extensive travelling.

“I’m heavily influenced by the huge variety of cuisines I eat from around the world.”

A former data analyst for investment bank Goldman Sachs, Pereira speaks four languages and has lived in France and Spain; her heritage is Portuguese Goan, and she has also spent time in Japan, South Korea and Mexico.

Pereira says: ‘I’m heavily influenced by the huge variety of cuisines I eat from around the world. So you’ll find that many recipes take the concept of a classic dish from one cuisine but with flavours from a completely different one. For example, instead of standard “sausage” rolls, I’ve created hoisin duck “sausage” rolls.’

Pereira’s book has simple and delicious recipes for all seasons and all occasions but with @nationalpicnicmonth this July, we’ve chosen to share her Charred Corn Salsa, perfect for sharing with friends on a sunny day – enjoy!

Charred corn salsa recipe

I love a good zingy salsa and this one is a real taste of sunshine! The charred corn provides a lovely smoky sweetness with caramelised notes that pair so well with the fresh lime. We’ve also got some creamy feta for that saltiness, pickled red onions for some tartness, jalapeños for a bit of heat and coriander to add a freshness that really lifts the dish.

Salsa ingredients

• 2 small red onions, finely diced
• Juice of 2 limes (juice separately)
• 1 tablespoon avocado or rapeseed oil, for frying
• 600g drained canned sweetcorn (or six corn on the cob – see Tips)
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 20 jarred red (or green) jalapeños, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon regular paprika 200g feta
• Large bunch of coriander,  finely chopped (including stalks)

Method

1. Place the diced onion in a small bowl and cover with the juice of one lime. Scrunch it together with your hands to help the onions pickle faster, then set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a cast-iron frying pan over a high heat until hot. Add the sweetcorn with the salt and fry for 7–10 minutes until slightly charred, remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Once the corn has cooled down, place it in a large bowl, along with the jalapeños, both paprikas and mix well to combine.
4. Crumble the feta into the mixture and sprinkle over the chopped coriander. Add in the pickled onions, including the pickling juices, and finally the juice of the remaining lime.
5. This is perfect as a side salad to serve with grilled fish or chicken, or you can use it as a dip with some tortilla chips, or toss through some cooked pasta for a wonderful pasta salad!

Tips

Brush the corn on the cob with oil and place on a griddle pan over a medium-high heat, turning every couple of minutes, until charred and tender. When cool, slice off the corn kernels with a sharp knife. Add ½ teaspoon of salt to the dressing. Swap the feta for vegan cheese to make this 100 per cent vegan.

Find out more about Crystelle on her Instagram account @crystellepereira. Flavour Kitchen by Crystelle Pereira is published by Kyle Books. Photography: Vanessa Lewis