Delicious Italian Summer Dishes by Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder

Looking for ideas for an outdoor gathering? Draw inspiration from Italy, particularly from two renowned chefs celebrated for their Italian cuisine: Angela Hartnett and Luke Holder. Hartnett, a Michelin-starred chef known for her refined Italian dishes at Murano in London, and Holder, trained at the prestigious three-Michelin-star Enoteca Pinchiorri in Florence, bring a relaxed culinary approach at the Lime Wood hotel in the New Forest.

During the summer months, their style becomes even more laid-back with monthly outdoor Forest Kitchen lunches, featuring generous sharing platters of fish, meats, and sides created in collaboration with their chef friends, including Valentine Warner, Julius Roberts, and Tom Brown.

“We’re not aiming for Michelin stars; we simply want everyone to enjoy a relaxed, fun Sunday afternoon,” Hartnett explains.

Holder adds, “Italian food is perfect for this ambiance. When traveling, some of the best meals occur when a group rents a house, shops at local markets, and enjoys a bottle of wine while cooking together over an open flame. It’s about having a main protein at the heart of the meal, accompanied by carbs and seasonal sides.”

“We recently returned from Majorca,” Hartnett shares, “where we grilled red mullet paired with asparagus, a fresh tomato salad, and sliced red onions drizzled with green chili, olive oil, and lime. It was fantastic.”

For dessert, they enjoyed simply fresh nectarines. “Ultimately, chefs are intermediaries between excellent producers and their guests. There’s nothing quite like a ripe fig,” Holder emphasized.

While Mediterranean produce shines, how can one elevate imported ingredients?

Holder emphasizes that “the secret for any home cook is to incorporate acidity into their seasoning—whether using lemon, lime juice, or high-quality vinegar.” He suggests essential items like good olive oil, anchovies, and parmesan. “These ingredients are worth every penny; they create an explosion of umami. Just exposing tomatoes to salt, high-quality olive oil, and vinegar, and topping them with anchovies or parmesan makes for an irresistible dish.”

When cooking, simplicity is key. Hartnett notes, “Barbecuing allows one to cook things, especially meats, a bit more than usual without worry. Just remember to add acidity. Italians often finish beef, pork, or chicken with a sprinkle of lemon juice right at the end.”

A favorite dish is grilling whole fish, like large sea bass, ideal for serving up to eight people, which Italians often butterfly open for cooking.

Hartnett explains, “To prevent fish from sticking, it’s all about temperature and moisture. Ensure your grill is hot, remove your fish from the fridge at least 30 minutes before grilling, and dry the skin to achieve optimal crispiness. Season the flesh side, place it above hot embers, and once the skin is blistered and three-quarters cooked, flip it over and dress it with oil and lemon before letting it rest.”

For carbohydrates alongside meat or fish, they recommend an outdoor risotto. “It’s more like a paella since you don’t stir it,” Holder clarifies. Starting by softening onions in oil, he adds rice and blended tomatoes with saffron and lets it cook without disturbance. “For an ambitious finish, sprinkle with high-quality anchovies and parmesan, ensuring to scrape the pan for the prized socarrat—the crispy layer at the bottom,” he advises.

For salads, focus on soft summer herbs like mint, basil, and tarragon, dressed in a bold vinaigrette to complement grilled meats. Hartnett suggests combining two tablespoons of quality vinegar, a grated garlic clove, a teaspoon of honey, a large dollop of mustard, mixed with one part water to three parts oil for a vibrant dressing.

Holder highlights a chef’s secret ingredient: adding cold water to vinaigrettes to lighten the mixture, preventing the salad from being overwhelmed. “It’s important for dressings like mayonnaise or hollandaise too, allowing herb flavors to shine through.”

If fresh nectarines aren’t available, try barbecuing fruit as a sweet finale. “During a recent barbecue, we placed whole strawberries in a sieve over the coals, allowing them to slightly char before transferring them to a higher heat to macerate. These were served with a pavlova and charred marshmallows, topped with Sicilian passion fruit for an added tang,” Holder suggests.

“Non-chefs often stress about entertaining, viewing it as an opportunity to impress, but when cooking outdoors, we give ourselves a break,” Holder reflects. “While food is important, it’s only one part of the experience. Just remember to invite people you enjoy spending time with.”

Ideal Green Salad

Herby Salad with Sweet Mustard Dressing

The secret to crafting a fantastic summer salad lies in a variety of textures and an abundance of fresh herbs. Don’t stress about selecting specific types of lettuce—focus on what you have available, allowing the herbs and the sweet mustard dressing to shine.

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

• 2 heads baby gem lettuce
• 1 head Cos lettuce
• 2 heads butter lettuce
• 2 heads oak leaf lettuce (preferably green and red)
• 1 small bunch of rocket
• Handful of lamb’s lettuce
• Large handful of pea shoots
• Half a bunch each of tarragon, mint, lemon balm, chervil, oregano, dill, and flat-leaf parsley

Dressing

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 70ml rapeseed oil (or plain sunflower oil)
• 40ml water
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• Pinch of table salt

Method

1. Combine all dressing ingredients and blend with a hand blender. 2. Remove all salad leaves from the heads, chop the iceberg leaves into pieces, and toss with the herbs in a large bowl. Dress with the dressing, mix well, and serve.

A Dessert to Try

Grilled Strawberries with Sweet Ricotta and Passion Fruit

Serves 6–8

Ingredients

• 150g strawberries per person
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 500g ricotta
• 100g mascarpone
• 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped (preferably Tahitian beans)
• 100g icing sugar
• 100ml double cream
• 1 passion fruit per person

Method

1. Clean and keep the strawberries whole, placing them in a large metal sieve. 2. Ensure your barbecue is at the embers stage, placing the sieve over the embers (or grill). Gently toss and toast the strawberries for about 2 minutes. 3. Transfer the fruit to a fire-safe dish, squeezing lemon juice over the top. Ideally, keep this on the barbecue while preparing the rest of the dish. 4. Blend ricotta, mascarpone, scraped vanilla seeds, and icing sugar until smooth. Avoid over-blending to maintain texture. 5. Whip the cream and fold into the sweet ricotta mixture. 6. To serve, place a portion of warm barbecued strawberries into a bowl, add sweet ricotta, then sprinkle with passion fruit seeds. Drizzle remaining strawberry juice on top and indulge.

Aperitivo to Serve

Limoncello Spritz

Ingredients

• 50ml limoncello
• Juice of ½ lemon (25ml)
• 20ml sugar syrup (1:1 version, if purchasing)

Method

Combine the ingredients in a glass and top with quality tonic water.