Enjoy some surfing and turfing this summer..

I know not everyone is a fan of scorching heat and I am included in that number. I am always looking for the shady spot when out and about. I do like summer food and eating outdoors though and this week had plenty of opportunities (writes Karen Wright).

We were invited to my aunt and uncle’s house on that very hot Friday. Their garden is beautiful, and the table was set under the shade of a large tree. It was like sitting in the courtyard of a fine restaurant. We had a delicious lunch.

Back in our tiny courtyard-style garden I used our garden stove to cook in the evenings, so much more comfortable than indoors. My latest craze is to go a bit retro so one night we had the eighties’ pub classic ‘Surf ‘n’Turf’, which is some sort of meat and seafood or fish all on the same plate.

I used a juicy sirloin steak, salmon and large prawns. It was good and a bit of fun too. I served with baby potatoes and salad.

I have made mistakes in the past when cooking steak, but think I have it sussed now. What I do is marinate the steak beforehand. It varies what I use but usually involves balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard and olive oil. It is a matter of mixing the ingredients and letting the steak sit in it.

The next tip is not to fry the steak in oil but to oil the steak then pop it in the pan, grill or barbecue. As the marinade has oil in it, I just go straight in.

Next tip is not to keep turning the steak, let it cook a few minutes on one side, how long depends on if you like it rare, medium or well done and how thick the steak is. I like medium so five or six minutes each side.

The last tip is to let the steak relax a few minutes before serving, to let its juices flow! While it rests, why not pour a glass of something nice and unwind too!

Next week I shall report on a planned visit to Nostell Priory. I will be taking lunch in the café, my first dining out experience since before lockdown!