Refreshing Summer Cocktails and Food Recipes to Try this Season

Lanique Martini

Ingredients:

• 25ml Lanique
• 25ml Hendrick’s Gin
• 5 Mint leaves
• ½ Fresh lime squeezed

Method: Begin by chilling a martini glass. Then clap your hands together with the mint leaves to release the mint flavours. Shake the mint, Lanique, Hendrick’s Gin and lime with ice in a cocktail shaker, and strain into the chilled martini glass. Garnish with a mint leaf.

£8.50, Fuego. Available in-store at Fenwick Bracknell & Newcastle

Especia de Verano

Ingredients:

• 50ml spiced rum
• 25ml Chase Elderflower Liqueur
• 3 slices of cucumber
• 3 mint leaves
• Ginger beer

Method: Muddle the cucumber and mint in a long glass. Add the spiced rum and Chase Elderflower Liqueur. Fill the glass with ice cubes, and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon, mint sprig and a straw.

£9, Fuego. Available in-store at Fenwick Bracknell & Newcastle.

Summer Salad of Local Squid, Guacamole, Citrus & Chilli

Ingredients:

• 480g Small Local Squid, cleaned & prepared
• 10mls Olive oil; Sea Salt
• 1 Lemon-for juicing

For the Guacamole:

• 2 green chilli, finely chopped
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 3 ripe avocados
• 1 ripe medium tomato, cut into 3mm dice
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt

For the Salad:

• 2 Gem Lettuce, washed & sliced
• 12 Cherry Tomatoes halved
• 2 Oranges, segmented
• 2 Ruby Graperfruit, segmented
• 2 Red Chilli, thinly sliced
• 12 Sprigs Fresh Coriander

For the Dressing:

• 150mls Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 40mls Cabernet Sauvignon Vinegar
• Salt
• Milled Black Pepper

Method: To make the guacamole, mash together all ingredients but leave it quite coarse. It should taste creamy, spicy and a little sour from the lime juice. Quickly grill the squid in a very hot non-stick saute pan with a tiny amount of olive oil, tip onto a plate and season with a little lemon juice and salt. Combine the dressing ingredients and set aside. To make the salad, combine the lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, citrus segment, 2 tablespoons of the dressing and a little salt and dress carefully. Build the salad on each plate, place a spoonful of guacamole off-centre and pile the remaining elements around. Finish with more dressing and fresh coriander sprigs.

Available at The Salwater Fish Company, in the Food Hall at Fenwick Newcastle.