Tortilla Española is a mainstay of the Spanish diet, it can be served hot or cold, on cocktail sticks with chorizo sausage or in slices on a crusty baguette. It’s super easy to make and delicious to taste, so which ingredients do you need? You’ll need potatoes, olive oil and free-range eggs, plus a sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground pepper. That’s it! Jamie Oliver has a simple, tasty recipe on his website which anyone can make.

How to make Tortilla Española

1. Peel & slice approximately 280 grams of potatoes into small cubes and heat with olive oil in a pan, continuing to stir coating them. Turn your hob to a low setting and add salt and pepper before covering and cooking on a low heat for a further 20 minutes until tender. 


2. Break 4-5 eggs into a bowl and whisk lightly adding seasoning as you do so. Then mix the potatoes and eggs together thoroughly. Staying on a low heat setting, cook together in a pan for a further 20 minutes, uncovered.


3. You can intermittently shape the edges with a spatula or palette knife and when there’s no liquid remaining on the surface, turn the omelette and cook on the opposite side until ready. Place a plate on top of your pan and turn so the omelette transfers effortlessly onto the plate.


To make the Aioli

Roasted garlic aioli is a simple to make accompaniment which tastes delicious. All you need is garlic, olive oil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and stock.

1. Roast bulbs of garlic drizzled with olive oil in aluminium foil until tender. 


2. When it cools pop the peeled garlic into a blender adding the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth.


3. Place it in the fridge for a couple of hours to infuse all the flavours, then serve in a ramekin on the side.


For the Sangria

This easy to make, fun in the sun beverage contains red wine, orange juice, lemonade, mint, ice cubes and sliced oranges and lemons to decorate. Add all the ingredients into a jug and keep adding the wine until it’s to your desired taste. Simple.

Mexican fajitas require little preparation, can feed an entire family and you only need to use a handful of ingredients. You can adjust as you wish depending on dietary requirements and you’ll be left with a simple, yet substantial meal. 

How to Make Mexican Fajitas 

Choose from chicken, beef, pork or vegetables as your main ingredient and add a medium-size red onion, red and green peppers, olive oil, cumin, smoked paprika and lime juice.

1. Place the main ingredient (chicken, beef or vegetables) sliced into thin strips along with sliced onion and peppers into a bowl. Add olive oil, black pepper, paprika, cumin and lime juice to taste. Leave to marinate for around 10-15 minutes, then pop into a pan and fry gently until tender.


2. Warm tortillas in a microwave or dry pan.


3. When all the ingredients are ready serve with grated cheese, guacamole, salsa, sour cream, or if you have the ingredients available, all of them!


For the Mojitos

Mojitos are refreshing summertime drinks and easy to make with lime, mint leaves, sugar, ice, white rum and soda water. Grind the lime, mint and sugar together and place in a high glass, add the ice and pour on the rum before adding a splash of soda water.

This traditional British gastro-pub dish takes less than an hour to prepare and cook. You’ll need 2-3 sausages per person - either meat or plant-based depending on preference, several potatoes and a couple of onions.

How to Make Bangers & Mash

1. Grill the sausages for around 10 minutes on each side until browned. 


2. To make the mash, peel potatoes and boil in a pan for 30-40 minutes. When soft, drain, add butter, sea salt and a splash of milk. You can also add a teaspoon of mustard for additional flavour. 


3. To make your own onion gravy. Peel and slice onions and stir with oil in a pan for 20 minutes until caramelised. Turn the heat down halfway through. Add a knob of butter, then pour in small amounts of vegetable or beef stock and add a teaspoon of mustard powder to taste. Stir until it’s to your preferred thickness.


For the Craft Beer

Granted, craft beer is not easy to make unless you have access to an entire beer making kit. Fortunately, help is at hand! Companies like Home Brew Online and Craft a Brew have DIY craft brewing kits to purchase which contain all the ingredients you need. Alternatively, try to pick up a few bottles of pale ale or continental lagers online. 

There are plenty of simple burger recipes for carnivores, vegetarians and vegans out there. Whether you like to fry, oven-cook or grill, gourmet burgers are easy to make and can be enjoyed by all. For meat-based burgers, you’ll need quality ground mince and from there you can add anything you like to the recipe. Alternatively, if you’re making a veggie alternative, replace the mince with an assortment of mixed beans, chickpeas or lentils and add seasoning and additional vegetables as required. Savory Experiments has 19 Gourmet Burger recipes on its webpage ranging from Garlic Truffle Burgers to Caprese Burgers with pesto, mozzarella and basil, so you can gain plenty of inspiration for your feast.

For the Burgers

1. For the basic burger you’ll need lean mince, chopped onions, an egg to bind the mixture and breadcrumbs. Mix it all together before flattening the pate down and frying in a pan on both sides until browned. 


2. Add seasoning as it cooks and add your chosen accompaniments. Place in a brioche or seeded bun and serve with seasoned potato wedges or salad. 


3. To make a Veggie burger replace the meat with either mixed beans, chickpeas or lentils and add vegetables as desired.


For the Shakes

Milk Shakes - dairy or plant-based, are quick and easy to make. You can use anything you have in the kitchen cupboard including strawberries, bananas, coffee or even cocoa powder. For a deliciously filling strawberry shake, use fresh fruit, sugar, vanilla extract, ice cream (optional) and milk or soya milk. Blend them all together until creamy and frothy and serve in a tall glass.

Contrary to popular belief, this dish doesn’t actually come from Singapore, it actually originated in China. Singapore Noodles are filling, delicious and good for you! Ingredients include rice noodles, vermicelli or egg noodles if you prefer. Simply add meat or tofu, vegetables and seasoning to the mix and fry together in a wok or pan. If you’re looking for an authentic recipe, Rasa Malaysia has a simple to make version on her website or you can attempt your own.

How to Make Singapore Noodles

1. Soften the noodles in water first before adding to a wok or pan.


2. Add either shrimp, bacon, pork, chicken, egg or tofu and vegetables such as red pepper, water chestnuts, shitake mushrooms, cabbage, carrots and beansprouts.


3. Everything is added to the wok with the noodles and cooked in sesame oil. You now have the option to add the following: soy sauce, crushed garlic, chilli and curry powder. You can add or subtract any of the ingredients to suit your taste and to cater to individual dietary requirements.


For the Singapore Sling

There are many versions of the famous cocktail invented in the Raffles Hotel, Singapore. A close version to that of the original is made with lime juice, cherry brandy, Benedictine, gin and club soda. You can gain a full list of ingredients and measurements on the helpful Singaporesling.com website.