Pack up your basket for national picnic week

Celebrate picnic week from 22^nd – 29^th June. As restaurants and cafes remain closed picnics are the perfect way to spend time outside and spend quality time with the people you are with. Whether it’s in your own garden or travelling to your favorite park, you can make it a special time. Here are some of our favorite recipes to make perfect picnic foods.

Caramelised onion and thyme sausage rolls

• 6 pork sausages
• 2 tbsp caramelised onion chutney
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1 tbsp chopped thyme
• 320g sheet puff pastry
• 1 egg

1. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the meat from the sausages and place in a bowl with the chutney, mustard and thyme.
2. Unravel the pastry and roll out until one side measures 43cm. Arrange the mixture down the centre of the pastry. Use the egg to brush along the bottom of the pastry.
3. Bring the pastry around the meat, and seal the edges with a fork, then cut into eight and finish with more egg wash.
4. Transfer to a lined baking tin and cook for 25 mins or until golden.

Antipasto Skewers

• Any meat of your choice e.g. salami
• Any cheese of your choice
• Olives
• Tomato
• Mozzarella
• Lettuce

1. Layer your ingredients onto a skewer with your olives first, tomato, lettuce, cheese, meat and so forth for a fresh and simple option!

Quiche Lorraine

• 175g plain flour
• 75g butter
• 250g grated chedder
• 4 tomatoes
• 200g bacon
• 5 eggs
• 100ml milk
• 200ml double cream
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• Black pepper & salt

1. Sift the flour together with a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter until you have a soft breadcrumb texture. Add enough cold water to make the crumb mixture come together to form a firm dough, and then rest it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the pastry on a light floured surface and line a 22cm well-buttered flan dish. Don't cut off the edges of the pastry yet and chill in the fridge again.
3. Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5.
4. Remove the pastry case from the fridge and line the base of the pastry with baking parchment and then fill it with baking beans. Place on a baking tray and bake blind for 20 minutes. Remove the beans and parchment and return to the oven for another five minutes to cook the base.
5. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3.
6. Sprinkle the cheese into the pastry base and add the sliced tomatoes if you are using them. Fry the bacon pieces until crisp and sprinkle over them over the top.
7. Combine the eggs with the milk and cream in a bowl and season. Pour over the bacon, cheese and sprinkle the thyme over the top and trim the edges of the pastry.
8. Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until set.