British summer does not always require a heatwave to make dinner feel like an overreaction. Sometimes it is enough that the windows are open, the fridge is full of half-used herbs and nobody much fancies a roast, a stew or anything that requires standing solemnly over the hob.
This is the season of a little something: not quite lunch, not quite dinner, but the kind of food people actually want to eat when the evening is warm, the wine is cold and the appetite is more snackish than structured. A dip, something on toast, a crisp salad, a bowl of crisps if we are being honest. Food that can be put in the middle of the table and picked at until, somehow, it becomes a meal.
In A Little Something, Swedish chef and food writer Siri Barje makes the case for snacks as more than the bit before dinner. The book is full of dips, bread snacks, boards, drinks and picky bits for lazy days – the kind of recipes that understand the pleasure of eating with one hand, standing around the kitchen or pretending that arranging things nicely on a plate counts as hosting. It does, actually.
These three recipes sit neatly in that sweet spot between effort and ease. There is whipped ricotta with saffron-hot honey, which turns crackers and carrot sticks into something far more glamorous than they have any right to be; crayfish toast with kewpie, spring onion and sesame, a retro-luxe party snack with just enough crunch; and a wedge salad with marinated onion, green goddess dressing and croutons, because iceberg deserves better than being treated as a punchline.
Call it girl dinner, picky bits, a light supper or simply the only sensible way to eat in July. Either way, it is dinner – just with better PR.
Whipped ricotta dip with saffron-hot honey
At dinner parties, our family friend (and my bonus mum) Lena liked to serve crackers to dip in cream cheese and sweet chilli sauce. It’s a snack that brings back warm childhood memories for me, so here’s an updated version.
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
250g (9oz) ricotta
2 tbsp crème fraîche
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 spring onion (scallion), finely sliced
Salt
For the saffron–hot honey:
50ml (1¾ fl oz) runny honey
2 jalapeños, finely chopped, with seeds
½g saffron strands
Serve with:
Salted crackers of your choosing
Salted crisps
Carrot sticks
Method:
1. For the saffron-hot honey: heat the honey in a small saucepan. Add the jalapeño and saffron, then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly in the pan.
2. In a blender, blend the ricotta, crème fraîche, vinegar, and salt to taste, until smooth.
3. Spread the ricotta mix on a serving plate and drizzle over the infused honey. Sprinkle with sliced spring onion (scallion). Voilà!
Crayfish toast with kewpie, spring onion and sesame
When I was a student on a budget, I often made crayfish toast for my parties. It’s delicious! Use crayfish tails in brine, as they’re springier than prawn. And we’ll keep it simple, but with an Asian twist.
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients:
300g (10½ oz) crayfish tails in brine
3 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced (save the green parts for garnish)
3 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise
4cm (1½-inch) piece horseradish, peeled and grated, plus extra for serving
4 slices white bread
50g (1¾ oz) butter
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
1. Drain the crayfish tails well, squeezing out as much liquid as possible. Ideally, set them aside on paper towels for a few minutes.
2. Chop the crayfish tails roughly, then mix with the chopped spring onions (scallions) and the mayonnaise. Leave to one side until you have a firm spread.
3. Add the horseradish, and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Trim the crusts off the bread and fry the slices in butter until golden. Cut each slice into 4 triangles, and top each piece with the spread. Garnish with the spring onions and sesame seeds. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice and more grated horseradish.
Wedge salad with marinated onion, green goddess dressing and croutons
We should eat more iceberg lettuce! It’s cheap, crispy and delicious. I especially love the white part closest to the root. This dish is a small, finger-food salad. Light and fresh, and perfect before a heavier dinner of pasta, steak or stew. The green goddess dressing works well in all sorts of salads – it’s great in a Cobb salad.
Serves: 6
Ingredients:
4 slices sourdough bread, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into small wedges
Chopped chives
Salt
For the marinated onion:
2 red onions, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt
For the green goddess dressing:
1 avocado, peeled and stoned
50ml (1¾ fl oz) mayonnaise
2 tbsp soured cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove
1 bunch coriander (cilantro)
1 bunch basil
1 bunch dill
1 jalapeño
Zest and juice of 1 lime
Salt
Method:
1. For the green goddess dressing: combine all the dressing ingredients in a blender, adding salt to taste.
2. For the marinated onion: in a bowl, combine the red onion, olive oil, vinegar, and salt to taste. Set aside for about 10 minutes.
3. In a frying pan (skillet), fry the diced sourdough croutons in the olive oil until golden. Season with salt.
4. Arrange the lettuce wedges on a big serving plate. Top with the red onion, drizzle with the dressing, scatter over the croutons and garnish with the chopped chives.
‘A Little Something’ by Siri Barje (Murdoch Books, £16.99).
