Cool as a cucumber: recipes and tips to save you from cooking in a heatwave
When ovens and stovetops just won’t do, turn to loaded toasts, open sandwiches, cold noodles and smashed cucumbers, say our no-cook experts
TL;DR
- No-cook meal ideas are essential for hot weather when using ovens and stovetops is undesirable.
- Loaded toasts can be prepared by rubbing bread with garlic, olive oil, grated tomatoes, salt, and anchovies.
- Open sandwiches can be made with picked crab meat mixed with mayo, lemon juice, and mustard, spread on bread, and topped with other crab meat mixed with chives, coriander, lemon juice, creme fraiche, and sweetcorn.
- Cold rice noodle bowls can be made by soaking noodles in hot water and combining them with a dressing of peanut butter, miso, tahini, sesame oil, garlic, and lime juice or rice-wine vinegar, plus supermarket prawns and smashed cucumbers.
- Smashed cucumbers can be marinated in soy sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, fish sauce, and chilli crisp, and served with salmon and rice.
- A pesto can be made with walnuts and firm cheese, blended with herbs, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and ice, then used to dress courgette strips, finished with mozzarella and pickled raisins.
- Assembly dinners can utilize deli items like artichokes, capers, olives, and peppers, chopped and mixed with cooked lentils and feta cheese.