Easy Summer Sides
Here are some of the veggies currently in season and how to use them up by whipping up a side or two that are PIE-fect for your relaxed dinner in the garden 🌸 So whack a pie or pasty in the oven (or air fryer) and pick a side that’ll make it sing!
Seriously fresh veg to look out for at the supermarket or local farm shop in July and August:
Beetroot
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Cabbage
Carrots
Summer squash
Cool Cucumbers
An excellent addition to a salad. If salad isn’t your thing, you could create a cooling Raita, ideal for dunking a Ruby Murray Veg Curry Pasty or Kickin’ chicken curry pie! Simply whiz up Greek yogurt, cucumber, garam masala, mint, lime for a really cool dip 😎
Awesome Aubergine
Griddled and drizzled in a lemony dressing and with a smattering of pine nuts. The perfect accompaniment to a cheesy homity pie!
Sensational Samphire
It’s Samphire season!! The perfect accompaniment to your Fish pie and a doddle to prepare. Just lob some samphire into a pan and steam for a couple of minutes before adding lashings of butter, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Choice Chard
Try baking leafy greens with garlic, cream and parmesan for an uber indulgent side dish. Pairs perfectly with a meat-stuffed pie like the Ultimate Steak!
Cracking Courgettes
With courgettes a plenty this time of year (more so if you’ve been to the allotment!), time to make the most of them. Top tip from Chef, Marc. If you’re cooking your pie in the air fryer, he recommends popping your sliced courgettes in the air fryer for around 6 minutes with some olive oil, sea salt and black pepper! You could also bung in some shredded greens for a couple of minutes before you serve up which will steam with the moisture from the courgettes. Courgettes go beautifully with a pie filled to the brim with chicken in a creamy sauce like our Chicken and Mushroom Pies!
go on - take a Chunk!