Al fresco recipes

You know these squidgy chocolate cake squares with orange zest are going to be good!

Reach for a refreshing hit of nostalgia with this citrus ice - allow to slowly melt so it can be sucked up through a straw

For the ultimate transportable sandwich, hollow out a French stick and fill with tuna, olives, anchovies and eggs

This Pimm's cup cocktail is a true taste of summer. Make up this fruity punch with lemonade, fresh mint leaves, cucumber, orange slices and strawberries

Create a wonderfully refreshing alcohol-free summer spritz with only four ingredients - make as spicy as you like

Individual portions will save fights over the biggest slice of this creamy ricotta pud with fruity compote

Chargrill red and yellow peppers until blackened, peel and serve sliced with Mediterranean flavours

Take the blueprint of Coronation chicken, omit the meat and add pasta and you have a fresh fusion side dish

Marinate your chops with ginger, lemon, chilli and cumin then chargrill until juicy in the middle

A sophisticated quiche, rippled with salmon slices, goat's cheese and dill

Try to use Jersey royals in this healthy take on a picnic classic then swap the mayo for honey mustard vinaigrette

These craggy bread buns use bicarbonate of soda instead of yeast - serve with plenty of butter or top with soft cheese

This thick, traditional Spanish omelette is bulked out with new potatoes and flavoured with herbs

Marinate chicken drummers in aromatic Thai red curry paste and sweet chilli for super tasty fingerfood

Rustle up a homemade picnic pie for your al fresco feast, packed with bacon, pork sausages and dried fruit

Contrast salty Greek cheese with sweet and juicy fruit, fragrant mint, dill and coriander

Treat your guests to a sophisticated tangy tart with crisp, patisserie pastry and a creamy filling

A restaurant-style Mediterranean dish of roast chicken breast with stuffing and crème fraîche finished with a white wine sauce

A light shellfish salad that's packed with flavour and dressed with Dijon mustard, saffron and garlic mayonnaise

Make the most of peas and beans with this layered quiche combined with lardons and Parmesan cheese

Swap a mayonnaise base for cherry tomatoes, olives, roasted red peppers and fresh Italian herbs in this low-fat salad

This pudding from reader Elizabeth Clark is the perfect centrepiece, complete with chewy meringue, creamy lemon filling and retro decoration

A grown-up summer drink with a pleasantly bitter bite

Enjoy a lazy lunch in the garden with these low-fat, prepare-ahead skewers - perfect for sharing