Pack a pukka picnic

Forget supermarket sandwiches and cans of fizzy drinks. Follow Terry Farris's delectable picnic menu and make your next outdoor feast a show-stopper

Picnicking season is upon us. Whether it's an outdoor concert, a day on the beach or just a favourite local park, we love to eat outdoors when the weather is nice. But what can you do to make it special, and how do you avoid the predictable collection of ready-made supermarket sandwiches and crisps? With a minimum amount of time and fuss, you can fill your picnic hamper with great-tasting healthy home-made food.

Get carried away
Wicker hampers are very stylish and attractive, but ideal for keeping food cool. Insulated, soft cool-bags are best for this and come in handy, easy-to-carry sizes. Keep the hamper for transporting plates, glasses, napkins and any other incidentals like bottle openers, etc. Freezer packs are good for keeping food and drink cooler for longer inside the cool-bags. Don't forget to pop them in the freezer until frozen. Also, it's a good idea to make sure your food is cold (kept in the fridge for an hour or 2) before packing. All the recipes above can be made well in advance. Remember to keep your food bag in a shaded area.

Spicy Chicken Strips in Pitta Pockets
Serves 6

6 x boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tbsp flour
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp salt
3-4 tbsp oil for frying
6 pitta breads
mayonnaise mixed with a bit of Dijon mustard to make French mayonnaise
lettuce and sliced tomatoes

  1. Cut each chicken breast into 4 strips.
  2. Mix the flour with the cayenne and salt in a small bowl and coat the chicken with the mixture.
  3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and when hot, fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes each side or until done. You may need to do this in several batches, setting aside each batch to drain on kitchen paper. This can be done a day or two before the picnic and stored in the fridge.
  4. To assemble, cut the pitta breads through the middle and pop into the toaster until just softened. Use a sharp knife to carefully split open the 'pocket'.
  5. Spread the inside with a dollop of the French mayonnaise and stuff with the chicken, lettuce and tomato slices.
  6. Wrap individually in baking paper.

Honey-roast Ham with Mustard Cream Cheese in Tortilla Wraps
Serves 6

400g light cream cheese
1 heaped tbsp wholegrain mustard
6 tortilla wraps
1 head of round lettuce
450g good-quality ham, thinly sliced (or use chicken or turkey if you prefer)
salt and pepper

  1. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese (the light version is softer and easier to mix) with the wholegrain mustard. Spread evenly on the tortilla wraps.
  2. Cut the middle stem from each lettuce leaf and lay the leaves neatly over the cream cheese.
  3. Arrange the ham in a single layer over the lettuce and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
  4. Roll up the wraps carefully but as tightly as you can. Wrap in baking paper, twisting the ends like a Christmas cracker.
  5. Store in the fridge until ready to pack. These can be done up to a day in advance.

Raw Vegetable Batons with Avocado Dip
Serves 6

6 medium carrots
6 celery stalks
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 cucumber

For the dip:
3 ripe avocados
142ml soured cream
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt and pepper
juice of 1 lime

  1. Peel the carrots and cut them into batons (sticks about the size of your little finger). Do the same with the celery.
  2. Deseed the peppers and cut into 1cm strips.
  3. Halve the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon. Cut into 5cm pieces, then cut each piece into batons.
  4. To make the dip, halve the avocados, remove the stone and spoon the flesh into a bowl. Mash, then stir through the soured cream, garlic, salt and pepper and lime juice until smooth.
  5. Store in a plastic tub with a tight-fitting lid. Put it in the fridge until ready to pack. This is best done at the last minute to prevent the avocado from turning brown.

Chocolate-covered Strawberries
Serves 6

200g dark chocolate
900g fresh strawberries

  1. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water or (carefully) in a microwave. Stir until completely melted then set aside to cool slightly.
  2. Dip the bottom half of each strawberry into the chocolate and allow any excess to drip back into the bowl. Lay on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment or greaseproof paper to harden.
  3. When all the berries are dipped, place in the fridge to harden.
  4. Transport in a large, shallow plastic container and keep cool with freezer packs (see tips at the end of the article).

Cranberry and Grapefruit Cooler
Makes 3 litres (500ml each for 6 people)

1 litre cranberry juice, chilled
1 litre pink grapefruit juice, chilled
1 litre sparkling mineral water, chilled
ice, for serving (optional)

  1. Simply mix the juices and mineral water together shortly before you leave for the picnic and pour into a suitable container. Empty plastic water bottles with screw-on caps work well.
  2. If you want to take some extra ice, store in a plastic tub with a tight-fitting lid. It should last at least a few hours provided it doesn't sit in direct sun.

Spicy Chick Pea Falafels in Pitta with Raita
Serves 6
3 organic carrots
3 x 400g tins chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
large bunch of fresh coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
salt and black pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp gram or plain flour (gram flour is made from chickpeas)
2-3 tbsp oil for frying

For the raita:
1/2 a cucumber
200g Greek yoghurt
bunch of fresh mint (about 20-25 large leaves), chopped

  1. Grate the carrots on a vegetable grater and set aside.
  2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Place in the bowl of a food processor along with the garlic, fresh coriander, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt and pepper.
  3. Process to a rough paste then add the grated carrot, egg and flour and process just enough to blend. It should still be a bit coarse.
  4. Form the mixture into walnut-sized shapes. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on all sides until golden and cooked through.
  5. To make the raita, scoop out the seeds from the cucumber with a teaspoon and finely chop the flesh. Combine with the yoghurt and mint.
  6. To assemble, cut the pitta breads through the middle and pop into the toaster until just softened. Use a sharp knife to carefully split open the 'pocket'.
  7. Spread the inside with a heaped tablespoon of raita and fill with the falafel balls. Wrap each pocket individually in baking paper. Store in the fridge until ready to pack.

Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables and Houmous in Tortilla Wraps
Serves 6

3 courgettes
1 large aubergine
3 red peppers
2 red onions
6 sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, drained
2 garlic cloves, chopped
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt and black pepper
about 15 large basil leaves, roughly torn
6 tortilla wraps
300g houmous (store-bought is fine)

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Finely chop all the vegetables, place in a large (or 2 smaller) roasting tins and sprinkle the garlic over the vegetables.
  2. Drizzle with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Remove from the oven and stir through the fresh basil leaves. Allow to cool.
  4. Spread the tortilla wraps with the houmous and top with the roasted vegetables.
  5. Carefully roll up the tortillas and wrap in baking paper. Store in the fridge until ready to pack.