The sheer volume, variety and quality of fresh food available – from both home and abroad – are light years from my childhood picnics. We have simple salads where you can choose from basic green leaf to a colourful array of herbs, rocket and watercress. July usually sees a drop in prices, with fruit in plentiful supply to use in main dishes and salads as well as desserts, and the glorious soft fruit season arrives in the really hot weather. And nothing says summer better than temptingly sweet, ripe, summer berries, when gooseberries and strawberries are joined by red and blackcurrants to use in mousses and fools, which make delicious desserts, just right for the height of the summer.

It's a month to enjoy and savour all it has to offer, whether indoors or outdoors, and my recipes this month will help you plan that special dinner or supper party – all with a hint of a 'Taste of Summer'.

BLACK PEPPERCORN MARINADE

I think marinades are important to whatever is being barbecued, and well worth a little time and effort in preparing them. This marinade is suitable for steaks, sausages, chicken and lamb, and you can make it well in advance of your barbecue party, giving you extra time to do other things.

Ingredients: 1 tbsp chopped parsley. 2 tbsp coarsely crushed black peppercorns. 2-3 tbsp lemon juice. 1 clove garlic. Method: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and place meat or sausages in the mixture, stirring to coat. Cover the leave for at least an hour, then cook on your barbecue.

NB Only marinate food in stainless steel, earthenware (glazed), ceramic or glass containers.
Corrosive containers such as aluminium and copper leave a metallic taste.

BARBECUED PORK

This is a strongly flavoured meal, so make sure you serve a robust wine with it. An Australian Chardonnay or a Cabernet Sauvignon would be ideal.

Serves 4.

Ingredients: 1 medium sized tenderloin of pork. 3 tbsp olive or cooking oil. 6 large cloves of garlic. 6 tbsp soy sauce. Method: Mix the soy sauce and olive oil in a bowl large enough to take all the meat. Crush the garlic clove and add to the sauce and oil. Stir vigorously. Cut the meat into eight equal pieces and flatten slightly with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Give the liquid another stir and add the meat. Leave the meat to marinate for as long as possible, but not for less than two hours. Cook on a very hot barbecue until the juices run clear when the meat is pricked with a skewer. Use the excess marinate as a baste. After the juices run clear, cook for two more minutes and serve piping hot with a mixed salad containing plenty of onions and pepper.


CUCUMBER AU GRATIN

There should be plenty of cucumbers about this month, and they can be used in many ways other than in salads. This gratin makes a versatile alternative.

Serves 4-6.

Ingredients: 2 cucumbers, peeled. 175g Cheddar cheese. A little chopped parsley. 50g butter. Salt and pepper. Method: Cut cucumbers into 8cm (3 inch) pieces, and slice each piece in half, lengthways, remove seeds. Cook the cucumber in boiling, salted water for 6 minutes, drain and dry. Butter an oven proof dish and arrange a layer of cucumber in the base of the dish, sprinkle with a third of the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Repeat these layers finishing with cheese and dot with butter, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Bake in centre of preheated oven at 200C, 400F, Gas Mk. 6 for 30 mins. until bubbly and golden brown. Serve as a side dish with meats or fish.

SALMON AND COURGETTES WITH A CREAMY PASTA

This makes a perfect summer's evening meal, especially if you are entertaining. If you are inviting more than 4 guests just double up on the quantity of ingredients.

Serves 4.

Ingredients: 300g salmon tail off cuts. 1 small onion, finely chopped. 2 courgettes, washed and cut into bite-sized chunks. 1 tbsp olive oil or butter. 110g pasta shapes. 1 x 200g crème fraiche. Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Method: Lightly poach or steam salmon pieces for 5 minutes. Leave to cool, remove any bones, and keep the fish in bite-sized pieces. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Heat oil or butter in a large pan, and cook onion until softened. Add courgette pieces and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Add cooked salmon and pasta, stir, add crème fraiche, season well with freshly ground black pepper, and salt to taste.

FOUR BERRY JELLY

A colourful, jewelled berry dessert, guaranteed to enhance any dinner or supper party.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients: 110g raspberries, hulled. 50g redcurrants, stalks removed. 50g blackcurrants, stalks removed. 75g caster sugar. 110g strawberries, hulled. 300ml (½ pint) red wine. 300ml (½ pint) grape juice. 10g gelatine. Method: Put the red wine in a saucepan with the sugar and heat gently to dissolve. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Stir in the grape juice. Dissolve the gelatine in 6 tbsp of hot water, stir into the red wine mixture and pour into an 850ml (1½ pint) loaf tin and put into fridge to set. Mix the raspberries, redcurrants and blackcurrants together, slice strawberries and gently mix in with the other fruit. When jelly begins to set, about 40 mins. add fruit, distributing evenly through the jelly. Return to fridge and leave for 4-5 hours. To serve, run a knife around the inner edge of the tin and invert jelly onto a plate. Cut into thick slices and serve with cream or ice cream.


BLACK CURRANT CAKE

This cake can double as a dessert served with cream, but is delicious eaten as a cake for tea, dredged with icing sugar when cold.

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients: 110g butter. 2 eggs. 50g ground rice. 175g caster sugar. 110g self-raising flour. 225g blackcurrants. Method: Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time in the flour and ground rice mixed together. Stir in the blackcurrants, making sure they are quite dry. Turn the mixture into a well-greased 20.5cm (8 inch) cake tin and bake in a preheated oven 180C, 350F, Gas Mk 4 for about 1 hour until well risen and brown.

All these recipes were extracted from my third cookbook, 'Step into My Kitchen through the Year', which went into a reprint, prompting me to start on an updated version, which, hopefully, will be published next year.

August sees the arrival of the first English apples, greengages and plums, a perfect cue for next month's pie and crumble recipes.