Mediterranean-inspired food for holiday vibes at home - including a restaurant-worthy showstopper you can get on the table in 10 minutes

Sea bass, grapes and ajo blancoA great way to get something fancy on the table quickly, this dish feels smooth and ‘restauranty’, even though it takes just ten minutes. A chilled soup is a hard sell for a family, but when you present ajo blanco as a sauce, I find they will accept it. (And yes, I know usually it would not contain parsley, but I like it here.)SERVES 4300ml fish stock½ bunch of thyme2 garlic cloves½ bunch of flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to serve (optional)100g blanched almonds60g stale white bread (gluten-free, if needed)sea salt and freshly ground black pepper1-2 tbsp sherry vinegar, or to tasteextra virgin olive oil4 x 160g skin-on sea-bass fillets or sea-bream fillets125g green grapes1 For the ajo blanco sauce, pour the fish stock into a small saucepan, add the thyme sprigs and set over a medium heat. Peel the garlic and roughly chop with the flat-leaf parsley. Place in the bowl of a food processor with the almonds and bread, season well, then blitz until everything is finely chopped. Remove the thyme, then slowly pour the stock into the food processor bowl while blitzing, so you have a thick, creamy sauce. Pulse-blend in the sherry vinegar and a splash of extra virgin olive oil. Taste and tweak the seasoning and vinegar.2 Take your fish fillets out of the fridge, pat them dry with kitchen paper so there is no moisture on them and season generously. Place a large frying pan over a high heat, pour in a little extra virgin olive oil and add the grapes. Fry for a few minutes, until the skins start to blister and caramelise a little. Once they are a little charred, remove from the pan and transfer to a plate.3 Add a little more olive oil to the pan, then the fish fillets, skin side down. Fry for 4-5 minutes over a medium-high heat, until the skin is crisp and golden. Increase the heat a little and flip the fillets over, frying for just a couple of minutes more until cooked through and golden all over. When the fish is ready, spoon the sauce on to serving plates and place the fish and charred grapes on top, scattering with parsley, if you like.Lamb, apricot and feta sausage rollsThis is all the things I like wrapped in pastry and is (naturally) a great picnic snack. The lamb fat soaks into the pastry with the spices, then you have the sweet hit of nuggets of apricot. It all works beautifully together with the feta cutting through it.MAKES 102 red onions2 garlic cloves3 tbsp olive oilsea salt and freshly ground black pepper1 heaped tsp tomato purée1½ tsp fennel seeds60g dried apricots½-1 tsp chilli flakes2 tsp ras el hanout400g minced lamb30g breadcrumbs2 large eggs100g feta320g sheet of ready-rolled, all-butter puff pastry1 tbsp sesame seeds1 tsp nigella seeds1 Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Peel and finely chop the red onions and garlic cloves. Place a small frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil, chopped onion and garlic. Season well and sauté for 8-10 minutes, until starting to soften. Stir in the tomato purée at the last minute, then spoon into a large mixing bowl and leave to cool.2 Meanwhile, coarsely grind the fennel seeds and finely chop the dried apricots. Stir the chilli flakes, ras el hanout and half the fennel seeds into the sautéed onion and garlic. Add the chopped apricots, minced lamb and breadcrumbs to the bowl and season well. Crack and beat one of the eggs, add to the bowl and mix everything with your hands really thoroughly. Crumble in the feta and mix again.3 Unroll the pastry and lay it out on a chopping board. Whisk the remaining egg with a pinch of salt until smooth. Evenly spoon the seasoned lamb down the length of the pastry and make it into a sausage shape. Brush the edge of the pastry with the beaten egg, then fold it over and seal the 2 long edges together; I like to press them down with a fork. Cut the large sausage roll into 10 even-sized pieces.4 Mix together the sesame seeds, nigella seeds and remaining crushed fennel with a generous pinch of sea salt flakes. Brush all the sausage rolls with the beaten egg and evenly sprinkle over the seed mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and bake for 25-30 minutes, until evenly golden and the meat is gnarly and cooked through.Dirty rice The inspiration for this dish came from the classic Majorcan dish arroz brut (‘dirty rice’). That is often brothier than the weeknight one-pan version I have written here. Feel free to play and make it to your taste; you can add green beans, peas or even mushrooms to the base.SERVES 4sea salt and freshly ground black pepper4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighsolive oil100g cooking chorizo (gluten-free, if needed)2 onions4 garlic cloves2 red peppers650ml chicken stockpinch of saffron threads (optional)½ tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp dried oregano½ tsp sweet smoked paprika250g paella rice, or bomba rice250g ripe cherry tomatoes on the vine½ bunch of flat-leaf parsley1 lemon, to serve1 Preheat your oven to 210C/190C fan/gas 6½. Place a large, wide ovenproof frying pan or shallow flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs well, drizzle a little olive oil into the pan and fry the chicken, skin side down, for around 10 minutes, until the skin is golden and crisp.2 Meanwhile, chop the chorizo into small pieces. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Halve the peppers, remove the seeds and finely slice. When the chicken skin is crisp (it doesn’t need to be cooked yet), transfer to a plate, skin side up, then add the chopped chorizo and vegetables to the pan. Fry for 10 minutes, until starting to soften and brown.3 Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock. If using the saffron, place in a small cup and top with a splash of just-boiled water. When the vegetables are ready, stir in the ground cinnamon, oregano and paprika, then after a minute, stir in the rice. After a few minutes, pour in the hot stock and saffron liquid, season well, give it a good stir and bring to the boil. Carefully position the vine tomatoes on top, followed by the chicken thighs, skin side up. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the rice has a crispy top.4 Meanwhile, finely chop the flat-leaf parsley. Cut the lemon into wedges and serve on the side, with the chopped parsley scattered over the top.Charred corn, chorizo and avocado I love entertaining and operate an open-door policy, so this recipe is handy as it’s one of those things you can make ahead and have in hand, waiting for mouths to eat it.SERVES 42 garlic cloves1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley1 bunch of spring onions4 ears of corn on the cob, husks removedsea salt and freshly ground black pepper100g cooking chorizo (gluten-free, if needed)olive oil3 tbsp sherry vinegar2 tsp honey2 avocados1 Peel and finely slice the garlic. Finely chop the parsley. Trim and finely slice the spring onions. Carefully cut the kernels from the corn cobs and put them in a large, dry frying pan. Pop the pan over a high heat and char the corn, turning every now and then, for a few minutes, until cooked, golden and starting to brown and char in spots (try not to stir the kernels around too much). You may need to do this in batches, so the corn doesn’t overcrowd the pan. Transfer the charred corn to a large bowl and season generously.2 Wipe out the pan. Roughly chop the chorizo and add it to the pan with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Return it to a medium heat and cook for 5-8 minutes, until the fat renders and it starts to crisp. Add the sliced garlic, let it cook for a couple of minutes, then add the sherry vinegar and honey, stir for a minute and take off the heat. Toss the corn, parsley and spring onions in the chorizo dressing, then spoon on to a serving platter, or into a bowl.3 Slice the avocados, gently stir them through the corn mix, taste for seasoning and serve.Cardamom frappé ice cream One of my first ever core food memories is of shaking a pale beige Nescafé frappé shaker around our flat in Limassol. This recipe is inspired by my love of frappés on the beach in Greece in the summertime. Embrace it as you would a holiday romance.SERVES 8-10300ml whole milk½ tsp ground cardamomlarge pinch of fine sea salt5 large egg yolks120g soft, light brown sugar2½ tsp instant coffee200ml double cream1 Warm the milk with the cardamom and salt in a saucepan until barely simmering, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t catch. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, until pale and creamy. Now pour in the steaming milk, whisking constantly, until combined.2 Return the egg and milk mixture to the saucepan, set over a low heat and keep whisking until thickened: it should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat. Add the instant coffee and whisk it in, then add the double cream and whisk until combined. If you are at all worried about a few lumps, feel free to strain it through a fine sieve. Transfer to a jug. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge until needed. If you can chill it overnight, it will help the flavour to develop.3 When the custard is ready, churn it in an ice-cream maker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. When frozen and churned, scoop it into a container and freeze. Remove the ice cream from the freezer around 30 minutes before serving, so it’s easy to scoop.Spiced patata fil-fornWhile I openly declare my love for gratin dauphinoise, I don’t always want the richness of a cream-based potato dish and sometimes a lighter style – such as these Maltese potatoes – is a better fit. With the mild spicing, it’s a really lovely, lighter (but similar) offering.SERVES 4-6500ml vegetable stock, or chicken stock2 onions4 garlic cloves1kg waxy potatoes, or baking potatoes also work wellOlive oil½ tsp fennel seeds½ tsp cumin seeds½ tsp mild chilli powder½ tsp ground turmericSea salt and freshly ground black pepper1 Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the stock in a small saucepan. Peel and finely slice the onions and garlic cloves. Scrub and dry the potatoes, then finely slice into thin rounds.2 Oil a 30 × 20cm roasting dish and scatter with half the sliced onions and garlic, followed by half the potatoes. Season well. Repeat with the rest of the onions, garlic and potatoes. Grind the fennel and cumin seeds and mix into the hot stock with the chilli powder and turmeric. Pour evenly over the potatoes, then drizzle with olive oil and place in the oven for 50 minutes, until the potatoes are golden and most of the stock has cooked away.3 Increase the oven temperature to 240C/220C fan/gas 9 and bake for a final 20–25 minutes, until the top is gnarly and the stock has been completely absorbed.Tomato, herb and Gruyère cake saléI’ll often make a cheesy, savoury loaf and slice it, then pop the bagged-up slices in the freezer for a rainy day. They are delicious toasted under the grill, with an extra layer of salty butter if you like.SERVES 8-1080g unsalted butter, plus more for the tin6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon (optional)100g sundried tomatoes, plus their oil1 shallot1 bunch of mixed soft herbs (I love chives, parsley and mint here)150g Gruyère (or vegetarian alternative, if needed)100g mature Cheddar (vegetarian, if needed)300g plain flour (or a gluten-free blend, if needed)1½ tsp baking powder (gluten-free, if needed)½ tsp bicarbonate of soda½ tsp fine sea salt½ tsp freshly ground black pepper200ml buttermilk2 large eggs1 Preheat your oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4. Butter a 900g loaf tin and line it with a sheet of greaseproof paper. Melt the 80g butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat and set aside.2 If using smoked streaky bacon, finely slice it, then place in a frying pan over a medium heat with a spoonful of the oil from the sundried tomato jar. Fry for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is deeply golden and crisp. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, peel and very finely chop the shallot. Finely chop the sundried tomatoes. Finely chop the herbs and coarsely grate both the cheeses.3 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper. Then whisk in most of the grated cheese, the chopped herbs, chopped sundried tomatoes and shallot. Separately whisk the buttermilk with the eggs and molten butter, then fold this into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir in the cooled fried bacon, if using. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, sprinkle over the remaining grated cheese and transfer to the oven for 45-50 minutes, until golden and cooked through (a skewer inserted into the middle should come out clean).4 Leave to cool in the tin, then slice and tuck in, ideally slathered in salty butter.NOW BUY THE BOOKOur recipes are from MEDesque by Georgina Hayden with photographs by Laura Edwards (Bloomsbury, £26). To order a copy for £22.10 until 2 August, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25.