We know that summer is the season for salads, quiche and all things fruity – so we are saving you the work of planning the menu for your next gathering in the garden with a roundup of the best summer recipes from Craigies Farm.

The key to cooking up light and refreshing summer flavours is to use top quality produce, like those grown here on the farm or from our local suppliers, including fresh veggies, prime butcher’s cuts and juicy strawberries, all available in our Farm Shop for click and collect or delivery.

Read on for our pick of delicious recipes to try out this summer, loved by the chefs at Craigies Farm…

Craigies strawberry smoothie

If you’re holding brunch in the garden for family and friends, a refreshing Craigies strawberry smoothie will go perfectly with your eggs and croissants or bottle it up as a cool and healthy drink for the little ones to enjoy when you’re out and about during the summer holidays.

Ingredients

• 500 g Craigies Strawberries
• 500 ml Natural Yogurt
• 1 Banana
• 2 tablespoon Honey

Start by chopping the strawberries into quarters and popping them into a blender with the banana, natural yoghurt and honey. Whizz them all together, taste, and adjust it to your liking. Then simply serve your tasty smoothie up in glasses or keep your mix cool in the fridge.

You can have Craigies strawberries delivered fresh to your door or click and collect them from the Farm Shop when you order them online. If you fancy picking them yourself there is always Craigies PYO during the summer months – a much loved activity for the whole family.

TIP: The little ones will love getting involved with the making too!

Smoked salmon quiche

Eat it hot or cold for lunch or a light dinner – yes we are talking about quiche, one of our favourite summer recipes! Our smoked salmon quiche recipe for four is easy to make and sure to delight your tastebuds.

Ingredients

• 250 g Plain Flour
• 125 g Cold Butter
• 50 ml Cold Water
• 3 Eggs
• 1.5 pint Double Cream
• Salt & Pepper to season
• 150 g Smoked Salmon
• 75 g Cream Cheese
• 20 g Chives

To make your pastry, add flour into a mixing bowl then cut cold butter into small pieces and toss it through the flour to coat. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour lifting it in the bowl as you do so, to keep it light and cool.

Next, add the cold water and mix it with a round-ended knife until the mixture starts to come together. Then gather the dough with your hands, moving it around the bowl to pick up any stray pieces.

Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface until it is a smooth ball, then roll out the dough so it is about 5cm larger than your 6-inch quiche dish. Lift and drape it across the dish, pressing it into all of the corners using your fingers. Don’t trim off the edges just yet – chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat the oven at 200°C and fill the pastry case with a round of baking paper and baking beans, then bake for 15 minutes. Then carefully remove the paper and beans and cook the pastry for 5 minutes more and trim off the excess pastry using a small sharp knife.

Now for the filling, whisk the eggs and cream together and add in some salt and pepper to season. Then fill the quiche base with smoked salmon, cream cheese and chives, spreading it evenly then pour in the egg mixture. Bake it for 20 minutes at 200°C. If the quiche is not quite firm at the top then bake it for a further 5 minutes.

TIP: Our quiche is best enjoyed with a fresh green salad on the side.

Vegan potato salad

The perfect accompaniment to your summer barbecues, this potato salad is so simple, delicious and refreshing. What’s more, it’s vegan-friendly and the maple syrup gives it an added sweetness that you will love!

Ingredients

• 750 g potatoes
• 12 g chives
• 20 g radish
• 25 g spring onion
• 5 g dried thyme
• 20 ml lemon juice
• 20 ml maple syrup
• 50 ml olive oil

Get going by cooking the potatoes for 20 minutes or until they are tender, then set them aside to cool down. Once they are cool, cut the potatoes into quarters and pop them in a large bowl.

Next, chop the chives and slice the radishes and spring onion then add them all to a bowl along with the thyme.

In a jug, mix the dressing ingredients (lemon juice, syrup and oil) together. Add them to the bowl, mix everything up at once – then serve!

Strawberry jam

If you really want to impress your guests at your next summer picnic, whip out our homemade strawberry jam to add to your scones. This is a recipe that the little ones will to get involved with making!

Ingredients

• 2 kg Craigie’s Strawberries
• 2 kg Sugar
• 2 Lemons
• 1/2 Teaspoon Oil

Hull and slice your strawberries and add the juice of the lemons, then heat it all up in a pan until the juices run. Next, bring it to the boil for 4/5mins, stirring it all the time.

Add the sugar and oil and bring your jam mixture back to the boil then leave the strawberry jam to cool before you jar it – then enjoy!

TIP: Did you know you can freeze jam? Enjoy it year round by letting it cool to room temperature, seal it in a container with an airtight lid and pop in the freezer!

Make sure you tag us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter in the photos of your summer recipes and let us know how they taste in your captions – we can’t wait to see!

Craigies Farm is open 7 days a week – make the most of your visit by dropping into Craigies Café, bring the little ones along to Little Farmers, or click & collect your online shop order.