An Elegant Outdoor Dinner

An Elegant Outdoor Dinner

Cold Yoghurt Soup Jars Start to finish: 25 minutes

1/2 cup walnut halves,

2 cups whole or 2 percent plain Greek yoghurt

1 teaspoon honey

11/2 cups ice-cold water

4 cucumbers, finely diced

1/3 cup golden raisins, roughly chopped

3 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons minced chives

1 tablespoon chopped dill

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Dried rose petals, crushed (optional)

Sumac (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 150ºC. Spread walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 15 to 20 minutes, until fragrant and deepened in colour. Transfer to a cutting board to cool, then roughly chop. Transfer to a large bowl, reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish.

2. Add yoghurt and honey to the walnuts, and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in water until no lumps in the yogurt remain.

3. With a wooden spoon, stir in cucumber, raisins, mint, chives, dill, salt, and pepper.

4. Transfer soup to 6 small glass mason jars, seal, and refrigerate.

5. To serve, gently shake jars, remove lids, and garnish with reserved walnuts, rose petals, and sumac.

Serves 6.

Pistachio-Pea Crostini

Start to finish: 20 minutes

1 baguette, sliced on a diagonal into 1/4-inch pieces

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic

1/2 green Serrano pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

1 cup fresh parsley leaves

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons raw unsalted shelled pistachios

2 cups frozen and defrosted or fresh green peas

1 teaspoon lemon zest