To get out of the routine, one of the simplest and most effective ways to do it is by taking the table outdoors. Lighting the grill after a long day at work or ending the week with a picnic are activities that can break the regularity of our lives and give us moments of great pleasure and relaxation. Even more so, if it is a sunny day or if we take the tablecloth to a place in the middle of nature. Sometimes we just need a push. Because if we have the necessary implements and ingredients, enjoyment is practically guaranteed. These are some tasty and easy-to-prepare recipes so that you can easily transport them to a square or a park, or to enjoy on the terrace of your home.

But first, here are some tips to make your life easier. If you leave home, especially if it’s a hot day, don’t forget to bring a cooler to keep your drinks cold. In case children go, plastic glasses are very practical, but if you bring wine, I recommend you bring your favourite wine glasses and a tray where you can leave them so they do not turn over. By the way, don’t forget to bring a good two-stroke corkscrew and a blanket so they can sit around it. Bringing pre-cut food (such as the potato tortilla mentioned below) is another good idea, since all you have to do is arrive, serve it and enjoy yourself.

• Beetroot hummus

This recipe is ideal to take to a picnic. Both for its striking colour and for the uniqueness of its flavour, and because it is versatile when it comes to serving it. To make it, you just have to process everything together: 2 medium roasted beets, 1 can of cooked chickpeas, 1 tablespoon of hummus, juice of 2 lemons, a pinch of wasabi paste, salt and olive oil. You can serve it as a dip to spread vegetable sticks, or on toast with a piece of avocado and pistachios. An unctuous mixture, with earthy notes given by the beets, but with acidity and spiciness that pair very well with a white wine with volume, such as Casillero del Diablo Chardonnay.

 

• Spanish Potato Tortilla

A few years ago while I was on holidays in Madrid, I dedicated myself to following the route of the best potato tortilla. Among them, the best were at the Juana La Loca and Txirimiri (now closed) pincho bars in La Latina neighborhood. What famed them? Its juicy center and caramelized onion that gave them a certain sweetness. Later, from a distance, it was difficult to forget its taste and the desire to try something similar. That’s how I came across the Instagram account of @jmongebravo, an architect and chef who shares delicious and infallible recipes. Every Friday, he makes a potato tortilla and I have never been dissatisfied following his recipe. The key is to use: 1 egg per 1 potato of the size of a woman’s fist. Laminate the potatoes, fry them in plenty of olive oil until soft. Then mix with the egg, an already caramelized onion, salt and pepper. Return the mixture to the pan, flip and flip (or cook to desired consistency), and you’re done. To serve it instantly or take it to a picnic and eat it at room temperature, this tortilla is very good if accompanied by a glass of sparkling wine such as Devil’s Collection Brut.

 

• Sausage rolls

This classic of British cuisine is a much more elaborate version than the simple American puff dog or the Chilean Chaparrita. Why? Because the stuffing is not a pre-made sausage, but it is pork that the butcher shops prepare especially for people to make their own Sausage roll. Although there are many recipes, I like to follow one that I learned while working as a cook in an Irish bar. You need a sheet of puff pastry and the ground pork for sausages, which is mixed with: minced garlic, fresh thyme and half a cup of white wine. Mix everything with your hands until there is a homogeneous paste, and then arrange it on the dough sheet to form a roll.  Paint it with beaten egg, decorate it with sesame seeds, portion it into individual pieces and then you take it to the oven for about 40 minutes. The idea is to serve it with a tomato relish and why not, a glass of Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc. Enjoy!