summer cook book - just the one please

All these signs of Spring are inspiring me towards the light and luscious menus that a Summer vegie patch provides. Sweet cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, tangy rocket, tart capsicums. 

I'm a bit over the slow cooker and heavy meals. 

So when at the library and a cook book appeared on a seat in the kids book section., I was instantly attracted.  Wee Hermann wove his merry way between bookshelves, the simple bowl of tomatoes on the book cover beckoned, and the Middle Child  happily filled the bottom of the pram with books until it tipped. 

 Here are a few sample dishes:

• fennel, orange and olive salad
• panzanella - a "hardship" salad that doesn't look so hard to take
• courgette flower risotto
• roast rabbit with rosemary and white wine

Trust me the pictures do these recipes more justice.

Now, this book is installed on the table at breakfasts, accompanied by fresh coffee, I am poring over the recipes. It's so well set out, pictures every where and best of all the menus are simple, fresh and involve so little cooking. The ingredients list is minimal for each course - it's as if you could really step out to the veg patch and have dinner ready in minutes. This I like.

So tomorrow I am out to the poly tunnel to set down some tomato seeds, a few pre-emptive basil punnets, radicchio and the trusty Florence fennel. yum.