Nigel Slater’s fuss-free summer recipes

When the sun’s out, keep lunch simple with dishes you can prepare in advance, from chicken and couscous to panna cotta

A summer lunch should feel carefree and effortless. An assortment of dishes served cold or at room temperature, probably made earlier in the day. Perhaps the day before, brought to the table with very little fuss. (There is little worse than a cook arriving at the table hot and hassled.) I vote for one, and only one, dish that needs last-minute work. A plate of battered courgettes brought rustling from the kitchen or a dish of prawns tossed with butter, peas and dill. Even the dessert can be made first thing in the morning, or the previous night.