VEGETARIAN OUTDOOR LUNCH

Make the most of winter days with Alice Hart's seasonal menu, ideal for enjoying al fresco with friends

An outdoor lunch should be relaxed and good-tempered to make A entertaining friends and family an enjoyable occasion for the cook, too. This lovely vegetarian feast is light and celebratory, but much of it can be made ahead of time, and none of it is tricky to put together - nor does it rely on a weatherdependent barbecue! Crunchy vegetables (use whatever you love or have to hand) and toasted flatbreads are the perfect vehicles for my winning mustard-mayonnaise dip, lightened with yogurt and packed with flavour. The easy main course of baked tomato rice with aubergines and a puttanescainspired sauce is intended to be served warm, not hot, to make life simpler. It also makes an excellent packed lunch the following day, eaten cold. The buttery pistachio & custard powder biscuits that are served with the fragrant passion fruit possets are a cinch to throw together using storecupboard ingredients, but you could swap them for shop-bought shortbread fingers.

Vegetable & flatbread platter with dill & mustard dip 

You can make the dip up to 48 hours in advance to get ahead (just cover and chill until needed). The vegetable crudités can be prepped a few hours ahead, covered and chilled, too – just toss the fennel wedges with a little lemon juice first to prevent browning.

SERVES 6 PREP 20 mins COOK 12-14 mins EASY V

120g mayonnaise made with olive oil

1 garlic clove, crushed

20g dill, finely chopped, plus a few extra sprigs to garnish

3 pittas

200g Greek yogurt

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

1 tbsp capers, drained, rinsed, patted dry and finely chopped

1 banana shallot, peeled, halved and finely chopped

1 tsp light honey

200g sugar snap or young peas in the pod

150g asparagus, woody ends trimmed, sliced into