Bulghur Wheat and Mango Salad

The weather has gone a bit crazy, with highs of 33 C here in Cambridge, which is pretty unusual. As a result it's impossible to contemplate cooking for any length of time, or eating anything at all hot. Tonight we use a delicate and fragrant Alphonso mango from the market in a salad adapted from one of Nigel Slater's recipes in the Observer Food Monthly. Lovely and refreshing, with a cob of hot buttered corn to munch as contrast.

Ingredients:

• 200g bulghur wheat
• 2-3 spring onions
• 1 large very ripe mango
• 8 bushy sprigs mint 
• small bunch parsley
•  ½ a small  cucumber
• 8-10 radishes
• juice of 1 lemon
• olive oil

Simmer the bulghur wheat for 15 minutes until tender, or cook according to the packet instructions, then drain and leave to cool. Finely slice the spring onions, dice the mango, and roughly chop the herbs. Peel and deseed the cucumber, then cube. Finely slice the radishes. Toss all the ingredients together with the lemon juice and olive oil; chill for half an hour if desired.

Guacamole

Again a mainstay of our family Tex-Mex meals, this is quick to prepare and keeps, tightly covered, for a day or two in the fridge - if there's any left!

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• 4-6 tbsp of crème fraîche (thick and sweet) or sour cream (more runny and sour)
• juice of 1/2 - 1 lemon
• salt

Peel the avocado and scoop the flesh into a blender, along with the crème fraîche or sour cream. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt, and more lemon if desired. Cover with cling film and refrigerate if not serving immediately, to prevent browning.

Tomato Salsa

I love a fresh tomato salsa! It goes so well with spicy Mexican dishes or even just with nachos and cheese. Not that I'm allowed such things at the moment, or it would put my wedding dress fit in danger. Today it made a lovely accompaniment to some vegetarian fajitas.

Ingredients:

• 2 large tomatoes or a bag of cherry tomatoes
• small bunch of coriander
• juice of a lime
• 1/2 tsp large-flaked sea salt or chunky rock salt

If the tomatoes have thick skin, blanch them in boiling water and quickly peel the skins off. Otherwise or afterward, roughly chop and put in a bowl. Finely chop the coriander, squeeze in the lime juice and combine with the tomatoes. Just before serving, add the salt and stir briefly; the tang of unexpected salt is a lovely contrast to the tomatoes.