I think great side dishes make or break a barbecue. You can't get away with just chopping up some lettuce, tomato and cucumber any more. Here's a simple side idea for a sophisticated warm-weather feast. Pasta salads should be more pasta than salad. Leave the spirals on the shelf and use an interesting pasta shape to give this dish a little more elegance.
Ingredients
500g casarecce pasta
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup plain yoghurt
¼ cup sour cream
grated rind from ½ lemon
¼ cup finely shredded dill
500g smoked salmon, shredded
20 cornichons, halved lengthways
2 tbsp baby capers
½ cup white cocktail onions, halved
freshly ground black pepper, to serve
Method
1. Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions in boiling salted water. Rinse in cold water, drain and toss with the olive oil.
2. Combine the mayonnaise, yoghurt, sour cream, lemon rind and dill and toss through the pasta until well coated.
3. Lightly toss the salmon, cornichons, capers and cocktail onions through the pasta and serve with a little freshly ground black pepper.
Serve at your next barbecue with Adam's garlic beef and anchovy skewers.