WHEN the sunny days are here, it’s important to make the most of the warm weather, and what better way to do that than with a picnic?

While it might seem the easy choice to stick to the usual sandwiches and crisps, adding a bit of variety to the contents of your hamper can help make the occasion that little bit more exciting and special.

NATHAN BRIANT finds some suggestions.

Watercress and garlic dip with king prawns

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

You’ll need:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 potato, peeled and chopped

100ml dry white wine

1 pinch of chilli flakes

170g watercress

squeeze of lemon juice

4 tbsp half fat crème fraiche

king prawns, barbecued

wedges of lemon to serve

What to do:

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the shallot and sauté over a gentle heat for five minutes.

Add the garlic, potato, wine and chilli, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is tender.

Add the watercress and cook, stirring for four minutes until the leaves have wilted and leave to cool.

Add the crème fraiche, then transfer to a food processor and blitz until smooth. Season to taste. Spoon the dip into a bowl ready to serve with the prawns.

Cook the prawns on a barbecue or griddle for three to four minutes on each side until they turn pink. Place on to the plate while still sizzling hot.

The dip can be served with barbecued fish and meat or for a vegetarian option with roasted vegetables and warm pitta bread.

Warm steak and O’live bunched beetroot sandwich with O’live Cos lettuce, from o-liveorganic.com

Serves: 2

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

You’ll need:

for the dressing

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp honey

1 small clove garlic, crushed

salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the sandwich

a 2-3cm fat ribeye steak (approx 225g weight)

1 tbsp olive oil

a little sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2-4 shallots, finely sliced (for a summer version, replace the shallots with a handful of peppery watercress leaves)

2 O’live bunched beetroot, boiled for 40 to 45 minutes and cut into slices

O’live Cos lettuce, a few leaves

a ciabatta loaf, cut in half and sliced open

What to do:

Firstly, Make the dressing by putting everything in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well until thoroughly mixed and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan until smoking hot. Season the steak on both sides with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lay the steak in the pan and fry, undisturbed, on one each side for two to three minutes. Flip over and fry on the other side for a further two to three minutes.

For a 2 to 3cm thick piece of meat, these timings should give you a medium steak. Cook a little less for rare, a little more for well done. Remove the steak and allow to rest on a warm plate, tightly covered in foil.

Add the shallots to the frying pan and fry for a few minutes over a medium-high heat until softening and beginning to caramelise. Remove to a Plate and keep warm.

Lay the ciabatta slices, cut side down, in the frying pan and toast lightly for a minute or two.

Place some torn lettuce leaves between 2 pieces of the ciabatta.

Slice the steak into 1cm-wide strips across the grain and arrange on top of the lettuce.

Top with the sliced beetroot and fried onions. Finally, drizzle over a little of the dressing and cover with the top of the ciabatta. Serve immediately.

Any leftover dressing with keep in the fridge for at least a week.

Chicken, watercress and mozzarella wrap from watercress.co.uk

Serves: two

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: five minutes

You’ll need

1 tbsp olive oil

1 chicken breast, cut into small chunks and seasoned with salt and pepper

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 small handful of grated hard mozzarella

2 large flour tortillas (we used seeded ones)

1 red or yellow pepper, sliced

1 red onion, finely sliced

½ tsp chilli flakes

15 pitted olives, black or green, quartered

1 handful watercress

1 handful of spinach

few torn basil leaves

for the dressing

1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard, mixed

salad (to serve)

What to do

Prepare and cut the chicken into small chunks. Then, in a frying pan, heat the olive oil and fry the seasoned chicken over a high heat for approximately four minutes until browned on all sides and cooked through.

Turn the heat down to medium and add the garlic so it softens but doesn’t burn.

Put a thin layer of the grated mozzarella on the tortillas, then spoon the other ingredients (cooked and raw) out evenly on top.

Finally, drizzle the dressing over the filling, roll it all up, tucking in the sides like a burrito and cook it in a dry, medium-hot frying pan for two to three minutes each side, using another pan to weigh it down.

Slice in half and serve with salad. The cheesy filling should be all gooey and have a spicy kick.