Lawrence Murphy: the perfect antedote to your man's charred bangers

The exception is the barbecue, which the men say they always cook and are a dab hand at charred sausages.

The women argue that although their husbands turn the food around on the barbecue they are the ones who prepare all the meats, salads, desserts and have to wash up because they are not cooking. This makes me smile as I appreciate all the work that goes into making great food.

It’s good to get everything prepared in advance so you can enjoy a glass of something as the meat cooks on the coals.

Summer fruits are in abundance so you could make a simple fruit salad and pour over a glass of chilled dessert wine.

If you want to impress your friends and steal the limelight from the day’s cook, try this chocolate tart and add a few summer berries. You can make it the day before as it will need time to set in the fridge, which will leave you time to have that glass of wine.

Chocolate tart

Ingredients

One shallow 22cm sweet pastry case

175g dark chocolate

50g butter

2 eggs

45g caster sugar

175ml double cream

Pinch salt

Method

1. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan containing water on a low heat.

2. Whisk the eggs and sugar together using an electric whisk until light and fluffy.

3. Whisk the cream until soft peaks form.

4. Put the pinch of salt into the melted chocolate.

5. Fold everything together and spoon into the pastry case.

6. Smooth over and set in the fridge for at least two hours before serving with summer fruits.

Lawrence Murphy’s restaurant is Fat Olives at Emsworth – fatolives.co.uk or 01243 377914.