Melbourne-based chef and writer of Ellie’s Table, Ellie Bouhadana, offers a few favorite ways to eat by the sea—unfussy snacks and a recipe held close, made for unhurried afternoons in the sun.

As it is coming into summer on one side of the world I have curated a selection of things to eat by the beach that bring me joy.

I always like to pack food to take when sitting by the beach. What I bring depends on how much time I am planning to spend by the sea. If I have capacity, my favourite is to make a small meal by the beach. I set up a little section that mimics the kitchen, with my mise en place. I will bring a chopping board, knife, squeezy bottle of olive oil, lemon, flaky salt and fresh black pepper and a couple of mixing bowls. I bring crockery, cutlery and glassware.

Last (Australian) summer I spent time by the New South Wales coast of Australia. For an afternoon by the beach I bought some very good prawns from the market. Chopped them up and added capers, shallots, lemon, olive oil, mustard, a bit of green chilli, green herbs like tarragon and parsley, lots of black pepper, and flaky salt. Mixed it all in a bowl that I took from the airbnb and filled soft buns for prawn rolls by the sea. Served with packets of potato chips.

SNACKS BY THE SEA

If you have some time at home before your outing to the beach:

Make a simple spaghetti with capers, lemon, parsley and lots of bottarga (there is a full recipe for this in my cookbook). Highly recommend eating this seaside.

Moroccan Mchamar pie (a sort of tortilla made from egg, potato, lots of green herbs and spices - full recipe is below) - this is a good thing to bring to the beach as you can make it a couple of hours in advance. When you get to the beach all you have to do is slice it and eat with your hands, or place it between a couple slices of baguette and have a tortilla sandwich. Potato crisps on the side.

Confit some tuna in extra virgin olive oil. Wash and dry some baby gem lettuce. Prep some green beans and radishes. Whisk together a little mustard, lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a jar. Bring this all to the beach and make everyone plates of confit tuna salad.

If you don’t have as much time at home before your outing to the beach:

Buy a few good tins of fish like anchovies, sardines or clams. A loaf of bread, salted butter, a few vegetables, lemons and bags of potato chips. Bring a chopping board to slice the vegetables, lemon and bread. Open the tins of fish and let everyone make their own seaside plate.

Always bring an esky full with cold beers, fruits like watermelon, cherries and ice to keep everything extra cold and crisp.

MCHAMAR RECIPE — Moroccan herb, egg and potato pie

Makes one pie, cut into 8 pieces

2 onions, sliced in half then finely sliced
3-4 medium potatoes, boiled in salted water until fully cooked through but not falling apart
½ bunch fresh coriander
½ bunch flat-leaf (italian) parsley, finely chopped
½ cup rocket
1 tbsp yoghurt
10 whole eggs, whisked
1 tsp cumin ground
2 tbsp unsalted butter
8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
flaky salt
freshly ground black pepper
8 anchovy fillets (optional, to serve)
mix of rocket, parsley and dill dressed with a lemony vinaigrette (optional, to serve)

Heat the butter and 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy-based or cast-iron saucepan over a low heat. Add the onions, season with a generous pinch of salt and stir, then leave them to cook slowly for about an hour until they are very soft and caramelised. Be patient; let them go slowly until golden.

Cut the potatoes into rough chunks, about the length of your thumb. Mash half of the potatoes into a rough heap. Add them to the pan with the onions. Gently stir mixture, and adjust the heat so the oil bubbles a little and the potatoes just start to colour. Turn off heat.

In a blender, blitz the coriander, parsley, rocket, yoghurt, 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp of water until smooth and green. Season with salt and pepper.

Beat 10 eggs with the ground cumin and a big pinch of salt. Quickly mix the warm onion and potato with the eggs (don’t stop mixing until fully incorporated otherwise the residual heat will cook the egg), then gently mix the blended greens through. Taste and season further if needed.

In a non-stick fry pan with a lid, pour 2 tbsp of olive oil into the pan and warm over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the egg mixture to the pan and flatten the top with a spatula. Cook gently for 5 minutes.

Insert a rubber spatula and run it around the edges of the pie to make sure it will slide easily from the pan. Cook for a further 5 minutes.

Run the spatula around the edges of the pie again. The top will still be slightly runny. For this part work fast and with confidence. Place a thick kitchen towel on the bench. Place the hot pan on top of the towel. Place a plate large enough to cover the pan face-side down over the pan. Pick the towel and pan up in one hand, and place your other hand on the top of the plate. Carefully but quickly flip the pan and plate over so that the pie is now inverted onto the plate.

Add another tbsp of olive oil to the pan, and carefully shake the pie back into the pan, use the spatula to help push if you need. Cook for another 3 minutes, then slide the pie onto a clean plate.

Serve the pie in triangular slices, warm or at room temperature. I like to place an anchovy fillet over each piece along with a bright, lemony rocket and herb salad.