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8 best side dishes for warm weather.A collection of delicious and less obvious side dishes originally created for specific recipes. But, they all share being able to work with a far wider range of dishes. Some are classics, others a little more leftfield and many are a good way to stop leftovers from going to waste. Issue no.1 of what I hope to be an occasional series and focuses on side dishes that work well in warmer weather. So, ideal for those who live in hot places or a

Spanish slow-roasted pork belly is widely known as the tapas bar dish 'torreznos con mojo dulce,' a sweet spicy sauce. But it also has other guises such here, served with a fresh, green salsa verde, skin-on roasted potatoes, Rioja-style beans and grilled padrón peppers. It's a slow dish, but gets on with it in the background while you get on with other things. A great weekend family meal or alternative to a traditional Sunday roast.

My father chanced upon this spicy Sicilian spaghetti with scallops in Palermo in the 1960s and it's been a family favourite ever since. It's brimming with flavours—scallops, anchovies, peperoncino, capers, shallots, and more—but takes less than 30 minutes to make. Above all, good quality olive oil is the star. It's a healthy, easy option perfect for hot weather.

Indian methi chicken curry—chicken with fresh fenugreek leaves—is a dish traditional to a number of regions of India, each with their own take on it. It's not really a "curry" in the popular sense, in that the spices are mild and relatively minimal and the gravy lighter and less complicated to make than better-known Indian dishes. Yes, it's very easy to cook.

Provençal lamb with orange and fennel and various fresh herbs is a traditional recipe from the South of France, hearty yet dripping in the sun-drenched flavours of the region. A rustic, slow-cooked meal, it's a dish that is easy to make and packed with nutritious vegetables.

This Cape Malay seafood curry—technically it's fish and seafood—is a mild curry that is easy to make. It's less well-known than the famous lamb curries from the region, perhaps ironic given that it is more in keeping with the history of fishing at the Cape and today's healthier eating habits than lamb. It's relatively low in fat and brimming with vegetables too.

Cape Malay fish balls are highly adaptable. Not as well known as other Cape Malay dishes—such the famous lamb curries—these traditional fish balls made with a combination of white fish and smoked fish make tasty starters, great finger food at a party, and are also integrated into other delicious Cape Malay dishes.

This recipe for pasta with kale and pancetta sauce comes from Castelfranco Emelia in Italy's Modena Province. It's a combination of the deeper flavours of onions cooked in white wine, pancetta and cream and the green flavours of kale and basil. Given its particular cooking method, it can be turned into a lactovegetarian dish with no effort at all.

Thai red curry is one of the best-known Thai dishes around the world. One of the four in the quartet of Thailand's most successful culinary exports, it can be vegan, pescatarian or carnivore. More importantly, if you use this recipe based on how street vendors produce it, it's easily adaptable to the needs of dining parties with different requirements.