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Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes marinating
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
1 tsp capers in brine, strained and finely chopped
2 shallots, finely sliced
4 ripe plum tomatoes, sliced
8 ripe baby plum tomatoes, halved
120g soft goats’ cheese
50g pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
¼ bunch of basil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whisk the oil and balsamic vinegar together in a bowl. Add the capers and shallots and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
Generously season the tomatoes with salt and pepper and arrange them on a serving plate. Dress them with the dressing then crumble the goats’ cheese on top. Finish with the olives and lightly tear the basil leaves to scatter on top. Serve immediately.
ROASTED JERUSALEM ARTICHOKES WITH CONFIT LEMON AND A GARLIC AND PICKLED WALNUT DRESSING
I love the earthiness of Jerusalem artichokes. They are also a great staple during the winter months and right at the beginning of spring when everything is still a little sparse. Give them a good scrub to remove any grit or dirt, instead of peeling them before cooking, as the skin is very flavoursome.
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
2kg Jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed clean
3 tbsp vegetable oil
25g butter
¼ bunch of thyme
2 garlic bulbs
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE CONFIT LEMON
1 lemon
2 tbsp caster sugar
¼ bunch of thyme
FOR THE WALNUT DRESSING
3 tbsp chopped pickled walnuts
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pickled walnut pickling liquor
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7.
Place the washed artichokes, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, butter and thyme in a roasting tray, toss to coat the artichokes in the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cut the tops off the garlic bulbs, place them in foil, drizzle them with the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and season with sea salt. Fold the foil over to enclose the garlic bulbs and place them in the roasting tray with the Jerusalem artichokes. Bake for 30–40 minutes, depending on the size of the artichokes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the artichokes are dark golden, the centres are soft and the garlic is soft and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly, then cut the artichokes in half and place them back in the roasting tray to keep warm, adding a little more salt and pepper.
Allow the garlic to cool slightly then squeeze the flesh out of the bulbs and set aside.
While the artichokes are baking, make the confit lemon. Cut the lemon in half lengthways, removing the seeds, then slice it finely. Place in a saucepan with the sugar and thyme and cover with 100ml water. Place over low heat, bring to a simmer and cook for 20–30 minutes until the lemons are soft. You may need to add a little more water if it evaporates too quickly. Remove the thyme stalks and set aside.
Mix the roasted garlic flesh in a bowl with the chopped pickled walnuts, olive oil and pickling liquor and season to taste.
Arrange the artichokes on a large serving platter, using all of the roasting juices too. Top with the confit lemon and the walnut dressing.
SUPER-GREEN SOUP WITH RICOTTA DUMPLINGS
This is my spin on a classic vegetable soup. If you are feeling a little under the weather, or in need of a bit of goodness, then this is the ticket. You can add any other vegetables you have in your fridge, too – the more the merrier. The dumplings are very easy to make and can also be used to serve with pasta and homemade tomato sauce.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling
Cooking time: around 40 minutes
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
1 onion, sliced
2 bay leaves
½ tsp table salt
800ml–1 litre Vegetable Stock
1 leek, finely sliced (white part only)
1 broccoli head, finely chopped
100g baby spinach leaves
1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE RICOTTA DUMPLINGS
240g ricotta cheese
grated zest of ½ lemon
4 tbsp semolina
To make the ricotta dumplings, beat the ricotta in a bowl with the lemon zest and a pinch of sea salt and pepper. Roll the mixture into 16 balls then roll the balls in the semolina until thoroughly coated. Transfer to a plate and chill for 1 hour to firm up.
Heat the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, bay leaves and table salt. Cook for 7–10 minutes until the onion is soft but not coloured. Add the vegetable stock and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
While the stock is simmering, cook the dumplings. Lightly grease a steamer with oil and arrange the ricotta dumplings inside. Set the steamer above a pan of simmering water, cover and steam for 5 minutes. (You may need to do this in batches, depending on the size of your steamer.)
Remove the bay leaves from the saucepan and add the leek. Simmer for 5 minutes, then add the broccoli. Simmer for 3 minutes then finish with the spinach leaves and chopped herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Add a few dumplings to each bowl of soup, sprinkle with black pepper and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
CELERIAC AND APPLE SOUP WITH SMOKED CRÈME FRAÎCHE
I have always loved a good soup and this is one of my most recent favourites. Celeriac is a great winter vegetable with an interesting, almost menthol, flavour that pairs very well with the sweetness of apple and the smokiness of the crème fraîche. Celeriac is in season from autumn right through to the end of winter.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: around 30 minutes
25g butter
1 celeriac (around 500g), peeled and cut into 1.5cm chunks
1 onion, sliced
½ tsp table salt
2 bay leaves
2 Granny Smith apples, 1 peeled and diced
600ml Vegetable Stock
300ml milk
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SMOKED CRÈME FRAÎCHE
1 × quantity of Smoke Mix, using 1 tbsp black tea leaves
100g crème fraîche
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the celeriac, onion, table salt and bay leaves and cook for 7–10 minutes, until soft but not browned. Add the diced apple and vegetable stock and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add the milk then remove the pan from the heat, remove the bay leaves and blend in a blender until smooth. Pass through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan and season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Smoke the crème fraîche according to the method here, spreading it as thinly as possible in a foil dish and putting the dish on the smoking rack. Once smoked, remove the tray and set aside for 10 minutes. Remove the foil then scrape the crème fraîche into a bowl and whisk to evenly distribute the smokiness. Season with a little sea salt.
To serve, finely julienne the remaining apple, with the skin on, and mix it in a bowl with the sesame oil, seasoning it with sea salt and pepper to taste.
Serve the soup in bowls, topped with a good dollop of the smoked crème fraîche and the julienned apple.
CHILLED SWEETCORN SOUP WITH AVOCADO SALSA, CHILLI AND BLACK SESAME SEEDS
Think of a hot summer’s day when it comes to this soup. It really does hit the spot, and being vegan and gluten-free, it is a good recipe to make if you are having guests over who may have food intolerances. The cobs of corn have a sweet flavour, too, so do not throw them away. Use them to flavour soups and stocks.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes, plus chilling
3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 cobs of corn, kernels sliced off and husks retained
800ml Vegetable Stock
½ tsp table salt
100ml coconut milk
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE AVOCADO SALSA
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
grated zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp chopped coriander
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, stoned and diced
Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the cobs of corn and fry them for 5–7 minutes. When golden, add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the cobs from the stock and add three-quarters of the sweetcorn kernels and the table salt. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the kernels are soft.
Remove from the heat, add the coconut milk and blitz the soup in a blender or using a stick blender, until smooth. Season to taste (if necessary) then chill.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium frying pan. When hot, add the remaining sweetcorn kernels and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Combine the chilli, lime zest and juice, coriander, sesame oil and sesame seeds in a bowl and season with sea salt. Gently fold through the diced avocado.
Divide the chilled soup between four bowls and garnish with the whole sweetcorn kernels and dressed avocado.
BURRATA WITH ROMESCO SAUCE AND GRILLED PADRON PEPPERS
Burrata is one of my all-time favourite cheeses and makes a stunning starter. It is quite unlike any other cheese, with a mozzarella shell filled with creamy stracciatella. It used to be very difficult to get hold of, but it is now available from cheesemongers and some larger supermarkets (buy the best mozzarella you can find if not).
Serves: 4 as a starter
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
12 fresh padron peppers (approx. 60g in total)
splash of vegetable oil
4 × 100g or 2 × 200g balls burrata
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE ROMESCO SAUCE
100g roasted red peppers, deseeded and skin removed, or piquillo peppers (from a jar or tin), drained and roughly chopped
50g flaked toasted almonds
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp tomato purée
splash of dry sherry
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make the romesco sauce, place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you have a chunky paste. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Divide between four plates.
Heat a dry grill pan over high heat until smoking. Drizzle the padron peppers with a little oil and seasoning, then grill for about 5 minutes until lightly blackened.
If using small burrata balls, tear them over the romesco. If you’re using larger burrata, cut them almost all the way through then peel open and add half a burrata per portion, cut side facing up, to the romesco. Drizzle with olive oil and season well. Garnish with the grilled padron peppers and serve immediately.
HONEY-BAKED FETA WITH LAVENDER, THYME AND RYE CRISPS
A great alternative to a traditional cheese board, this baked feta combines salty cheese with fragrant, lightly caramelised honey. Serve with these crisp rye bread crackers, crusty bread or your favourite cheese biscuits. I love the fragrant lavender in this dish – it really adds a point of difference.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour draining
Cooking time: 12–20 minutes
1 × 200g block feta cheese
½ loaf rye bread
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
3–4 tbsp runny honey
4 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs of fresh lavender or ½ tsp dried lavender
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Cover the feta with 2 pieces of kitchen paper and leave at room temperature for 1 hour to absorb excess moisture.
Cut the rye bread into very thin slices. Place them in a single layer on 2 baking trays. Drizzle with the olive oil and rub each slice with a halved garlic clove.
Bake the rye slices in the oven for 7–10 minutes until lightly golden and crisp. Remove the rye crisps and turn the oven to its grill setting.
Remove the kitchen paper from the feta and place the feta in an ovenproof dish just large enough for it to fit in snugly. Drizzle the honey on top, then add the thyme and lavender. Season well with sea salt and pepper and grill for 5–10 minutes until golden.
Remove the cheese from the grill. Serve the feta immediately with the rye crisps.
COURGETTE FLOWERS WITH RICOTTA AND SWEET BASIL SAUCE
Courgette flowers are another of those wondrous ingredients that signal the arrival of warmer weather. Not much needs doing to them as they are perfect simply fried in a little oil and served with this sauce. Choose the flowers that are large and firm, as they can accommodate more stuffing and will retain their shape better when cooked.
Serves: 4 as a starter
100g ricotta cheese
grated zest of ½ lemon
4 courgette flowers
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE TEMPURA BATTER
6 tbsp cornflour
3 tbsp plain flour, plus extra for dusting
3–6 tbsp soda water
FOR THE SWEET BASIL SAUCE
1 bunch of basil, leaves only
juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp drained, chopped capers in brine
1 tbsp runny honey
Mix the ricotta with the lemon zest and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Fill each courgette flower with the mix and chill while you make the batter (you can stuff them up to 2 hours ahead of time, if you wish).
To make the tempura batter, mix the cornflour and flour together in a bowl. Gradually whisk in enough of the soda water to make a thick batter. Season with a pinch of sea salt.
To make the sweet basil sauce, place all the ingredients in a small food processor and blend until smooth.
To fry the flowers, pour enough vegetable oil in a deep-fat fryer or large, deep saucepan to come up to 4–6cm and heat it to 180°C.
Dust two of the courgette flowers in flour, dip them in the batter, then carefully place them in the hot oil. Fry for 4–6 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Remove each flower with a large slotted spoon and transfer to kitchen paper to remove any excess oil, then season with sea salt if needed. Repeat with the remaining two flowers.
Serve immediately with the basil sauce.
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