Veggie Straight Up
CHAPTER 2
FOR 6–8 AS A SIDE DISH
◁ Nashi, radish, ginger and cashews
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
This refreshing crunchy salad makes a great accompaniment to roast pork, chicken or duck, but equally it’s a good component of a vegetarian spread. Nashi are a type of crunchy pear – also known as Asian pears – that are mildly sweet. If you can’t find them, then use any crisp ripe apple or pear, or jicama. I like to cook cashews this way, and I also cook peanuts similarly, as the texture of the nuts changes quite noticeably. But if you’re short of time, then just replace them with toasted cashews, to which you can add some toasted, pounded coriander seeds.
INGREDIENTS
1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 spring onion (scallion), thinly sliced
4 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp finely chopped or grated ginger
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 nashi pears (or use 3 apples)
3 celery stalks from the inside of the head, thinly sliced, plus any good-looking young leaves
1 handful baby radishes (or use 8 larger ones, quartered)
FOR THE CASHEWS
100g (3 1/2oz./2/3 cup) cashews (untoasted)
1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 tbsp sugar (any type will work)
1 tsp coriander seeds
[ METHOD ]
First prepare the cashews. Put them in a medium saucepan with the chilli flakes, sugar, 400ml (1 2/3 cups) of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle boil and cook for 15 minutes. Don’t let the liquid drop below the level of the nuts. If it does, top up with boiling water. Leave to cool in the pan, then drain in a colander and leave for 15 minutes. Tip into a baking dish lined with baking parchment and leave at room temperature overnight.
The next day, preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F/Gas mark 3) and bake the cashews until golden, about 45 minutes. Add the coriander seeds and cook until they’re aromatic, about 5 minutes. Take from the oven and leave to cool. (Alternatively, you can deep-fry them.) Pound in a mortar and pestle to roughly smash them up. They can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Place the red onion in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt. Firmly rub the salt into the onion, then leave at room temperature for 20 minutes. Rinse in a sieve under cold water and drain.
Rinse the spring onion (scallion) in a sieve under gently running cold water for a minute, then drain.
Stir the tahini with 100ml (scant 1/2 cup) of cold water until emulsified. Mix in the pomegranate molasses, ginger and sunflower oil. Season with salt to taste.
Cut the nashi into quarters, remove the core, then cut into fat batons, or slice 3mm (1/8 in.) thick, and put in a bowl. Add the celery, celery leaves, red onion, spring onion (scallion), half the cashews and the dressing. Toss everything together, then sprinkle with the remaining cashews and the radishes.
FOR 8 AS A SIDE DISH
◁ Roast root veggies and pumpkin with creamy minted peas
WARM
A lovely warm salad served in the middle of the table to accompany dinner, whether that be steamed chicken breast (fillet), grilled (broiled) venison chop, corned beef or roast cod. Frozen peas are what you’ll be using in winter when most of the rest of the ingredients are in season, but come summer, use freshly podded ones with butternut squash and Jerusalem artichokes.
INGREDIENTS
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
2 medium swedes (rutabaga), peeled and cut into chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
500g (1lb. 2oz.) pumpkin, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
60g (2 1/4oz./1/2 cup) pumpkin seeds
2 tsp coarsely chopped fresh sage
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 large shallots (or use 2 smallish white-fleshed onions)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
20g (3/4oz./4 tsp) butter
200ml (3/4 cup + 2 tsp) cream
250g (9oz./1 2/3 cups) peas
20 mint leaves, shredded
20 basil leaves, shredded
1 small handful flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, shredded
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F/Gas mark 4).
Put the chunks of parsnip, swede (rutabaga), carrots and pumpkin in a roasting dish with the pumpkin seeds, sage and thyme. Thickly slice two of the shallots and add to the other vegetables along with 2 tablespoons of water, the oil, some salt and pepper, and toss it all together. Roast, tossing occasionally, until the vegetables are cooked, which will take about an hour.
When the vegetables are almost ready, dice the remaining shallot and sauté over a medium heat in the butter with a pinch of salt until golden. (Cover the pan to prevent the shallot burning and catching.) Add the cream and peas and bring to the boil, then cook on a rapid simmer for 2 minutes. Mix in half the mint just before serving and taste for seasoning.
To serve, transfer the roast veggies to a heatproof serving bowl, spoon the peas and their creamy sauce on top and scatter with the remaining mint and the basil and parsley.
FOR 8 AS A SIDE DISH
◁ Chilli-roast sweet potato, courgettes, roast garlic, hazelnuts and pears
WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
This is one for the middle of the table, although it would also make a tasty starter with large chunks of goats’ curd dolloped on top, or even some thinly sliced smoked chicken breast (fillet). You don’t need to boil the garlic in advance, but it makes it a little more mellow.
INGREDIENTS
1 head garlic, broken into separate (unpeeled) cloves
1kg (2lb. 4oz.) sweet potatoes, skins scrubbed, cut lengthways into wedges
2 large pears, halved, core removed, cut into thin wedges
1 or 2 red chillies, thinly sliced
1 tbsp rosemary leaves
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sesame oil
3 courgettes (zucchini) (600g/1lb. 5oz.), quartered lengthways
100g (3 1/2oz./2/3 cup) hazelnuts, skins off, roughly chopped
100g (3 1/2oz.) baby spinach (or use large-leaf spinach and coarsely shred it)
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas mark 4).
Put the garlic in a pan, cover with 3cm (1 1/4in.) water and add 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt. Bring to the boil, then cook over a medium heat until the water has almost evaporated. Drain.
Put the garlic, sweet potatoes, pears, chillies, rosemary, olive oil and half the sesame oil into a roasting dish. Sprinkle on 1 teaspoon of salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes, tossing twice.
Add the courgettes (zucchini), hazelnuts and remaining sesame oil and toss together, then cook until the pears and sweet potato are cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and stir in the spinach.
FOR 6 AS A STARTER OR 8–10 AS A SIDE DISH
◁ Celeriac, satsuma, pear, fennel and red cabbage
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
I first enjoyed the combination of chilled cooked celeriac with tangerines and pear in Istanbul at Muzedechanga – a gorgeous terrace restaurant nestled on the Bosphorus that I’ve been a consultant to for many years, along with its sister restaurant Changa. It serves contemporary versions of traditional dishes, as well as fantastic new dishes created by its owners, Tarik and Savas. I’ve served the salad as part of a starter or main course with grilled (broiled) mackerel or some spiced lamb chops, but it’s equally fabulous as a vegetarian starter, with cabbage and roast fennel mixed into it.
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 white-fleshed onions, thinly sliced
1 large celeriac (about 750g/ 1lb. 10oz.), peeled and cut into 3cm (1 1/4in.) chunks
3 pears, firm and ripe
2 satsumas (or use tangerines or clementines), unpeeled, halved, each half cut into 6–8 chunks and pips discarded
85ml (1/3 cup) lemon juice
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 heads fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced into rings
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 red cabbage (about 250g/9oz.), core discarded
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas mark 4).
Warm a medium pan over a medium heat. Add the sunflower oil and onions and 1 1/2 teaspoons of flaky salt. Sauté with the lid on, without colouring, until wilted, stirring as it cooks.
Mix in the celeriac and cook, covered, on a slightly reduced heat, stirring every few minutes, for 10 minutes. Halve and core the pears, then cut each half into six chunks. Add these to the celeriac, along with the satsumas, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir well, place a paper cartouche on top of the mixture, cover with a lid and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring from time to time to prevent the vegetables catching on the base of the pan, until you can insert a knife through the celeriac with barely any resistance. Leave to cool in the pan, then taste for seasoning.
Meanwhile, toss the fennel with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the sesame seeds and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Roast in a baking dish until beginning to caramelize, about 20 minutes, stirring several times.
Slice the cabbage as thin as possible – a mandolin is good for this.
To serve, toss the cabbage with the fennel, taste for seasoning and lay it on your plates. Give the celeriac a gentle stir, taste for seasoning and spoon this and its juices on top.
FOR 6 AS A SIDE DISH
◁ Spiced roast cauliflower and garlic with tahini yogurt dressing
WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
This goes well with pretty much anything, from grilled (broiled) tuna steak or sausage to roast chicken or a slow-braised shoulder of lamb. Alternatively, for a vegetarian starter, scatter it with rocket (arugula) leaves, toasted nuts and pomegranate seeds or serve with chunks of roast butternut squash.
INGREDIENTS
1 large cauliflower, green leaves and excess stalk removed
1 red chilli, chopped
4 garlic cloves, sliced
3 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp nigella seeds
4 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small handful parsley leaves
1 small handful mixed soft herbs (e.g. mint, basil, tarragon)
FOR THE TAHINI YOGURT DRESSING
2 tbsp tahini paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
100ml (scant 1/2 cup) Greek-style plain yogurt
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp olive oil
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas mark 4).
Cut the cauliflower into florets and place in a roasting dish with the chilli, garlic, sesame seeds, nigella seeds, cardamom, the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a little salt. Toss everything together and roast, tossing occasionally, until the cauliflower browns at the edges and the garlic become golden, about 30 minutes. If the garlic begins to darken before the cauliflower is ready, add 2 tablespoons of water to the roasting dish. Remove from the oven and leave to cool (unless you want to serve it warm).
Mix the tahini to a slurry with the lemon juice and 5 tablespoons of water. Stir in the yogurt, lemon zest and olive oil. Season with salt.
To serve, toss the cauliflower with the dressing and herbs.
FOR 8 AS A SIDE DISH
◁ Roast cauliflower, seeds, olives, green and broad beans and peas
WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
This is a lovely dish served warm or at room temperature, and it’s all the better if you can source different-coloured cauliflower: I used some romanesco broccoli, along with white and purple cauliflowers. For the seeds, use anything you have at hand – they add a lovely crunch to the salad. You can also use any type of olive, although avoid pitted ones as they generally aren’t the best. If you are serving this warm, then don’t refresh the beans, peas or broad (fava) beans; simply mix them into the cauliflower straight from the oven.
INGREDIENTS
1 large cauliflower, green leaves and excess stalk removed
1 red (bell) pepper, seeds and stalk discarded, cut into pieces
2 tbsp sesame seeds
50g (1 3/4oz./scant 1/2 cup) pumpkin seeds
50g (1 3/4oz./1/3 cup) sunflower seeds
6 garlic cloves, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
300g (10 1/2oz./about 1 2/3 cups) unpitted olives
150g (5 1/2oz.) podded broad (fava) beans
200g (7oz.) green beans, topped and tailed if needed, cut into 4cm lengths (about 1 1/3 cups prepped)
100g (3 1/2oz./2/3 peas, fresh or frozen and defrosted
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°C/Gas mark 4).
Cut the cauliflower into florets and place into a large roasting dish with the pepper, seeds, garlic, olive oil and olives. Sprinkle over 1 heaped teaspoon of flaky salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Roast until the white cauliflower has turned golden, about 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Meanwhile, half-fill a medium pan with water, add 1 teaspoon of fine salt and bring to the boil.
Add the broad (fava) beans and boil for 2–3 minutes depending on their size. Remove the beans from the pan using a slotted spoon and refresh in iced water. Peel when cool enough to handle.
Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, then add the peas and boil for an additional 1 minute. Drain into a colander, refresh in iced water for a few minutes, then drain again.
To serve, toss the broad (fava) beans, green beans and peas with the cauliflower and season with salt to taste.
FOR 4 AS A STARTER
◁ Asparagus, almonds, spiced quail eggs and shiitake with miso dressing
SLIGHTLY CHILLED OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
This is a really pretty, elegant salad full of popping tastes and contrasting textures. Quail eggs are tricky things to peel – use your fingernails and a small sharp knife – but well worth the effort. If you can’t get them, then use hen’s eggs and serve one per person.
INGREDIENTS
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp nigella seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
12 quail eggs
1 tbsp white vinegar
300g (10 1/2oz.) fresh shiitake mushrooms, stalks removed and discarded
800g (1lb. 12oz.) asparagus
1 handful salad leaves (I used pea shoots)
1 tbsp lemon juice
100g (3 1/2oz./2/3 cup) almonds, toasted and roughly chopped (I used delicious marcona almonds from Spain)
FOR THE MISO DRESSING
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp miso paste (I used shiromiso)
2 tsp finely chopped or grated ginger
[ METHOD ]
Lightly toast the coriander, nigella, cumin and fennel seeds in a dry frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat until they become aromatic. Leave to cool. Add 1/2 teaspoon of flaky salt and grind the spices in a spice grinder or using a mortar and pestle.
Place the quail eggs in a pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Pour in enough water to cover by 3cm (1 1/4in.), add the vinegar, bring to the boil and cook for 3 minutes. Drain into a sieve or colander, then place in a bowl of iced water and leave for 5 minutes. Peel the eggs and roll them in the ground spices.
To make the dressing, mix the soy, mirin, miso paste and ginger until the miso has ‘dissolved’, then stir in 2 tablespoons of warm water.
Bring 200ml (3/4 cup) of water to the boil in a medium pan. Slice half the shiitake mushrooms and dice the other half. Add to the boiling water, give a good stir for 20 seconds, then drain into a colander. Leave for 30 seconds, then tip into a bowl and mix in the miso dressing. Cover with cling film (plastic wrap) and leave to marinate, stirring again after 10 minutes.
Snap the ends from the asparagus and peel the lower 3cm (1 1/4in.). Blanch in salted boiling water, or steam, for 1 1/2 minutes, then refresh in iced water. Drain.
To serve, toss the asparagus and salad leaves with the lemon juice and lay them on your plates. Spoon on the mushrooms and marinating juices, then tuck in the quail eggs and scatter with the almonds.
FOR 6 AS A STARTER
◁ Patty-pan squash, roast olives and potatoes, girolles and sherry-vinegar currants
WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
When wild mushrooms are in season, there’s no excuse not to put them in everything and anything savoury. The best mushrooms in the market the day we shot this were girolles, but you can replace them with any wild mushroom. If you can’t get wild ones, cultivated oyster mushrooms or shiitake, or even chestnut mushrooms, work well. You can even supplement fresh mushrooms with dried ones for variety – you’ll just need to soak and rinse them to ensure no grit ends up in your meal. I love the flying-saucer-shaped patty-pan squash, which are becoming more common, but use courgettes (zucchini) if you can’t get them. Serve as a starter or as an accompaniment to a main course.
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp currants
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
500g (1lb. 2oz.) baby potatoes or small waxy potatoes, halved
4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced
200g (7oz./1 cup) mixed olives
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
500g (1lb. 2oz.) patty-pan squash, stalks removed
30g (1oz./2 tbsp) butter
8 sage leaves, torn
150g (5 1/2oz.) girolle mushrooms, brushed
100g (3 1/2oz.) baby salad leaves (I used spinach and kale)
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F/Gas mark 4).
Put the currants in a small pan with the sherry vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water. Place on a medium heat and bring to the boil. Put a lid on, cook for 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to one side.
Put the potatoes and garlic in a pan, cover with water, add 1 teaspoon of fine salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes, then drain into a colander. Tip into a roasting dish with the olives, cumin and fennel seeds, smoked paprika, thyme, olive oil and 1 teaspoon of flaky salt. Cut 1 or 2 of the squash into wedges and add to the dish. Roast for about 25 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and coloured, stirring several times. (Slightly overcooking the potatoes works well.)
Slice the remaining squash 5mm (1/4in.) thick and blanch in boiling salted water (or steam) for 2 minutes, then drain and leave to one side.
Heat the butter in a frying pan (skillet) until sizzling, then add the sage and mushrooms. Cook over a medium heat, gently stirring from time to time, until the mushrooms collapse and soften. Add the currants and the soaking liquid. Season with salt and coarsely ground black pepper.
To serve, mix the baby salad leaves and blanched squash into the hot potatoes and divide among your plates. Spoon on the mushrooms.
FOR 6 AS A STARTER
◁ Kohlrabi, watermelon, tofu, mangetout, curry leaves and candied walnuts
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
Kohlrabi is a most peculiar-looking vegetable that I remember eating as a child (my grandmother was a terrific gardener and grew them). Then, we always had them steamed and tossed with butter, but in fact they are even better raw as they’re nice and crunchy. This process of candying the walnuts is really worth the effort, but if you don’t have time, you can replace them with toasted nuts – although they keep for 2 weeks in a sealed jar so you can make them in advance. If you can’t get curry leaves, use parsley or basil leaves instead, but they will cook much more quickly, so keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.
INGREDIENTS
100g (3 1/2oz./1 cup) walnut halves
50g (1 3/4oz./1/4 cup) dark ‘molasses’ sugar (muscovado, brown or Demerara, or use a dark honey or treacle)
oil for deep-frying
350g (12oz.) silken tofu
2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch; or use rice flour or wheat flour)
3 tbsp curry leaves, taken off the stem
1 medium kohlrabi (300g/10 1/2oz.), peeled and thinly shredded or julienned
1kg (2lb. 4oz.) chunk watermelon, skin removed to give you about 700g (1lb. 9oz.) flesh, cut into cubes
100g (3 1/2oz.) mangetout (snow peas), blanched, refreshed and sliced diagonally into thirds
2 tbsp snipped dill
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
[ METHOD ]
Place the walnuts in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, cook for 1 minute, then drain into a sieve and rinse. Place back in the saucepan and add enough water to cover by 3cm (1 1/4in.). Add the sugar, bring to the boil then reduce to a rapid simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until you have only 1cm (1/2in.) of liquid left in the bottom. Drain into a sieve. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking parchment and leave to dry at room temperature overnight.
Next day, heat the oven to 140°C (275°F/Gas mark 1). Lift the nuts off the baking parchment – if any are so stuck they don’t come off easily then you will need to place all the nuts on a fresh sheet of parchment. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, at which point they will be sticky and beginning to colour. Give them a toss half-way through. Once the stickiness lessens, increase the oven temperature to 160°C (325°F/Gas mark 3) and continue to cook until they begin to smell toasty, about another 15 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave them to cool in there, then remove from the baking sheet, separate the nuts if stuck together, and store in an airtight container. If they appear at all moist, cook them for a while longer.
Pour vegetable oil into a wok or saucepan to a depth of 5cm (2in.) and heat to 180°C (350°F). Cut the tofu into cubes, lay it on absorbent kitchen paper, then gently press more kitchen paper on top. (This draws out excess moisture so they will splatter less when deep-fried.) Leave for 5 minutes, then place in a dish and sprinkle it with the cornflour (cornstarch), gently tossing it to coat it, then shaking off the excess. Carefully lower half the tofu into the oil, spacing the cubes well apart so they don’t stick together. Deep-fry until golden, gently moving them around in the oil. Place onto absorbent kitchen paper to drain and cook the remaining tofu.
Once all the tofu is cooked, turn off the heat and leave the oil to cool for 3 minutes. Add the curry leaves to the oil, which will sizzle and splatter a little, stir them around and remove with a slotted spoon onto absorbent kitchen paper once the sizzling stops.
To serve, toss the tofu, kohlrabi, watermelon, mangetout (snow peas), dill, lemon juice and olive oil together with flaky salt to taste. Divide among your plates and scatter with the curry leaves and walnuts.
FOR 8 AS A STARTER
◁ Leeks vinaigrette, salt-baked carrots and parsnips, tarragon and sunflower seeds
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
I vividly recall eating leeks vinaigrette for the first time at Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris in 1996. I was off to find the tombs of Oscar Wilde, Edith Piaf and Chopin and had stopped in a deli to get some rillettes and bread, and bought these marinated leeks. I fell in love with them then and there. The salt-baked carrots and parsnips are very ‘on trend’, although, like me, you may have been baking whole fish in a salt crust for years and not even have known that you were ahead of the game. Oddly, they become very savoury, but not overly salty, when cooked this way – provided you don’t tear the skin, which will let the salt enter their flesh.
INGREDIENTS
800g (1lb. 12oz.) leeks (about 4 medium)
3 tbsp mustard (I used a mixture of English and grain)
3 tbsp white vinegar (cider, white wine or rice vinegar)
75ml (5 tbsp) sunflower or light olive oil
600g (1lb. 5oz.) carrots (4 or 5; I used a variety of colours)
300g (10 1/2oz.) parsnips (about 3)
6 thyme sprigs (or 1 tsp leaves)
2 tsp rosemary leaves
4 garlic cloves, sliced
500g (1lb. 2oz./2 2/3 cups) coarse salt
2 tarragon sprigs, leaves removed from stem
3 tbsp sunflower seeds, toasted
[ METHOD ]
Ideally, cook the leeks 12 hours before you plan to eat this. Trim them, cutting the base off just above the roots. Cut the leaves off where they begin to open out and where the grit and soil gets in. These green parts can be used for something else (stocks, soups, casseroles, etc.), but they don’t work well here. Remove any outer leaves that are damaged and wash well to remove any soil. You should have about 600g (1lb. 5oz.) left. Cut into 10–15cm (4–6in.) lengths. Steam or boil in salted water until you can just insert a sharp knife through the centre, about 9 minutes. Carefully remove with tongs and drain for 1 minute in a colander.
While the leeks are cooking, make the mustard vinaigrette. Whisk the mustard and vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper, then whisk in the oil.
Put the drained, still-hot leeks into a non-reactive dish just large enough to hold them. Pour the mustard vinaigrette over them, turning after an hour. Once cooled, store in the fridge. Leave for at least 12 hours to marinate.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°C/Gas mark 5).
Lightly rub off any soil from the carrots and parsnips but avoid breaking their skin. Mix the thyme, rosemary, garlic and salt together and place a quarter of the mixture in the bottom of a baking dish just large enough to hold the carrots and parsnips in a single layer. Lay the vegetables on top and then cover with the remaining salt, patting it evenly. Bake in the oven until you can insert a sharp knife through the carrots, which will take about 40 minutes depending on the size of your vegetables. Leave to cool until you can handle them. Pull the carrots and parsnips out of the salt, wiping excess away, then rub off any skin that you’re able to. Top and tail, then cut into thick slices.
To serve, lay the leeks and root vegetables on your plates and spoon over the mustard marinade. Scatter on the tarragon leaves and sunflower seeds.
FOR 4 AS A BRUNCH DISH
◁ Crusty baked wasabi mushrooms, spinach, tomato, orange, dill and grated egg
WARM OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
As a child I’d only ever eaten big open field mushrooms sliced and fried in butter or grilled on the barbecue after we’d harvested them ourselves. My father, Bruce, would drive our huge caramel-brown Chevrolet Impala car slowly across various farmers’ fields and me and my siblings would lie on our bellies behind the front seat, with our heads, shoulders and arms out of the car, and pull them out of the ground. Hilarious, when I think about it – thankfully, dad was a very safe driver! If you don’t have wasabi to hand, then you can replace it with mustard or horseradish. It’s worth the effort to peel the tomatoes for this salsa, but, of course, if you’re short of time you can skip this.
INGREDIENTS
8 portabella mushrooms (about 600g/1lb. 5oz.)
70g (2 1/2oz./1/3 cup) butter
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
1 1/2 tsp wasabi paste (more or less to taste)
150g (5 1/2oz./2 1/2 cups fresh) coarse white breadcrumbs (or use Japanese panko crumbs)
3 large tomatoes, blanched and peeled
2 oranges, peeled and pith removed, segments removed and any juice saved
3 tbsp coarsely shredded dill
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
150g (5 1/2oz.) baby spinach or other baby salad leaf
4 large free-range eggs, soft boiled and peeled
[ METHOD ]
Preheat the oven to 170°C (350°F/Gas mark 4). If the mushrooms have thick stalks, then cut them out and thinly slice. If they have a thick skin, you may want to peel them. Lay the mushrooms in one or two baking dishes, open side facing up. Heat the butter in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat with the garlic, rosemary and sliced mushroom stalks (if using) and cook until the garlic turns golden, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat. Mix the wasabi paste with 1 tablespoon of water to form a slurry and stir into the butter. Stir in the breadcrumbs thoroughly. Spoon this mixture on top of the mushrooms and bake until the crumbs are golden, about 20 minutes.
Cut the tomatoes in half crossways and gently squeeze out the seeds, or use a teaspoon to scoop them out. Cut the tomato flesh into chunks and mix with the orange segments and juice. Add the dill and olive oil, season with salt and coarse black pepper and stir together.
To serve, divide the spinach among your plates and sit the mushrooms on top. Spoon on the tomato and orange and then, using a coarse grater, grate the eggs over the top.
FOR 6 AS A STARTER
◁ Cherry, cherry tomato, orange, fennel, macadamia nuts and coriander
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
It’s important for the cherries to be really sweet and ripe otherwise the highlights of this salad will be less noticeable, so save this dish for summer. I love the butteriness of macadamia nuts, but you could replace them with cashews, almonds or pine nuts. This also works well as a main course if you serve it with a poached chicken breast (fillet), steamed fish or thickly sliced grilled (broiled) aubergine (eggplant) scattered with feta.
INGREDIENTS
300g (10 1/2oz./2 1/4 cups) cherries, pitted and halved
400g (14oz.) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 orange, peel and pith removed
2 heads fennel, trimmed (about 500g/1lb. 2oz.)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
50g (1 3/4oz./1/3 cup) macadamia nuts, toasted
1/4 tsp fennel seeds, lightly toasted
2 handfuls baby spinach leaves (or other salad leaves)
1 small handful coriander (cilantro), leaves picked off and stalks thinly sliced
[ METHOD ]
Place the cherries and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl.
Cut the segments from the orange and cut each in half. Add to the cherries, along with the squeezed juice from the orange membrane.
Slice the fennel as thin as you can, crossways, and add to the cherries. Add the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon of flaky salt.
Pound the macadamia nuts and fennel seeds roughly with a mortar and pestle.
To serve, add the spinach and coriander (cilantro) stalks to the cherry mixture and toss it all together. Put it all on a platter or divide among your plates and scatter with the crushed macadamia nuts and fennel seeds and the coriander (cilantro) leaves.
FOR 8 AS A STARTER OR A SIDE DISH
◁ Green papaya, green mango, chilli, coconut, lime and tofu
SLIGHTLY CHILLED OR AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
This is a really refreshing salad to have as a first course or part of a main meal, but it’s equally good served with sliced raw fish on top, alongside cold poached chicken or roast duck or even with ham. You can buy green papaya and green mangos from Southeast Asian food stores, but they can be replaced with crunchy vegetables like kohlrabi, celeriac, cucumbers (small ones tend to be crunchier) or even apples and nashi pears. Green papayas come in varying sizes but if you use a little more or less here it won’t affect the salad alarmingly. A mandolin is great for julienning these. If you can’t access a whole coconut, then buy long-thread desiccated (shredded) coconut or coconut chips instead. If you’re not vegetarian, try seasoning this with fish sauce instead of salt – the flavour is fabulous!
INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp pale palm sugar, grated (or use unrefined caster/superfine or demerara sugar)
2 tsp finely grated lime zest
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
120ml (1/2 cup) lime juice
350g (12oz.) silken tofu (if you use firm tofu you’ll need to grate it finely)
1 medium bunch coriander (cilantro), leaves shredded and stalks chopped (if it has roots attached, wash to remove dirt, chop finely and use these too – they have a delicious flavour)
1 x 500g (1lb. 2oz.) green papaya, peeled, halved, deseeded and julienned
2 green mangos, peeled, flesh removed and shredded or julienned
2 medium-heat green chillies, finely chopped (more or less to taste, but heat is good here)
2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
40 mint leaves, shredded
100g (3 1/2oz.) coconut flesh, coarsely grated and lightly toasted (1 1/3 cups grated)
[ METHOD ]
Make the dressing. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the palm sugar with the lime zest and garlic and 2 tablespoons of the lime juice until the sugar dissolves. Holding the tofu in your hand, squash it out between your fingers into the mortar, then mix in the remaining lime juice. Mix in half the coriander (cilantro) and leave at room temperature.
In a large bowl, mix together the remaining coriander (cilantro), the papaya, mango, chillies, spring onions (scallions) and mint. Add a third of the tofu dressing and toss it all together. Taste for seasoning, adding salt to taste.
To serve, divide the salad among your plates. Spoon on the remaining tofu dressing and sprinkle with the coconut.