7 May 2020 |
British Asparagus Spring Pasta
A super quick and easy dish for those mid-week meals that requires little preparation time.
Ingredients:
400g British asparagus; 170g frozen peas; 350g pappardelle pasta; 2 knobs of butter; 1tbsp olive oil; 4 shallots, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 200ml crème fraiche; handful of chopped mint; salt and freshly ground black pepper; parmesan, grated. Serves 4.
Method:
1. Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pappardelle. While you wait, trim the ends off the asparagus and chop into 2-3cm pieces. Once the water has come up to boil, blanch the asparagus and the peas for 2-3 minutes and then place in a bowl of ice-cold water
2. Keep the pan of water on the hob and boil the pasta according to pack instructions.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a frying pan, then add the olive oil, shallots and garlic and gently fry for 5 minutes until soft. Add the crème fraiche to the pan and stir to gently warm through making sure it doesn’t split. Add the fresh chopped mint, asparagus and peas to the pan and stir through along with a little of pasta water to loosen the mixture up.
4. Once the pasta is cooked, drain well and add to the sauce. Season to your liking and then serve with a grating of parmesan, a sprinkle of more fresh mint and a drizzle of olive oil.
British Asparagus and Lamb Chop Tray Bake
The perfect alternative to a mid-week roast for spring time. With just 5 ingredients, this has little preparation time and will seriously deliver on flavour.
Ingredients:
250g white potatoes; 4 lamb chops; a few sprigs of rosemary; 250g British asparagus; 260g frozen peas. Serves 2.
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Place a medium pan of water on to boil while you chop your potatoes into 3-4cm chunks. Add the potatoes to boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, then drain.
3. Place a large frying pan on the heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the lamb chops and sear on all sides until browned.
4. Place the potatoes into a medium sized oven tray and nestle the lamb chops in amongst them. Add the rosemary, asparagus spears and peas and roast in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the asparagus is cooked and the potatoes are crispy.
5. Serve immediately.
Recipes reproduced with kind permission from www.britishasparagus.com
Mediterranean Style Pot Roast Lamb
This recipe uses a lamb shoulder pot roasted with Mediterranean vegetables, borlotti and flageolet beans.
Ingredients:
1 x 1.25kg/2¾lb lean, boned, and rolled lamb shoulder joint, tied; 15ml/1tbsp sunflower oil; 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed; 1 large leek or fennel bulb, sliced; 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes; 150ml/¼ pint red wine; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary; 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped; 1 x 400g can cannellini or borlotti beans, drained; 1 x 400g can flageolet beans, drained.
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F
2. Heat the oil in a large pan or casserole dish and brown the meat on all sides. Transfer to a large casserole dish.
3. Add the garlic, leek or fennel, chopped tomatoes, red wine, rosemary sprigs and sun-dried tomatoes.
4. Cover and cook to the preferred calculated cooking time, basting occasionally.
5. 10-15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, stir in the beans.
6. Serve the lamb with bean mixture, potato and carrot mash and seasonal vegetables.
Recipe reproduced with kind permission from www.simplybeefandlamb.co.uk
Post-Easter Mixed Berry Pavlova
Indulgent, light and topped with gorgeous strawberries and chocolate treats, this delicious recipe is perfect and a good way to use up those left-over Easter Eggs!
Ingredients:
4 large egg whites; 200g caster sugar plus 1 tsp for marinating; 1 tsp corn flour; 500ml double cream; 1 tbsp icing sugar plus extra for dusting; 125g strawberries; 125g blueberries; 125g raspberries; 2 tsp lemon curd; mini chocolate eggs to garnish.
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 130°C. Using an electric whisk, whip the egg whites until they become stiff. Gradually add spoonfuls of sugar, whisking well in between each spoonful until all the sugar is combined and the whites are stiff and glossy.
2. Spoon the meringue onto a baking sheet lined with silicone paper and spread into a circle. Build up the sides of the pavlova so when cooked, there is a well in the centre for the cream. Place on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hour.
3. To prepare the fruit, slice the strawberries and combine them in a bowl with the other berries and 1tsp caster sugar and set aside to marinate.
4. After 1 hour turn off the oven and leave the meringue in to cool. It should be crisp and slightly golden, but it will still be soft in the middle. When it’s cool, carefully slide off the paper onto a serving plate.
5. Beat the cream to soft peaks and spread in the middle of the pavlova. Drip and drizzle the lemon curd over and top with the berries and give it a final dusting of icing sugar and serve.
Recipe reproduced with kind permission from www.berryworld.com
