Savour SPRING

Spring produce is late this year, but I’m loving the first of the strawberries from our neighbourhood commercial grower.

I’ve also managed to tickle a few asparagus stalks from a friend’s garden and purchase some new season’s juicy red rhubarb from the supermarket.

The full-flavoured, colourful, loose-skinned tangelo is a hybrid of grapefruit grafted to a tangerine. Freshly grated tangelo peel adds an exotic flavour to many foods.

Because the peel is loose, it is best to use gentle pressure when grating. Remove any seeds from tangelos by snipping the centre of each segment and gently squeezing them out.

The middle of the rhubarb stalk cooks very quickly — the tougher outer stalk takes longer. It pays to strip or string any tough stalks so they cook more evenly. And don’t overcook or boil too rapidly as they may toughen.

Rhubarb is often sold with leaves attached as they help prevent the stalks wilting. However, the leaves should be discarded as they contain toxic amounts of oxalic acid.

When choosing strawberries, select brightly coloured, plump, evensized berries that still have their green caps attached. Do not wash until ready to use.

Store — preferably in a single layer on a paper towel — in a moistureproof container in the refrigerator for up to two or three days.

BAKED BRIE & BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES This is an easy, tasty nibble to serve with drinks or as a starter to dinner. Ingredients

■ 250g strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise

■ 2 sprigs rosemary

■ 2 Tbsp honey

■ 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar ■ 250g whole brie

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Place the strawberries in a small baking pan with the rosemary. Drizzle with the honey and balsamic vinegar.

Arrange the brie in another small pan. Place both the pans in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. The brie should be quite soft and the strawberries cooked but still freshly coloured.

Place the brie on a serving plate with the strawberries and the liquid. Serve immediately with sliced crusty bread or crackers.

— Serves 4-6 as a starter

DUCK EGG RHUBARB CUSTARD CAKE The ducks are laying! Their eggs are high in protein and are good in bakes. Large hen’s eggs can be substituted. I used fresh rhubarb, not pre-cut. Ingredients

■ 350g trimmed rhubarb ■ 200g butter, softened

■ 1 cup caster sugar

■ 1 1⁄ teaspoons vanilla essence 2 ■ 3 duck eggs

■ 2 1⁄ cups self-raising flour 4 ■ 3 Tbsp custard powder

■ 3⁄4 cup each: ground almonds, milk

■ 1 cup thick custard Topping:

■ 2 Tbsp brown sugar ■ 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Lightly grease and line a 25cm springform cake pan with baking paper.

String the rhubarb and cut into 1cm pieces.

Place the butter, caster sugar and vanilla essence in a mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the flour, custard powder and ground almonds followed by the milk.

Place half the mixture in the prepared cake pan. Top evenly with half of the rhubarb pieces and the cup of the custard. Top with the remaining cake mixture then lightly press in the remaining rhubarb.

Bake for 1 hour until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Sprinkle with the combined topping ingredients.

— Makes 1 large cake PASTA PRIMAVERA

Springtime pasta. Ingredients

■ 250g fettuccine

■ 1 each: shallot, garlic clove, spring onion, diced

■ 1 Tbsp olive oil

■ 2 cups broccoli florets

■ 6-8 stalks asparagus, trimmed and cut into 4cm lengths

■ 1⁄2 cup each: frozen peas, cream ■ 100g feta cheese, crumbled ■ finely grated parmesan and black pepper to garnish

Method

Cook fettuccine in a large saucepan of boiling water, until just tender.

Saute´ the shallot, garlic and spring onion in the oil in a small pan, until

softened. Slowly add the broccoli, asparagus and peas to the pasta during the last minute of cooking. Drain well and turn into a large bowl.

Add the shallot mixture, cream and feta. Serve in bowls topped with the parmesan and black pepper.

— Serves 4 TANGELO SPINACH SALAD

Mandarins or tangerines could be substituted for the tangelos. Ingredients

Dressing:

■ 2 Tbsp tangelo juice

■ 2 tsp cider vinegar

■ 1 egg yolk

■ 1⁄ tsp dry mustard 2 ■ salt and pepper

■ 1 cup walnut or sunflower oil ■ grated rind of 1 tangelo Salad:

■ 300g baby spinach leaves ■ 2 tangelos

■ 1⁄2 cup seedless grapes, halved ■ 50g feta cheese, optional

■ 1⁄4 cup lightly toasted walnut pieces Method

To make dressing, place tangelo juice, vinegar, egg yolk, mustard, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Mix well.

With the motor running, gradually drizzle in the oil. When the mixture is thick, stir in the grated tangelo rind.

Place the washed and dried baby spinach leaves in a plastic bag in the refrigerator to crisp.

Meanwhile, peel and remove the pith from the tangelos. Thinly slice and place aside. Just before serving, toss crisp spinach with sliced tangelos in a salad bowl. Garnish with grapes, crumbled feta (if using) and nuts. Serve with dressing. — Serves 4-6