Flush with spring vegetables
Celebrate the fresh new vegetables of spring with these delicate and delightful dishes, says NZ House & Garden’s Sally Butters.
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Super greens & seeds tart
This tart is the epitome of new spring flavours, with its young greens and spring leaves bursting with vitality. It’s lighter than a quiche yet just as filling.
Tart
400g shortcrust pastry, chilled or just thawed
200g baby kale
250g spinach
5 eggs, lightly beaten
1 lemon, finely grated zest
3 garlic cloves, crushed
100g pecorino or mature cheddar, finely grated
200g feta, crumbled
150g mixed seeds – pumpkin, sesame and sunflower
550g ricotta
Topping
2-3 handfuls salad leaves, such as baby gem, mesclun salad mix, rocket
Handful microgreens Small handful soft herbs, such
as basil or parsley Handful toasted seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin, hulled hemp seeds, sesame seeds lemon, juiced Extra virgin olive oil Flaky sea salt and black pepper
Heat oven to 180C. Using a box grater, coarsely grate pastry into a 25cm tart tin then press it evenly into the sides and base to form a tart case. Prick base with a fork then chill for 10 minutes.
Cut a piece of baking paper big enough to line the inside of the tart, scrunch it into a tight ball, unscrunch it and lay it over the pastry (scrunching makes the paper softer and easier to mould to the shape of the tin). Fill with baking beans or weights and bake blind for 12 minutes.
Remove beans and paper and bake a further 5 minutes or until pastry is very lightly golden.
Reduce oven to 160C. In a medium saucepan of boiling water with a few pinches of salt added, blanch kale and spinach for a minute. Refresh under cold running water. Drain then squeeze out as much liquid as you can – this is easiest done with the leaves in a linen cloth or clean tea towel.
Place greens in a blender and blitz to a coarse paste.
In a separate bowl, combine remaining tart ingredients. Add the blitzed greens and fold in gently. Scrape mixture into tart shell and bake for about 45-50 minutes – the filling should feel firm to the touch but not rock solid, still with a little give. Allow to cool a little before carefully removing from the tin – it can be eaten hot, warm or cold.
Combine salad leaves, microgreens, herbs and seeds and pile salad on top of the tart. Drizzle with lemon juice and some olive oil. Finish with a few pinches of sea salt and a few grinds of pepper.
Serves 8 Baby vegetables with turmeric & cumin hummus
Tender little vegetables, roasted and sweet, pair beautifully with the earthy depth of this golden hummus. This platter would be wonderful as part of an alfresco dinner or picnic lunch.
700g mixed baby vegetables, such as beets, fennel, turnips, carrots,
radish, leeks
Drizzle of olive oil Fresh thyme sprigs or other herbs for serving
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste
2 garlic cloves, finely grated or crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
Salt to taste
100ml tahini
4 tbsp water
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
Heat oven to 180C. Spread vegetables on a lined roasting tray and drizzle with a little oil. Roast until lightly coloured and just tender, about 25-30 minutes.
For the hummus: Place everything in a blender and blitz until smooth. Spoon into a bowl then, using the back of a spoon, carefully smooth it out creating a swirl on the top. Drizzle with a little extra oil.
Arrange vegetables on a serving platter, scatter with herbs and place hummus on the side. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4
Asparagus, chevre & rocket sandwiches
These sandwiches are bursting with green goodness, herby mayo and tangy, creamy chevre. They’re best eaten freshly made.
12-16 asparagus spears, trimmed
1-2 tsp olive oil
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
4 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise
2 tsp finely chopped dill
2 handfuls rocket
100g fresh chevre (soft goat’s cheese)
8 slices fresh sourdough
Heat a grill pan or frying pan on high. Add asparagus, drizzle in oil and fry spears until lightly coloured and a little charred – a couple of minutes at most.
Transfer asparagus to a plate and scatter with flaky sea salt and a few twists of black pepper. Combine mayonnaise with dill. Lay out 4 slices of bread and spread each one with a quarter of the herby mayo. Lay on the asparagus spears, top with some rocket then crumble over a little chevre. Cover with remaining bread. Keep sandwiches wrapped until ready to eat. Makes 4