Recipes

May 20, 2020 – Published in Design & Decor Spring 2013 issue

Simply delicious

 

The perfect time of year to enjoy mouthwatering dishes prepared by Liz Said.

Photography: Alan Carville

(All ingredients in the recipes may be purchased from Scotts Supermarket)

ASPARAGUS WITH EGG SAUCE AND TOMATO

SERVES 6

• 1 red pepper

• 50g shallots

• 6 eggs

• 50g butter

• Salt and fresh ground pepper

• 3 tomatoes

• 1 tbsp oil

Put the pepper into a preheated oven at 220°C, or under a hot grill and bake it until the skin blisters; wrap it in a damp cloth or place in a plastic bag and leave it to sweat, then working from top to bottom, peel the skin off in strips; halve the pepper, deseed it and remove the fibres then dice the flesh.

To prepare the sauce, peel and very finely chop the shallots; boil the eggs for 5 minutes, after which both the whites and yolks should be just firm; remove the eggs from the pan and refresh them under cold running water and shell them; roughly chop the eggs; melt the butter in a pan and over a low heat, soften the shallots; add the chopped egg, season with salt and pepper, remover from the heat and keep warm.

Trim the woody ends from the asparagus and peel about 1/3 of the lower stalk; carefully tie the asparagus spears into 4 bundles and cook in plenty of boiling, salted water for 10-12 minutes; remove the asparagus from the pan, leave to drain then cut the strings; arrange the asparagus in a fan shape on preheated serving plates.

Wash and halve the tomatoes; heat the oil in a small pan and briefly sauté the tomatoes in this, then season them with salt and pepper.

Garnish each dish with half a tomato, the egg sauce spooned over the asparagus and the diced red pepper.

BROCCOLI TARTLETS

MAKES 8x12cm INDIVIDUAL TARTLETS

OR 1x26cm LARGE FLAN

For the pastry:

• 250g flour

• 1 egg

• Salt

• 125g butter

• 1 tbsp water

For the filling:

• 300g broccoli florets

• 30g shallots

• ½ clove garlic

• 20g butter

• Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the egg mixture:

• 4 eggs

• 250ml double cream

• Freshly grated nutmeg

To finish:

• 80g Emmental cheese grated

• 40g almonds, split and roasted

Put the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre; drop in the egg, salt and butter and mix well, cutting the ingredients together with a knife; add the water and knead to a smooth dough; wrap in foil and chill for 1 hour.

Blanch the broccoli florets in a large saucepan of boiling salted water; drain and refresh under cold running water.

Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic; melt the butter in a pan, add the shallots and garlic and sauté until just soft; mix together with the broccoli, season with salt and pepper and leave to cool.

Lightly grease the flan tins; on a floured board, roll out the pastry to about 5mm thick; cut out to the required size, line the tins with the pastry and trim; prick the pastry with a fork, then cover with greaseproof paper and dried beans; bake blind in a preheated oven at 200°C for 8-10 minutes.

Beat the eggs for the egg mixture lightly with a fork, then mix in the cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg; season with salt and pepper.

Divide the vegetable filling between the flan cases; sprinkle with the grated cheese, then cover evenly with the egg mixture.

Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 25-30 minutes; if the tartlets look like over cooking, cover with damp greaseproof paper for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

Sprinkle with the roasted almonds to serve.

SALMON ROSETTES

SERVES 6

• 3 salmon tail-end fillets, skinned

• 2 acciola fillets

• 200g frozen leaf spinach, thawed and chopped

• 12 black olives chopped

• 3 cloves garlic chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh dill chopped

• Grated rind and juice of one lemon

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 25g butter plus extra for greasing

Cut each salmon fillet down the centre to make to pieces; place on a flat surface and top each one with spinach, olives, garlic, dill and grated lemon rind; season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Roll each one and enclose the filling. Cut 6 strips of acciola fillet long enough to go around each rolled salmon fillet; wrap around the fillets.

Butter generously 6 ramekin dishes; carefully place the salmon and acciola rolls into each ramekin, squeeze some lemon juice over each one and top with a knob of butter.

Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C/Gas5 for about 25 minutes.

Carefully remove from the ramekin dishes, place on a serving plate, pour the cooking juice from each one on top and serve immediately with some more fresh dill.

ROASTED SPICY PINEAPPLE AND MANGO

SERVES 6

• 1 large pineapple

• 2 mangos, peeled, seeded and sliced

• 75g butter

• 5 tbsp golden syrup

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 ½ tsp grated nutmeg

• 6 tbsp soft brown sugar

• ½ a pomegranate

Use a sharp knife to cut off the top, base and skin of the pineapple, then cut into quarters; remove the central core and cut the flesh into large cubes; place the cubes in a roasting pan with mango.

Place the butter, syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring constantly, until melted; pour the mixture over the fruit and roast in a preheated oven, 200°C/Gas6 for 20-30 minutes, until the fruit is browned.

Peel the pomegranate and sprinkle the seeds over the pineapple and serve. 

 See more recipes from Design & Decor Spring 2013 issue