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

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