This recipe was originally written for Town & Country UK.
Asparagus season is fleeting so my advice is to eat as much of it as you can whilst the season is high. This is a simple salad that takes little time to prepare. Use good aged Parmesan if you can.
Asparagus and quails eggs salad. This is wonderfully simple and a lovely one to serve as a starter or alongside a light lunch. It’s a cold salad too so feel free to make it all ahead of time and just finish it with dressing before serving.
January is cold and grey but her table is not. Like a phoenix from the ashes citrus brings colour back to the kitchen in the form of Meyer lemons, naval oranges, chirpy satsumas and my favourite – blood oranges. The blissful paring of bitter leaves and blood orange is no secret and this salad
I love the colour of this dish. It’s a perfect one to get your veg in whilst keeping the plate exciting. I love to make this when entertaining and usually roast the veg ahead of time
Bright, colourful and full of crunch. Despite compromising mainly of raw veg this slaw manages to be indulgent at the same time. A good dose of crunchy almonds and toasted pecans give it a note of luxury and the dressing is warming its hints of festive spice (just in case you’re missing it).
There is little not to love. This is a beautiful dish and apart from the pickled rhubarb (requiring more patience than skill) it is incredibly simple. Good ricotta is essential in my eyes so try and get down to your local cheese monger or any good deli.
One of my favorite things about February is forced rhubarb and I find something somewhat romantic about the way it grows. First outdoors to toughen the stems before being moved into lightless sheds and kept warm. Here it grows fast and tall as it searches longingly for light. It reminds me a little of myself in February – willingly waiting for brighter days. Forced rhubarb is sweeter than the summer crop
This recipe calls for a kick of chilli and I find the coolness of yogurt works very well. The coriander-almond oil is similar to a pesto but rougher and looser in texture. Coriander is fantastic with the spices but if you aren’t a fan basil or parsley will do.
When it comes to squash there is little I do not love. I’ve a soft spot for all of them; Butternut – especially with sage, Delicata – sweet and delicate as her name suggests, Gem – small and humble, Onion – wonderfully soft and buttery and very very good spread on toast with a little garlic and black pepper. Needless to say my ‘ode to squash’ could go on
Sweet roasted radishes with slightly caramelised asparagus. A wonderfully colourful spring time salad. Delicious as a starter or accompaniment to a main.