For our mango lassi, we use the yoghurt whey left over from straining the labneh. It’s ideal, but you could use a little more, slightly watered-down kefir instead. The cans of proper Indian Alphonso mango pulp are the real deal, far tastier than anything you’ll get from the fresh, underripe ‘Tommy Atkins’ varietal sold in UK supermarkets and greengrocers.
Now to something altogether more comforting: a pasta al forno that leans into the season. This Kitchen in Rome-inspired recipe works with almost any primavera vegetable, alongside -or instead of the courgette. If using broad beans, make sure to double-pod them, as the skins can turn unpleasantly leathery. Spinach, artichokes and asparagus all work well. As with so many pasta dishes, the key is to keep some of the cooking water to loosen the béchamel. Stuffing pasta can be a long and messy business, so this takes a more straightforward, macaroni cheese–style approach, using Northern Pasta’s spelt radiatori to very good effect.
Maincrop rhubarb is upon us, and there is a rumble beyond the crumble. For year-round supply, bottling or canning is the standard go-to (see here), but there are other options. With its high acidity, rhubarb makes a good, if slightly mushy, chutney. Using our mild, slightly balsamic-like Good Ordinary Cider Vinegar keeps the harsh acidity to a minimum, so you can almost treat it as a vegetable side dish or sauce, as well as the ubiquitous sandwich filling. Salting the vegetables overnight cuts down on cooking time and gives a slightly more textured end result.
Prepping artichokes can look a little intimidating, but it’s actually quite easy. Have a look at this guide to learn the finer points:
https://www.seriouseats.com/how-to-prepare-cut-trim-clean-artichokes-hearts
Unlike many stuffed artichokes (alla Romano, for example), in the Carluccio method they’re cooked the right way up, so they need to be a fairly tight fit in the pan so they don’t fall over. The red artichokes we have in the shop hardly have any choke, and what’s there is perfectly edible, so you don’t need to worry about scooping it out.
This recipe is simplicity itself, but the method and cooking time are the same whatever you decide to stuff them with. Serve, slightly smashed, on bruschetta with a smear of Haverstock White or Graceburn Persian feta or as part of an antipasti or mezze spread. Other options include a soft, sweet blue (Dolcelatte-style), nduja, or simply herby breadcrumbs.
When stuffing, you need to leave a fair bit of bract (the spiky bits), otherwise you won’t have anything to hold the filling. The more you leave, the better so the fresher and more tender the artichokes, the better. Discarded, half-chewed leaves on the plate aren’t a great look.
More a delicious platter of fresh and flavoursome ingredients - with the lamb getting a best supporting actor award - than classic British meat and three vegetables. It's a fairly daunting list of ingredients but you'll find many of them in the spice rack. There's nothing complicated and it doesn't need to be any hotter than warm so there's no pressure with timings etc. Most of it can be done in advance. We've opted for baking, rather than frying, the flatbread strips and toasting the nuts but feel free to differ. Either way, it's a sure fire showstopper.
At Ben’s Farm Shop, we love dishes that celebrate simple, honest ingredients and this vibrant salad does just that. This recipe is a from Brindisa, it’s all about contrast: smooth, creamy hummus paired with crunchy roasted chickpeas and cauliflower, finished with a fresh, colourful chopped salad.
Using quality chickpeas that crisp up beautifully in the oven, this dish is as satisfying as it is wholesome. Perfect for a light lunch or as a generous sharing side, it’s a great example of how a few good ingredients can come together to create something really special.
As with so many tarts, this is best served at room temperature so, if the weather is suitably clement, it will guarantee you a prime spot on the picnic rug. There’s nothing terribly original about the spinach and ricotta combination, with a little Parmesan thrown in for good measure – but it works. Some recipes call for spinach, others for chard, but right now, with delicious true spinach in the shops, there was no competition.
I went for small pies with one egg in the middle, but if you prefer a larger torta, make indentations for three or four eggs – see below.
When chef, Rowley Leigh, suggested serving a frittedda at our, somewhat premature, 'end of covid' celebratory lunch in June, 2021 I thought he was talking a bout an omelette. I missed the lunch because my daughter came back from London with, guess what, covid, so it was a while before I really familiarised myself with Sicilian frittedda. Since then it's become a family staple and I'm particularly partial to extending the primavera theme by adding a few Jersey Royal or Cornish new potatoes. Obviously fresh peas and beans are best but frozen will still give a pretty good result. Just adjust the cooking times accordingly. I also like to add a little preserved lemon. It's not traditional but, with North Africa just across the Strait of Sicily, it doesn't feel too sacrilegious.
Frittedda is a tasty vegetable stew / salad originating in the Sicilian capital, Palermo. Prepared with fresh broad beans, peas, asparagus and artichokes, it’s a ‘primavera’ classic for spring (in Italy) or early summer in the UK and can truly be called “spring on a plate”. The vegetables are slowly sautéed, and gently shaken rather than stirred in order to preserve the textures and flavours of each ingredient – the sweetness of the peas, the pleasant bitterness of the artichokes, and the nutty flavour of broad beans.
These flavours can be rounded with the addition of agrodolce, sauce made with caramelized sugar and vinegar. Our Frittedda will work with the antipasto, as a side dish with the cheese tart of pork, or a vegetarian main course. Back in Palermo, it is often served with panelle – Sicilian chickpea/gram flour fritters.
My artichokes were so young that no choke had formed at the centre; larger ones will have to be quartered and the chokes carefully removed. Fresh peas can be added to the mix, or as a substitute for asparagus.
The agrodolce sauce (one part sugar dissolved in two parts white wine vinegar and reduced by half) can be gently mixed in, warm, at the end. How much you add is a matter of choice. If you're serving frittedda as a side dish, you don't want it too fierce so keep it minimal. If it's as part of an antipasta platter a stronger agrodolce flavour might be in order.
Using a good dollop of our lemon marmalade and lemon curd, this recipe will turn your excess of leftover hot cross buns into a delicious dessert this Easter.