Lighter, fresher recipes in anticipation of the sunshine

MY WALK through Museum Gardens to get to work in the morning seems to become more colourful every time I do it, providing the inspiration to add some lighter, fresher and, dare I say it, healthier grub on the menus to match the (hopefully) warmer weather and the blossoming surroundings.

With the produce available at this time of year, you can create a little sunshine on a plate.

My first recipe is a fresh salad ideally served al fresco with the option of sunglass-wearing. Use a variety of the more unusual, old-fashioned varieties of tomato, as the shapes, colours and tastes all add to the dish in different ways.

The second recipe takes advantage of local asparagus whilst you can still get it. Serving it with York Ham gives it a proper ‘terroir’ feel.

Salad of ‘Heritage’ Tomatoes with Buffalo Mozzarella and Gazpacho of Early Summer Vegetables

(Serves four)

Ingredients

400g mixed ‘Heritage’ tomatoes, such as brandywine

2 balls Buffalo Mozzarella

1 handful peashoots

50g flat parsley

50ml olive oil

2 green peppers

2 shallots

1 melon

1 celery stick

Garlic/cucumber

1 carton of tomato juice

Dash Tabasco

Seasoning

Method

To prepare the Gazpacho, place the peppers (deseeded and white membrane removed) 2 peeled shallots, one de-seeded and peeled melon, one celery stick, one peeled garlic clove and one peeled and de-seeded cucumber into a blender, and then blitz. Add a little juice if necessary and the seasoning.

To prepare the rest of the dish, blitz the parsley and oil to make a pesto consistency and slice the tomatoes with sea salt and crushed black peppercorns.

To assemble, place a shot glass of the chilled Gazpacho in the middle of the plate. Fan the sliced tomato and mozzarella alternately around the glass. Now finish with the parsley oil and finish with the pea shoots.

Butter Roast Sand Hutton Asparagus with Shavings of Aged York Ham, Garden Mint Hollandaise

(Serves four)

Ingredients

24 spears of asparagus - tender and English in season

1 shallot

1 bay leaf

1 tsp peppercorns

100ml white wine vinegar

250g melted butter (clarified)

3 egg yolks

Small handful of mint

200g York Ham shavings

Peashoots

Herbs or cress to garnish

Method

First prepare the asparagus by trimming the woody ends off and peeling if necessary.

Once trimmed, blanch the asparagus in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes, no longer, then refresh by plunging into iced water. Once cool, drain, dry and set aside.

For the Hollandaise. First make the vinegar reduction, for this place the shallot, roughly chopped bay leaf, peppercorns and white wine vinegar into a saucepan and reduce until around a tablespoon of the liquid remains.

Whilst reducing, place the egg yolks into a mixing bowl and whisk over a pan of simmering water until they thicken and leave a ribbon trail when mixing. Now remove from the heat and slowly add the melted, clarified butter (do this bit by bit) whilst always whisking. Once the butter is added, sieve the vinegar reduction and check, and add seasoning. This is your Hollandaise.

To assemble the dish, lay the spears of asparagus onto a grill tray and season with sea salt and crushed black pepper. Brush with butter and warm under a hot grill. Once warm lay the asparagus onto a warm plate and then add the chopped mint into the Hollandaise and spoon over the asparagus.

Lay the shavings of York Ham over the top and finish with dressed peashoots, cress and garden herbs.