Elderflower cordial

Posted on June 13, 2012 by lardersaga

The sun is out, the flowers are there – get picking! If the very idea of making your own elderflower cordial smacks of ‘smugness’ and some idyll of ‘domestic superiority’ that’s just fine – carry on believing  – but I promise you, this really is the easiest, cheapest and most delicious drink to make. You can do other things with elderflowers, but that is when it gets more complicated – as a cordial you can use it in summer dressings, jellies,  added to puddings etc etc etc, ultimately it is the drink you are after – the perfect refreshment for a summer afternoon.

How to make it….

First pick your elderflowers, ideally on a sunny day! (that could be the challenging bit)

20-30 heads of elderflower

1.4kg of white granulated sugar

2 litres of water

75 gms of citric acid (this is not as easy to find as it should be – really the only place is a chemist – if they don’t have it they can order it in)

2 lemons

Put the sugar and water in a pan and slowly dissolve all the sugar over a gradual heat.

Pare the skin of the lemons with a vegetable peeler and slice into rounds.

Once all the sugar has dissolved add the lemon rind, lemon slices, elderflower heads (shake well beforehand) and citric acid – stir well and store covered for 24 hours.

After 24 hours stir well,  sieve the cordial and bottle it. I store mine in the fridge and if I have too much there – pop into plastic bottles and store in the freezer.

A few ideas of how to use it……..

The obvious one: It is particularly good served with fresh mint, a lime slice and sparkling water.

Add a few tablespoons of the cordial to whipped cream and use in a pavlova with kiwi and grapes.

The cordial marries beautifully with gooseberries, in a tart, fool or just compote.

Used instead of vinegar for a dressing it is extremely good with broad beans, peas and feta.

It can be easily made into jellies for children or adults – use 1pt of water, 75 ml of cordial and 4 gelatine leaves. Soften the gelatine leaves in a 1/4 of the water and elderflower mix, heat the rest of the elderflower mix when almost boiling take off the heat and add the softened gelatine leaves, stir well so the leaves have completely dissolved and pour into glasses – leave to set in the fridge!

Happy picking and license to feel very smug!

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Lobster indulgence……

Posted on June 9, 2012 by lardersaga

Umm, quite an interesting week on the weather front – monsoon style rain followed by gale force winds…. NICE! particularly when entertaining the ‘Little People’. Though strangely on reflection I think I am more the victim of our notorious weather than they are. Thursday was astonishingly dreadful – the kind of rain that having made a plan and embarked on it gets almost instantly binned as within 5 minutes of being out, the’Little People’ looked like they had jumped in the water-butt again! Having aborted one mission that morning, I refused to let the ‘hideousness’ get the better of our supposed ‘beach’ holiday on the Isle of Wight, so out we trekked (again) – destination ‘Bembridge Lifeboat Station’ . High tide, rain lashing down and wind racing round the Solent, I practically lost one child on the gangway getting to the lifeboat house, that would have been the shortest lifeboat rescue in history. Back to the lifeboat, it is really impressive. It’s a proper boys toy, all ‘mod cons’, pretty exciting boathouse and real dressed up life-size wax lifeboat men, foxed my gang for ages! After a safe retreat back to the mainland and a rather strong feeling of guilt we piled into the make shift lifeboat shop and sloshed some cash around as a thank you for child friendly entertainment on such a grim day!

In spite of our lamentable climate nothing can dull my excitement of the prospect of some Bembridge lobster and crab. Possibly the most delicious shellfish you will find and unquestionably the best priced. ‘The Captain Stan’ on Bembridge high street does a roaring trade and I can totally understand why. Their fish is all super fresh, but their lobster and crab is supreme! At roughly £10 a lobster and £5.50 for a pot of mixed fresh crabmeat you can eat like a Queen and at a fraction of the cost, forget ‘Burger and Lobster’, why bother going out when you can buy local and eat better at home? So, after a gruesome journey home to the farm last night,  the 3 hour wait at Fishbourne ferry terminal was ‘traumotional’, a treat of ‘Bembridge Lobster Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette’ was heaven.

Lobster Salad with Raspberry vinaigrette

This was a little discovery I made back in March and I have to admit it works really well. The sharpness of the raspberry vinegar cuts through the sweetness of the lobster creating the most perfect balance. Last night was a little hectic, and a little hungry, hence please excuse the lack of photographic evidence – the lobster was devoured far to fast and furiously for the camera to make a decent entry!!

1 1lb lobster per person, claws cracked, but still in shell

1 handful of watercress, rocket, baby gem and fresh mint leaves, chive flowers to decorate!

1/2 avocado, in slices or chunks

1/2 fennel bulb in fine slices

Raspberry Vinegar (I buy mine from Waitrose but you can find it in most good supermarkets, delicatessen or if feeling brave, make your own!)

2 tablespoons of Raspberry vinegar

5/6 tablespoons of olive oil

2 teaspoons of honey or maple syrup

Salt and cracked black pepper

1. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together until the vinegar and oil have created an emulsion – slightly thicker than a dressing but looser than a mayonnaise! Add more honey if a little tart. Set aside.

2. Wash the salad ingredients and toss in the avocado and fennel if using.

3. Plate up said ‘Lobster’, drizzle the salad with the raspberry vinaigrette and serve with naughty potatoes – if you have them!!

Freshly dug up ‘naughty’ potatoes, make my heart race almost as much as lobster! They are the ones left over from last year growing where they shouldn’t be, I dig them far too early (like now) and they are literally broad bean size – but they are DELICIOUS – the sweetest, most buttery delight, you will never eat another tatty again after these!!

Suppliers and notes:.

The Captain Stan:

5, High St, Bembridge, Isle of Wight PO35 5SD

Tel: 01983 875572

They do deliver to the mainland!

Framboise – A L’Olivier – The raspberry vinegar I use.

http://burgerandlobster.com/ – haven’t been, but if you can’t get to ‘Captain Stan’, it is reputedly brilliant!

‘Traumotional’ – a nasty mix of traumatic and emotional – usually relating to the ‘Little People’.

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A whirlwind weekend of celebrating, and a few uses for ‘Edible Flowers’

Posted on June 5, 2012 by lardersaga

Green salad with Viola flowers from http://www.westlandwow.co.uk

Rather an eventful week all in all. ‘Harry’ my new nephew arrived in the world – a little earlier than expected – and a little ‘littler’ than hoped (that is due to the early bit), but the trooper is doing well and is quite adorable and very handsome. Due to this momentous event, plans to celebrate my parents ‘Ruby Wedding Anniversary’ in Champagne were postponed and we celebrated 40 years, a new nephew and of course the Diamond Jubilee by staying in London. And wow, what a weekend it was. Spoilingly we have a wonderful view of the Thames and Cadogan Pier so the River Pageant was a major highlight. Somehow we rustled up a lunch party from nowhere and had a joyous Jubilee lunch for 20 while watching the spectacle on the water.  Choice of food was a no-brainer -by popular demand, it had to be the classic ‘Coronation Chicken Salad’, a racey ‘Rice Salad’ and a very simple green salad with Dijon dressing. A few edible flowers raised the tone and really made it a very pretty summer buffet in spite of the rain outside!!

‘Racey Rice Salad’ with homegrown chive flowers.

A few notes on edible flowers…….. edible flowers are one of my summer trademarks; nasturtiums, pansies, lavender, roses, rosemary and chive flowers  to list just a few, can be used in salads, starters, puddings and drinks and to me they captivate the essence of an English summer. Elderflowers, an obvious choice, are commonly used to make cordial, and our trees have finally come out lacing the air with their intoxicating scent. To be honest there are endless uses for flowers in food and I could get totally carried away and sidetracked. Today, I just wanted to highlight the use of some of the flowering herbs, firstly because they maybe accessible to you, secondly, can be picked on a whim, and thirdly possibly, you just may not  have known you could eat them!

The ones that come to mind are chive, rosemary, thyme and marjoram. All of which come into flower now, and all of which are edible. ‘Chive’ flowers are my favourite, and I use them liberally scattered on salads; ‘Rosemary’ flowers are more delicate and marry perfectly with puddings – scatter over pavlova, pannacotta and fools, while ‘Thyme’ and ‘Marjoram’ flowers work well with summer pasta dishes, flecked in with freshly grated parmesan on top of courgette carbonarra or scattered over an asparagus tart. If you have herbs and have seen them flowering – get picking! I also experiment, I tried a flowering sprig of rosemary mixed with some elderflower cordial- delicious and a refreshing change from the standard mint sprig!

Our ‘Diamond Jubilee’ Lunch

Smoked salmon on sourdough with creme fraiche and watercress

Coronation Chicken salad – recipe from ‘Leiths Cookery Bible’

Racey Rice salad – with toasted flaked almonds, sultanas, asparagus, pistachios, fresh coriander and chive flowers

Mixed green salad with viola flowers and Dijon dressing

Pistachio meringue roulade with strawberries and mango

Chocolate brownies

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It’s all in the dressing!

Posted on May 28, 2012 by lardersaga

It is kind of critical in these rare, balmy moments to get that dressing right and that doesn’t just apply to the salad. Hence, in this blissful wave of heat I thought it time to share two that we adore and consume a lot of at home. That said, I am very open-minded to the simple approach of a good splash of olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, it does work wonders. The difference in the 2 dressings noted here is that they don’t just elevate a salad, they transform it. The dressing in the photo above is a classic Dijon and honey but with the surprise ingredient of yogurt, the second one is my larder staple for Asian food -a ‘Nam Jim’ dressing but made in a kitchen friendly style! Being a larder bore the beauty of both of these is that once they’re in your repertoire you won’t look back- they are easy, foolproof and seriously good.

French Dijon Dressing

3 tablespoons of good olive oil

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of runny honey

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the mustard and honey together until combined and then very slowly whisk in all the olive oil – it will become very thick and almost mayonnaise like – don’t fret though as the addition of vinegar will loosen the dressing  – then add the yogurt and whisk again, followed by a pinch of salt and grind of pepper. If the dressing is too thick loosen it off with either a little cold water whisked in slowly or a little lemon juice. Serve over salad immediately. This dressing will split if left – just whisk again and it will come back together.

This marries beautifully with any of the following combinations:

Beetroot, fresh goats cheese, toasted hazelnut, watercress and rocket

Asparagus, fine bean, baby leek and soft boiled quail egg

Julienned fennel, pear, chicory, walnut and gorgonzola

Thai Nam Jim Dressing

 2 red chillies

1 small bunch of coriander

Juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons of Thai fish sauce

2 tablespoons of palm sugar or golden caster sugar

2 garlic cloves peeled and chopped roughly

Pinch of salt

Chop the red chillies keeping the seeds in and add to a container which you will be able to hand blend the rest of the dressing ingredients in. Add the garlic, coriander (roughly chopped) lime juice and Thai fish sauce – whizz with a hand blender, add in the palm sugar and pinch of salt, stir very well so the sugar dissolves.

‘Nam Jim’ hits all the right notes of hot, sour and sweet, perfect with any of the salads below.

Fresh white crab meat and bitter leaves

Shredded chicken, mango, avocado, spring onion with chopped green pistachios

Julienned cucumber, spring onion, papaya, fresh prawns

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Raw…..

Posted on May 25, 2012 by lardersaga

Perfect summer fare for hot, sticky days. This salad is raw and inexplicably good. I can’t take the credit for the marriage of ingredients as the base of it has to be credited to the wonderful chef Jacob Kennedy of ‘Bocca Di Luppo’ fame. However, being a meddler in the kitchen I have altered a few things, (and very slightly at that), namely by adding in some fennel. This salad is clean and crisp, tastes healthy, looks pretty, (check out the jewel-like pomegranate) but has a shadow of naughtiness with the addition of truffle oil, which adds a wonderful intensity and depth.  It’s a stunning summer starter or light lunch.

Fennel, Radish, Celeriac and Pomegranate salad with Pecorino and Truffle oil

Serves 4 as a starter

1 fennel bulb

100g of celeriac

1 bunch of radishes

1/2 pomegranate

Sprig of flat leaf parsley

Shavings of aged Pecorino

Dressing

1 tablespoon of white truffle oil

5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon of white balsamic vinegar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Salt and pepper

Essential kitchen gadget: Mandolin

Make the dressing first by whizzing all the ingredients together.

15 minutes before you need to serve push the radishes, fennel and celeriac through a mandolin on a thin/ fine setting – pop in a bowl with a splash of olive oil and lemon juice. Toss together.

Shave the Pecorino into a separate bowl and de-seed the pomegranate into a separate bowl.

Layer up the salad with the raw vegetables, Pecorino, scattering of pomegranate seeds and a spoonful of dressing between each layer – throw a few sprigs of flat leaf parsley over the salad and serve immediately.

Notes:

For a wide selection of Pecorino have a look at what Olivino has to offer :http://www.olivorestaurants.com

Or http://www.lafromagerie.co.uk/

For more on Jacob Kennedy – his cookbook is a feast for lovers of Italian food – ‘Bocca Cookbook’, or better still his restaurant http://www.boccadilupo.com/.

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Pretty pink cupcakes for a 1st Birthday Party

Posted on May 23, 2012 by lardersaga

There are two things that you should notice about the photo above, most importantly, the sun is shining (check out the shadows) – hoorah , and secondly the sponge in the cake is ‘Pink’ – perfect for my daughters first birthday party. In her short life she has been exposed to a vast quantity of diggers, tractors and little boys toys, so just for one day I thought it very important to have a very girly tea party. With the cupcake revolution well under way, picking up pretty cake cases is no problem, plates, napkins and balloons likewise. Actually there are so many people making good ‘tea party’ fare it is hard to choose what theme to go for. ‘Meri Meri’ –http://www.shopmerimeri.co.uk do a breathtaking line of party goods, their ‘Animal Parade’ is charming (I used it for my sons first party) as is their ‘Big Rig’ range – ideal for tractor/ digger obsessed toddlers. Jane Asher on Chelsea Green, http://www.janeasher.com/ is fabulous, particularly for the enthusiastic cake baker.

Moving on from party hardware – what should one cook? Well, lets face it a 1-year-old is not going to eat much, but still requires feeding and of course as do the siblings who also pitch up for a bit of party action. We opted for the carpet picnic which was a good compromise after all we don’t have (thankfully) half a dozen high chairs littered around the house for the darlings to sit at a table on. Hence, finger food – carpet picnic it was! Little sausages, chicken and apple balls, mini philadelphia sandwiches, hula hoops, mini fruit cups – you get the idea, and of course the ‘pretty pink’ cupcakes with 2 different types of icing for the very discerning – some had a butter icing on laced with cream cheese, and some had the classic icing of my own childhood – a simple glace icing- made simply with lemon juice and icing sugar.

Running around my tiny kitchen like a mad hatter, I ‘googled’ (is that really a verb?) a simple victoria sponge recipe and then cut it in half. It was really easy, really good. I don’t have a massive sweet tooth, but this was light and airy and everything a cake should be. I added in some shocking pink food coloring, ‘Sugarflair – Claret’, and ended up with the pink creations above.

Pretty in Pink Cupcakes

Makes at least 12 cakes

Set the oven 180

110 g of butter at room temperature

110g of caster sugar

110g of self raising flour

2 eggs

Cream the butter and sugar together to a very light and creamy consistency(ideally in a kenwood with the beater on the highest setting),  slowly crack in the eggs and whizz to combine and then very slowly add the flour 1 tablespoon at a time. Now add in a little milk till you have a dropping consistency.

Fill the cupcake cases and straight in the oven for about 15 – 20 minutes – till light and fluffy. Leave to cool and then ice accordingly.

Glace icing – lemon juice and icing sugar -mix together till you have a spreading consistency.

Butter icing – my trick with this is to add some cream cheese  – it really is good and takes out the richness but not the ‘yummyness’!

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‘Princess and the Pea’ Pasta

Posted on May 18, 2012 by lardersaga

Oh how to make to make the ‘little people’ eat more green food? Always a slight dilemma in our home unless you add the magic pasta. Somehow this genius addition means I can slip in all sorts of vegetables and meat and the whole lot gets lapped up. We have cauliflower cheese pasta, pork and tomato ragu, pheasant and leek cream, venison and chestnut – and most popular of all ‘Princess Pea’ pasta – basically a broccoli and pea puree – so simple but surprisingly good and what is more, edible for the grown ups!!

The obvious addition of a spoonful of cream, several handfuls of fresh Parmesan, a few  peeled broad beans and fresh mint, transforms a nursery food classic into a dish straight from the River Cafe! ‘Princess and the Pea’ pasta is a complete hit – maybe my ‘little people’ have not wizened up to my sneaky ways of squeezing the veggies in – and long may that continue – though to be honest ‘peas’ have never been a battleground – but broccoli – well that is another story. Actually, the real selling point of this sauce is that it is so easy and quick to prepare. It can be stored in the fridge for several days or it can be frozen. It is just a very versatile, healthy sauce to add to the endless pasta repertoire.

‘Princess and the Pea’ Pasta

Serves 4 (2 adults and 2 toddlers)

300g of Tagliatelle

100g of frozen peas

100g of broccoli

2 tablespoons of double cream

4 tablespoons of chicken/vegetable stock

4 tablespoons of freshly grated parmesan

Adult additions: 100g of podded broad beans, 1 handful of mint, a good pinch of maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper, more parmesan.

1. Pop 1 large pan of water on to boil, big enough to hold the pasta, and another smaller pan on for the peas and broccoli.

2. When the small pan is boiling pop in the broccoli and peas and let it come back to the boil – when the broccoli is just done, drain and liquidise with a hand blender to a fine puree, adding in the stock (or pea water if you have no stock) and the double cream. You should have a soup like consistency.

3. Cook the tagliatelle as instructed on the pack and drain. Pop back in the sauce pan and add in the pea – broccoli puree plus the parmesan, stir until evenly coated and serve immediately to the hungry ‘little people’.

Adult version: Now throw in the chopped fresh mint, good pinch of salt and pepper, a little more cream and broad beans and serve with additional parmesan, to really impress scatter some pea shoots on top!

 

Posted in Toddlers and tinies, Vivacious vegetables | Tagged | 1 Comment

A footnote on tomatoes

Posted on May 14, 2012 by lardersaga

 

Tomatoes shout summer – I have always adored them and get thoroughly excited when the first properly tasty ones arrive in the shops around this time of year. Being an utterly hopeless tomato grower – 3 years on the trot with little to show for my hard work but a larder full of green tomato chutney, has taught me to respect this bold, punchy little fruit. Firstly, they make you happy, they contain serotonin and vitamin C – that has to be good. Secondly they come in all shapes and sizes and often the most extraordinary colors. Thirdly, if good, you really don’t have to do much to create a sublime salad  – pretty, tasty, seasonal and healthy – see below.

Heritage / heirloom tomatoes are worth forking out the extra pennies for. These tend to be found at Farmers Markets or at a one-off green grocer, such as the remarkably good ‘Andreas’ who has recently opened on Chelsea Green. That said the supermarkets have definitely upped their game – the watery anaemic tomatoes still exist but only in the shadows of the countless other options available. Isle of Wight tomatoes are also divine,  particularly the ones from ‘The Tomato Stall’, frequently seen at Farmers Markets in London, you can also buy them all over the island even in the Bembridge Co-op!! So no excuses, they are around, they are abundant and they are delicious. Last rant – just don’t store them in the fridge – it kills their flavour!

The Easiest Tomato and Beetroot Salad

Serves 4

1 bunch of red beetroot (or golden or both as in picture above)

250g of mixed heirloom tomatoes or just very good vine ripened cherry tomatoes

Seasonal leaves, rocket, watercress, baby mustard leaf, marjoram

200g Fresh ricotta or fresh goats cheese  (Windrush goats cheese is particularly good)

Olive oil, salt and pepper, splash of Balsamic vinegar

This hardly warrants a description but for those in fear of the kitchen here goes:

Cook the beetroot – either in a pan of water until tender or roast it in the oven.  Cut into sensible bite size chunks. Toss with olive oil salt and pepper.

Halve or quarter the tomatoes and mix with the cut beetroot, mixed leaves, crumble the cheese on top and dress with a little more oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar, good grind of black pepper and pinch of Maldon sea salt and hey presto the easiest salad ever!

 

 

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Who’s been eating my porridge?

Posted on May 10, 2012 by lardersaga

Breakfast in our house descends into complete anarchy if the ‘little people’ do not get the sustenance they want by a certain time. I am hugely sympathetic, long gone are the days when I used to run out the house clutching an apple and pretending that would last me till lunchtime. My day, like theirs, has to start with food fuel – I’m not talking healthy, zesty bits of fruit – that won’t touch the sides around here – no it has to be more substantial, more gratifying and longer lasting!  Porridge is a hot favourite, but I don’t think it works quite so well in our English ‘joke’ summer. Granola is always popular, and recently Bircher Muesli has been a tried and tested success. Yogurt with berries or, with the infamous rhubarb compote (always looking for ways of using it up!) hits the mark, followed by our much-loved bread that we buy from Poilane. Fresh coffee is a must (for me) – and orange juice an optional extra.

None of this is revolutionary – that said the granola and bircher muesli are good, actually very good. They are a far cry from the cardboard cereals with fantasy prices, laced with disguised sugars and salts. And what could be more smug than having your own homemade cereal for breakfast – certainly one happy customer here agrees, as he readily pinches all the sour cherries and dried blueberries out of my bowl!

Homemade Granola

180 ml of maple syrup

40 ml of honey

5 table spoons of either rapeseed or sunflower oil

1/2 teaspoon of salt

300g of jumbo oats

60g of flaked almonds, green pistachios (chopped), pumpkin seeds

3 tablespoons of poppy seeds, white sesame seeds

60g of dried blueberries, sour cherries and /or cranberries

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160.

2. Mix together all the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and then pour over the jumbo oats, mix thoroughly.

3. Spread the oat mix out on a deep baking tray, lined with baking parchment, and place in the oven for 30/ 40 minutes. Stir every 2 to 3 times. When it has reached a toasted, golden colour remove and add in the chopped nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

4. Once thoroughly mixed, pour into sterile jars.Totally delicious served with a really good organic natural yoghurt, honey and fruit. Try it – it really is delectable!!

Bircher Muesli

I love this – it is reminiscent of holidays in the alps and other magical places. It does require putting the oats into soak the night before but the end result is well worth it. If you have never had it before – the only way I can explain it is a funny hybrid of porridge, muesli and granola – sounds dodgy – please trust me it is worth trying!

Serves 4

100g of rolled oats

180ml of full fat milk

100 g of yogurt

1 apple roughly grated with skin left on

40g of runny honey

1 handful or raisins, toasted almond flakes, and 1 of chopped green pistachios

Juice of 1 lime

1. Put the oats in a bowl with the milk and pop in the fridge overnight to soften.

2. In the morning, add the yogurt, followed by the nuts and raisins, apple, honey and lime, mix well together – add more yogurt to loosen if necessary.

3. Serve with fresh berries or drizzled with honey.

Breakfast Notes:

If in London do try Poilane Bakery for their wonderful sourdough bread, buttery croissants and sublime pain au chocolat: Poilane Bakery, 46 Elizabeth Street  City of Westminster, SW1W 9PA, Tel:020 7808 4910

When making the granola or muesli try and find the jumbo oats as they have far better texture than the smaller rolled ones.


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The A-list Egg

Posted on May 6, 2012 by lardersaga

May is a greedy month for those who love  British asparagus and gulls eggs. Both have similar seasons, yet one is much rarer and somewhat more expensive. At a whopping £4.00 an egg (Rex, Chelsea Green) you certainly don’t want to break one.  I am embarrassed to say that 10 years ago I may have just passed one off as a slightly odd-shaped and strange tasting hens egg. Yet now I relish them, their slight gamey taste, with ultra rich orange yolk, lighter white, speckled sage green and slate shell; they are a real treat, work of art and complete luxury. They are also not your average seagull egg – these are the eggs of black headed gulls, and they taste magnificent – this egg is an A-lister!

Needless to say there is quite a following behind such eggs. My fish monger maintains he sells about 200 eggs a day and on a friday and saturday up to 400! Though I wince each year at the ever-increasing price, I still can’t resist buying them. They go hand in hand with  fresh asparagus and are divine simply dipped in celery salt. Last night we had them as a starter along side home potted shrimps and blanched asparagus. The eggs are perfect picnic fare (think luxury version of the hard boiled hens egg), and also work well in a salad such as the one below – though I used quail eggs on this occasion!

Char-grilled asparagus, baby leek and quail egg salad (or Gulls eggs if you are feeling generous)

Serves 2

1 Bunch of asparagus steamed for 2 minutes

About 8 baby leeks – steamed for 2 minutes – or use normal leeks sliced on the diagonal 1cm wide

6 quail eggs or 2 gulls eggs

Tarragon dressing: 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped tarragon, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of honey

1. Place a char grill on the hob and heat till almost smoking – cut the asparagus in half lengthways and char grill briefly, do the same with the leeks and then toss together in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of good olive oil, a pinch of Maldon salt and grind of black pepper.

2. To make the dressing: whisk the mustard with the honey and slowly add in the olive oil, followed by the vinegar and tarragon (add  a drop of water to loosen it if necessary).

3. Put a pan of water onto boil – and if using the quail eggs boil for 2-3 minutes depending if you want them soft or hard – Gulls eggs boil for 4 minutes. Plunge into cold water and peel.

4. Place the asparagus and leeks on each plate, drizzle over the dressing and crack the eggs on top.

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