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Creative option for fresh vege

Ah springtime, that time of year when growth is all around but produce is lean. catchup time from the slower growth of winter combined with lower soil temperatures means less produce to harvest and reflected in the higher cost of produce at the moment. I find myself shopping by price and freshness, this week yielding two enormous leeks and some vibrant beetroot, among other things. ith an abundant supply of silverbeet, salad greens and parsley from the garden this selection will be prepared in different ways for meals throughout the week.

his is how I approach cooking with the seasons, focusing on getting creative with what is on hand. If you have a garden of your own you will know this well. cess can be given away, preserved or frozen, while I find a multitude of ways to serve the same item so we dont tire of it. Which might just inspire a previously disliked food to be enjoyed when it is presented in a different way.

Nicola Galloway is an award-winning food writer, cookbook author and culinary tutor. homegrown-kitchen.co.nz

Leek tarte Tatin with honey vinaigrette

y husband has declared that leek is currently his favourite vegetable. e have been eating a fair amount of them recently with the good size of the wintered leeks now en oying the spring sun. Leek is most often used in a soup or stew, but when it is sautéed until soft and caramelised something quite wonderful happens to this otherwise backseat vegetable. In this recipe I have given it a front and centre role on the dinner table as a rather fancy while deceivingly simple tart to prepare. ny size leeks can be used, I us th a pp en ed across some very big ones this week.

PREP TIME minutes // COOK TIME minutes // SERVES

2-3 leeks (about 800g)

50g butter

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and cracked pepper

3 tbsp boiling water

1 sheet (about 180g) butter puff pastry

Thyme leaves to garnish

Honey vinaigrette

2 tbsp sherry or white wine vinegar 1 tsp honey

1 tsp dijon mustard

Pinch of salt

5 tbsp (75ml) extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC (fan 170ºC).

2. Wash the leek and cut into 2cm thick rounds, using the white part and the intact green part.

3. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over a high heat. Add the butter and olive oil (the oil will prevent the butter from burning during cooking) and once melted, season with salt and pepper to evenly cover the surface of the pan. 4. Arrange the leek rounds snugly into the base of the pan. Season the top surface of the leeks. Cook for about 6-8 minutes until the base of the leeks are lightly golden. Add the boiling water and immediately cover with a lid to steam the leeks for about 5-6 minutes until softened when pierced with a knife. Remove the lid and let any remaining moisture evaporate over the heat.

5. Remove from the heat and nudge the leeks together so they are nice and snug – now they are softer you will be able to get them closer. Lay the sheet of pastry over the pan to cover the leeks, and press gently around the sides. I used a square sheet of pastry so folded the pointy edges into the sides.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden. And now the fun bit, flipping the tart out onto a plate. Invert a plate over the pan to cover it completely. Using oven mitts hold the plate and pan together and quickly flip and give a confident downward shake to dislodge the leeks and pastry in one piece. Carefully remove the pan. The leeks should all be intact but if some stayed in the pan use a spatula to move them back into position in the tart. Scatter with thyme leaves. 7. Make the vinaigrette. Put the vinegar, honey, mustard and salt into a jar and shake to combine. Add half the olive oil and shake again to emulsify. Add the remaining oil and continue shaking to combine.

8. To serve, use a small serrated knife to carefully cut the leek and pastry into wedges. Drizzle with vinaigrette and serve with a green salad on the side.

Beetroot feta dip with cashew dukkah

Spring harvested beetroot is my favourite, they are sweet in flavour and vibrant coloured. hen beetroot is this good it is rare that don t have some in the fridge, usually in both cooked and raw form. use roasted beetroot wedges in salads (find a beetroot & lentil salad online on u and dips, and the raw beets are grated into slaw and green salads.

This dip or spread brings a good hit of flavour, and the dukkah is not to be missed foretr ate tu re.nce the beetroot is cooked( do this in advance when

have the oven on it comes together in no time.

PREP TIME minutes // COOK TIME about hour // MAKES about cups

3 medium beetroot, about 300g (or use 400g can beetroot, drained) 1 tbsp olive oil

½ cup (125ml) natural yoghurt

100g feta, broken into chunks

1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground

1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Small handful of dill or parsley

Salt and cracked pepper

Cashew dukkah

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

Pinch of salt

¼ cup (40g) roasted cashews, roughly chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 180-200ºC (fan 160-180ºC).

2. First cook the beetroot – I do this in advance when the oven is on to bake bread or to roast vegetables for dinner (hence the variance in oven temp). Beetroot takes some time to cook so it is good to make the most of the oven heat. Top and tail the beets and put onto a covered dish (I use a small 15cm round dish). Add a splash (1-2 tbsp) of water, a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt. Cover and bake for about 1 hour until the beetroot is tender when pierced with a small knife. Alternatively, the beetroot can be boiled – cover with water and add a pinch of salt – for about 45 minutes until tender (or 25 minutes if using a pressure cooker).

3. Cool the beetroot enough to handle (or keep in the fridge until ready to use) then rub off the skins. With a bit of pressure the skin should slip away, but this doesn’t always happen (this comes down to variety and freshness) so if needed use a small knife.

4. Roughly chop the peeled beetroot and put into a food processor with the remaining olive oil, yoghurt, feta, cumin, garlic and herbs. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Season to taste and scoop into a bowl.

5. To make the dukkah, put the spice seeds into an unoiled frying pan. Dry toast until golden and beginning to pop. Tip into a mortar and pestle (or use an electric food/coffee grinder) and coarsely grind the spices. Add the salt and cashews. Sprinkle 1-2 tbsp of the dukkah over the dip, and store the rest in a jar for sprinkling over salads or to serve with olive oil and bread.

6. Drizzle the beetroot dip with a little olive oil and serve with crackers and breads, or use as a flatbread/sandwich spread.

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