Recipes serve six
BROAD BEAN AND BACON PUREE WITH GARLIC TOASTS
olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
2 slices streaky bacon (pancetta is even better), finely chopped
500g shelled broad beans
4 tbsp whipping cream
1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
1 baguette
1 garlic clove
Blanch the beans in salted boiling water for one minute and then drain. Squeeze the green bean from the outer skin. This may seem like an awful bother, but if you don't do it, the whole assembly tastes bitter and you realise why so many people curl their noses up at broad beans.
Heat three tablespoons of olive oil and gently saute the shallots and bacon so they soften, but don't colour. Add the beans and toss them so they are well coated. Season with pepper, add four tablespoons of water and cover. Cook for five minutes, or until the beans are tender. Stir in the cream and cook for two to three minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Check seasoning, then stir in the parsley. Allow the mixture to cool and then roughly chop it - you may need to thin it down with a little more water.
For the toasts, cut a baguette into diagonal slices, brush each slice with olive oil and bake in a hot oven (180 degrees/gas four) for six to eight minutes. Brush lightly with a cut clove of garlic. Spread with the bean mixture and serve.
COLD ASPARAGUS WITH RED PEPPER MAYONNAISE
1.5kg asparagus, trimmed
1 red pepper
2 egg yolks
1 tsp white wine vinegar
mustard
200ml vegetable oil
Cook the asparagus in salted boiling water until it is just tender, then drain and refresh under cold water.
Place the pepper directly on your heat source - gas or electric - and cook until black, turning frequently. Transfer it to a bowl, cover it with cling film and allow it to sweat for five minutes. Peel under cold running water to save your fingers from burning.
Place the egg yolks in a bowl along with the vinegar, a tiny pinch of mustard and a seasoning of salt and pepper. Beat well and add the oil, drop by drop initially, advancing to a slow but steady stream, whisking all the time.
Finely chop half the pepper so it becomes a mush and cut the other half into thin strips. Mix all the pepper with the mayonnaise and serve in generous dollops with the asparagus.
COLD BAKED SALMON, AVOCADO, TOMATO AND CORIANDER SALSA
juice and zest from three limes
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
2kg salmon, at room temperature
extra virgin olive oil
6 tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and core removed
1 avocado, stone removed and roughly chopped
bunch coriander, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees/gas six. Combine the lime juice, zest and mustard seeds and set aside, for 30 minutes if possible. Season the fish with salt and pepper and rub it generously with olive oil. Wrap in tin foil and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Remove and allow it to cool without breaking the seal on the tin foil.
Combine the mustard seeds, lime juice, tomatoes, avocado and enough olive oil to moisten. Season with salt and pepper, fold in the coriander and serve with the fish.
RASPBERRY AND LEMON SYLLABUB
500g raspberries
100ml fino sherry
1 tbsp brandy
60g caster sugar
300ml whipping cream
nutmeg
zest of one lemon
Combine the sherry, brandy and sugar in a bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the cream and add nutmeg and lemon zest to taste.
Whisk to a soft peak stage - it should hold its shape, but beware of overwhisking or you'll end up with a split mess. Chill and serve with the raspberries.