Spring-Summer Recipes

By Natoora
07/06/2012

Extra Fine Beans Wrapped in Pancetta

250g extra fine beans
4 slices of pancetta
50g butter
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 200 C.

Top, tail and wash the beans. Blanch in lightly salted water for around 4 minutes so that they are still crisp.

While they blanch, melt the butter and mix it with the sugar, salt and soy sauce.

Drain the beans well and place around 10 on each pancetta slice, then wrap the pancetta around them and place on a baking tray covered by baking paper. Brush with the soy sauce and butter mixture.

Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the pancetta is crisp and golden.

Borlotti Bean Salad

A wonderfully simple recipe - perfect for a quick side dish.

200g borlotti beans
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove (crushed)
pinch of chilli flakes
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1/2 lemon juice and zest
2 sage leaves, chopped
large handful of rocket

Shell the beans and cook in boiling water for around 10 minutes until tender. Place the beans with all the ingredients apart from the rocket and lemon juice and warm through in a small pan. Add the lemon juice and rocket and stir well. Serve and enjoy

Honey Mustard Jersey Royals

Jersey Royals are in peak season and tasting incredible. TThey are delicious treated simply, but this delicious dressing will really jazz them up. It will also work well with any new potatoes and makes a wonderful side dish for bbqs or light lunches.

800g Jersey Royal potatoes
1 tbsp. Maille Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. acacia honey
half an Amalfi lemon
50g butter
20g parsley

Wash the potatoes thoroughly but make sure to leave the skin on.

Bring a pan of salted water to boil and add the potatoes, cooking them until tender - it usually takes about 12 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the dressing. Heat the butter, honey and mustard in a small saucepan, mixing it well, and blend in the juice of half an Amalfi lemon.

Once you’ve drained the potatoes, pour the dressing over them, add some chopped parsley and stir gently. It can be served warm as the perfect partner for roasted joints or fish, or cold for a sunny spring picnic.

Loquat Cake

Loquats are a wonderful stone fruit, delicious enjoyed raw or cooked. Try them in place of apricots or pears in many desserts, or try them in our upside loquat cake. Great served with some quality double cream

25 loquats
2 eggs
125g wholemilk yoghurt
100ml milk
250g butter
250g ‘00’ flour
100g brown sugar
100g granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
0.5 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 200C. Line a 20cm diameter cake tin with baking paper.

First of all you need to prepare the loquat topping layer, as you will turn the cake upside down once ready. Melt half the butter over a low heat, then add the brown sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Pour into the cake tin. Cut the loquats in half, arrange them cut side down, over the sugar mixture.

Now make the cake. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, then add the yoghurt, milk, eggs and vanilla, whipping until you have a creamy even mixture.

Finally, pour the mixture carefully over the loquats and bake for around 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool, then gently turn upside down and remove the baking paper.

It can be warmed up just before serving, with a scoop of dulce de leche ice-cream or double cream.