Magazine

A spring table

Set the table for spring dining with fresh florals and delicious recipes to match.

Goat’s cheese & spring onion tarts with roast lemon
Serves 6
20g butter, coarsely chopped
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
150g goat’s cheese
½ cup parmesan, grated
2 tbsp each finely chopped thyme,
Italian parsley and chives
1 lemon, zest and juice
3 sheets frozen puff pastry
1 egg and tbsp water, lightly beaten, for egg wash
4 bunches of spring onions, cut lengthways
olive oil, for drizzling
salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the oven to 200°C. For the filling, melt butter in a small saucepan over a medium to low heat, add shallots and garlic and sauté until tender (2-3 minutes). Combine in a bowl with cheeses, herbs, zest and juice. Season.

Cut part-thawed sheets of puff pastry into rectangles (16cm x 10cm). Prick the pastry pieces with a fork, then spread the goat’s cheese mixture evenly, leaving a 1cm border.

Using a fork dipped in the egg wash, indent the edges. Lay the spring onions lengthwise, drizzle with oil, then season. Brush edges with egg and bake until crisp and golden, 20-25 minutes. Garnish with rocket and chives. Add Chilli Walnuts and Roast Lemon.

Spring chicken salad with wild rocket, broad beans & citrus Greek yoghurt

Serves 6
600g skinless chicken breasts
½ cup finely chopped tarragon
80ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
¾ cup unsweetened Greek yoghurt
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 cup broad beans
1 cup thinly sliced, stringed,
sugar snap peas
½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
¼ cup finely chopped chives
¼ cup basil
1 tbsp of fresh lemon juice
2 cups wild rocket
1 cup micro herbs and edible flowers, to garnish

Preheat oven to 180°C. Coat chicken with some of the tarragon, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake 30 minutes, or until cooked. Cool and shred.

Whisk yoghurt, remaining oil, shallot, garlic and lemon zest in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Blanch broad beans and sugar snap peas for 5 minutes, then plunge into ice-cold water. Drain and cool for 10 minutes.

Combine chicken, yoghurt dressing, remaining tarragon, parsley, chives, basil and lemon juice, and toss to coat. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Place rocket on a large serving platter and tumble chicken salad mix on top. Garnish with herbs. Serve with crusty bread.

Orange-blossom, raspberry & white chocolate Cheesecake in a jar

MAKES 6
3 cups frozen or fresh raspberries
⅓ cup caster sugar
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
½ packet digestive biscuits, crushed
30g butter, melted
400g cream cheese, softened
½ can sweetened condensed milk
150g white chocolate, melted
4 tbsp orange-blossom water (optional)
2 tbsp orange juice and rind of two oranges

Make the topping, then chill until needed. In a saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar and lemon juice.

Over a medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then quickly reduce the heat to low, and allow the mixture to simmer, stirring, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture thickens to a syrupy consistency. This will take about five to seven minutes. Allow to fully cool.

Make the base by mixing biscuits with melted butter and pressing into the base of 6 short jars (around 200ml each). Chill while preparing filling.

For filling, beat cream cheese, condensed milk, white chocolate, orange blossom water, orange juice and zest until creamy and smooth. Pour into jars over prepared base. Cover with topping.

Chill cheesecakes for at least three hours.

Recipes Gretchen Lowe
Photography Manja Wachsmuth
Styling Alice Lines & Amber Armitage

 

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