VIBRANT SPRING RECIPES

FROM MALDON SALT

ROASTED PARSNIPS WITH GIANT COUSCOUS SALAD, ROASTED RED ONIONS, FETA AND PARSLEY

Parsnips are healthy and good for the body, providing plenty of vitamins, minerals and healthy fibre. They are also low in fat and are packed full of flavour. As a root vegetable they serve themselves well when roasted and this delicious salad is a great way of adding them into your diet.

Ingredients • 200g Giant couscous • 4 Tbsp olive oil • 6 Parsnips • 3 Red onions, thinly sliced • 25g Golden sultanas • 25g Parsley, finely chopped • 50g Feta, crumbled • 20g Pomegranate seeds, to garnish • Pomegranate molasses, to garnish • Maldon Salt • Cracked black pepper

Method

Begin my preheating the oven to 180C. Prepare the parsnips by simply cutting the larger ones in half lengthways but keeping any small one’s whole. Place them into a roasting tray and drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil, some Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Toss them so they are well coated and then place in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, turning halfway through. They should be golden brown and crispy on the edges. While the parsnips are cooking, prepare the couscous. In a saucepan, cook the couscous according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and remove from the heat. Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, plenty of Maldon salt and cracked black pepper. Allow the couscous to cool.

Once the couscous has cooled and the parsnips are out of the oven (and also cooled). Stir the finely sliced red onion, chopped parsley, sultanas and crumbled feta into the couscous. Check the season and adjust if needed. Pile the couscous onto a serving platter and top with the roasted parsnips. Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, a little textra parsley and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SPAGHETTI

This recipe shows you how easy it is to make butternut squash spaghetti by spiralizing the squash, which makes a great and healthy alternative to pasta. You can make different sauces for your squash spaghetti; however, this is a lighter alternative which uses burrata, courgette, mint and lemon.

Method

Begin my peeling and deseeding the butternut squash. Then cut into sections and using a spiralizer, create long ribbons which look like spaghetti. Place a large frying pan on the heat and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. When the pan is hot, add the butternut squash spaghetti and sauté for 5 – 7 minutes until softened and golden. Remove from the heat.

While the butternut squash is cooking, place a second small frying pan onto the heat and drizzle in 1 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the slices of courgette and fry for a few minutes on each side so they are golden and toasty – you made need to do this in batches. Remove them from the heat.

Now you can plate up – pile a golden heap of butternut squash spaghetti onto two plates. Top with some burrata, fried courgette slices, diced chilli, fresh mint leaves and some lemon zest. Finish each plate with a final pinch of Maldon salt, some cracked black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Ingredients • Half butternut squash, spiralized • 1 Green courgette, thinly sliced • 1 Yellow courgette, thinly sliced • 15g Fresh mint, leaves picked • Half red chilli, deseeded and finely diced • 2 Tbsp olive oil • 100g Burrata • Maldon Salt • Cracked black pepper • pinch of nutmeg, grated • pinch of sea salt

BLOOD ORANGE OLIVE OIL CAKE

The Blood Orange Olive Oil cake combines beautiful seasonal Blood Oranges and the use of Olive oil makes it wonderfully moist and flavoursome without being too sweet. It is topped with Blood Orange slices for a real showstopper dessert.

Ingredients • 5 Blood oranges • 250g Golden caster sugar • 150g Plain flour • 80g Semolina • 2 Tsp baking powder • Pinch of Maldon Salt • 1 Orange, zested and juiced • 1 Tsp vanilla extract • 3 Large eggs • 250ml Extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing • Creme fraiche, to serve

Method

Grease a 20cm round cake tin with olive oil and line the base with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 190C.

Take the blood oranges and carefully cut into thin rounds (as thin as you can go!). Start by sprinkling 30g of the golden caster sugar on the bottom of the cake tin, over the paper. Then arrange the slices on top of the in a nice circular pattern. Use the end pieces of the blood oranges to squeeze over any remaining juice and then set aside while you make the cake batter.

In a large mixing bowl mix together the plain flour, semolina, baking powder and Maldon salt. Adding salt to your baking helps balance and enhance flavours, it balances sweetness and acidity. Next in a smaller bowl mix together the orange juice and zest, vanilla extract and olive oil. Place the eggs and sugar into a stand mixer – or you can use an electric whisk – and beat them together until they are pale and fluffy. Next add the dry ingredients, followed by the wet ingredients and beat until smooth. Pour the cake batter into the tin on top of the orange slices and smooth over the top. Place the cake tin into the preheated oven and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown on top and cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then carefully remove from the cake tin before turning it upside down onto a plate and peeling off the baking paper. Allow the cake to then cool completely before slicing and serving with crème fraiche.