Some quick tips... Asparagus
Spring has sprung when locally grown Aussie asparagus appears. Try it in salads, soups, sandwiches and stir-fries, and surprise yourself with how delicious it is cooked on the BBQ. Trim woody ends and brush spears with a mixture of olive oil, a little crushed garlic and salt and pepper. When BBQ is hot, throw on spears and cook 2 minutes each side.
Brussels sprouts
Warm Salad of Honey Mustard Roasted Sweet Potato & Lamb Marinade
Salad
4 tbsp olive oil
2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1cm rounds
2 tbsp honey 2 tbsp grained mustard 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary 4 garlic cloves, crushed Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 red onions, cut into wedges 500g trimmed lamb rump Olive oil 100g baby spinach or cress, washed and dried
SERVES 4 1. Preheat oven to 200°C. In a large bowl, whisk marinade ingredients together and toss through sweet potatoes and onions. Leaving some of marinade in bowl for lamb, remove vegetables and spread out on baking tray/s lined with baking paper. Roast 15 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, rub lamb with remaining marinade. Heat a large heavy-based frypan over medium heat, add oil and brown meat on each side 1-2 minutes. 3. Add lamb to roasted vegetables and roast at 200°C for a further 10 minutes. Remove lamb and set aside to rest before cutting on an angle into 1cm slices. 4. Turn oven to grill (or heat grill) and brown off vegetables (taking care not to burn them), about 5 minutes. 5. Arrange baby spinach (or cress) on large platter or serving plates. Top with vegetables and sliced lamb and drizzle any tray juices over top.
Blueberry & Mango Macadamia Crunch Crumble topping
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup moist coconut flakes
40g cold butter, roughly chopped
1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup quick cook oats
2 mangoes
1/4 cup wholemeal SR flour
1 punnet blueberries 1 cup vanilla yoghurt
SERVES 4 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. To make crumble topping, place macadamias, coconut, sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Using your fingers, rub butter into dry ingredients until well combined. 2. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread crumble mixture evenly over tray. Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes until it is an even golden brown and smells delicious, stirring crumble every 5 minutes. 3. Peel skin from mango and slice lengthways along seed to remove “cheeks” of mango. Cut flesh from each cheek into approximately 5 long strips. 4. Build dessert into 4 individual glasses or bowls to show off layers of ingredients. Place 2 slices of mango into base of each glass; top with layers of half of blueberries, all of yoghurt, and another layer of mango and blueberries; and finish off with warm crumble.
Forget soggy Brussels sprouts and memories that haunt you from the past. Go for delicious vibrant sprouts that are as colourful as they are tasty. Trim woody ends, shred sprouts finely, rinse in cold water and shake dry in colander. Heat wok and stir-fry sprouts in a little oil with salt and pepper until just tender. Also check out our recipe for Brussels Sprout, Potato & Pancetta Gratin in this leaflet.
Delicious Spring Recipes and Quick Tips
Asian greens As the weather warms up, get out the wok and stir-fry to your heart’s content using Asian greens such as bok choy, Chinese cabbage, pak choy and choy sum. Baby bok choy are wonderful split down the middle, washed and dried and stir-fried with a little minced garlic and ginger and oyster or soy sauce. Asian greens are also delicious steamed and served with oyster sauce.
Mangoes You’ll know when these are in season and at their best because their perfume will emanate through the shop. Make your morning cereal special with sliced mango. Whip up a smoothie for a quick and healthy snack during the day. Create a spring salad with sliced roast or poached chicken, mango slices, watercress or rocket leaves and honey mustard dressing. Whip up desserts such as fruit salads, sorbets and mousses, and our recipe for Blueberry & Mango Macadamia Crunch in this leaflet.
Nashi Also known as Asian pears, nashi are in good supply in spring. For a delicious salad team up sliced nashi with peppery greens such as rocket, walnuts and a sharp cheese such as a blue vein or sharp crumbly cheddar. Just before serving, toss with a dressing of olive oil, white wine vinegar, a little of honey and salt and pepper to taste.
SHOP AT YOUR
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Local Greengrocer
Asparagus & Salmon Pasta with Rocket 500g pasta such as penne 2 bunches asparagus, trimmed and cut at an angle into 2-3 cm lengths 1/4 cup pine nuts 2 tsp olive oil 2 Tasmanian salmon fillets (skin on)
Orange & Soy Beef Noodles with Asian Greens
4 tbsp crème fraiche or sour cream
Sauce
Noodles
1/2 cup grated parmesan
3 tbsp soy sauce
450g packet fresh Hokkien noodles
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sesame seeds
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp oil (preferably peanut)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 cup semi-dried tomatoes, cut in half Handful fresh baby rocket
SERVES 4 1. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for time instructed on packet. 2. Steam asparagus 2-3 minutes until just tender. Refresh under cold water to stop cooking process. 3. Heat a large heavy-based frypan over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook, shaking pan over heat to lightly toast, 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. 4. Reheat pan over medium – low heat. Add oil and cook salmon, skin side down 6 minutes. Turn salmon and cook a further 3-4 minutes until flesh is just cooked and still glossy. Cut or flake fish into small pieces, discarding skin. 5. Drain pasta and transfer to frypan. Stir through crème fraiche (or sour cream) and parmesan, and season with salt and pepper. Add asparagus, salmon, semi-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and rocket and toss through pasta.
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
500g lean beef strips, patted dry with paper towel
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed Finely grated zest and cut into 2cm lengths of 1/2 orange 2 bunches bok choy, washed, Freshly ground black pepper
Brussels Sprout, Potato & Pancetta Gratin 500g potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 small brown onion, diced finely 1/2 cup evaporated milk 1/2 cup chicken (or vegetable) stock 2 garlic cloves, crushed
shaken dry and cut into 2cm slices
Freshly ground black pepper
250g bean sprouts, washed and drained
SERVES 4
SERVES 4 1. In a small bowl, whisk sauce ingredients together. Set aside. 2. To prepare noodles, place in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. After 2-3 minutes, use a fork to separate noodles. Drain and set aside. 3. Heat a large heavy-based frypan or wok over medium heat. Add add sesame seeds and cook, shaking pan over heat to lightly toast, 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. 4. Increase heat to medium – high and reheat pan. Add 1 tablespoon oil and quickly brown off half the beef strips 1-2 minutes each side. Remove from pan and set aside. Repeat using remaining oil and beef strips. 5. Return all meat to pan and add spring onions, bok choy, prepared noodles and bean sprouts, and toss over heat for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
Shake of ground nutmeg
Salad
500g Brussels sprouts, woody ends trimmed, halved (large ones quartered)
4 slices prosciutto
Dressing
8 grissini sticks (miniature savoury bread sticks/biscuits)
2 egg yolks
125g shredded parmesan
1 garlic clove
100g pancetta, diced finely 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese 1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Combine potatoes, onion, evaporated milk, stock, garlic, pepper and nutmeg in a medium-sized pot and stir to combine. Bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat, cover with a lid and simmer 10 minutes. 2. Put prepared Brussels sprouts in a shallow baking dish, and pour hot potato mixture over, stirring gently to combine but not break up vegetables. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven 20 minutes. 3. Combine pancetta, cheese and breadcrumbs in a medium-sized bowl and rub together with clean hands to form a rough crumb. Sprinkle crumb mixture over Brussels sprouts and potatoes. Bake uncovered until vegetables are just tender and crumb has browned, 20-30 minutes. 4. Serve with your choice of meat (this is a lovely accompaniment to roast beef or spring lamb).
Caesar Salad with a Difference
4 extra-large free range eggs 1 tbsp white vinegar 1/2 - 1 tsp salt 2 baby Cos lettuce, halved
2 tsp seeded mustard 4 anchovy fillets 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
SERVES 4 1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place prosciutto on baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake until crisp, about 10 minutes, turning slices after 5 minutes. Remove from tray. 2. Place grissini sticks on baking tray with baking paper with a space in between. Sprinkle one end of each stick with 1 tablespoon parmesan. Bake until cheese is melted and golden brown, about 5 minutes. When cool, gently peel from baking paper (cut cheese if it has joined together). 3. Using a blender, combine all dressing ingredients except olive oil. Gradually pour in oil to achieve a thick mayonnaise consistency. Refrigerate until required (you only require half this quantity - use rest for other salads). 4. Place 6cm water, vinegar and salt in a wide saucepan (vinegar helps hold eggs together). Bring to a simmer and poach eggs gently 2 minutes. Remove eggs and drain them on paper towel. Set aside. 5. Arrange lettuce on 4 plates; tuck prosciutto amongst lettuce and place egg alongside; add dressing and parmesan grissini.