Seasonal May Recipes
Source: BBC Good Food
Summer is on its way but Spring produce is still at its best in May with wonderful seasonal ingredients from asparagus to new potatoes, crab, wild garlic, peas, watercress, elderflower and rhubarb. We have picked some of our favourite recipes below, why don't you give them a try.
Samphire & Crab Salad
INGREDIENTS
2 slices of sourdough bread
1½ tbsp rapeseed oil
180g samphire
1 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp crème fraîche
1 crab, brown and white meat separated (about 60g of each)
1 tbsp chopped dill (optional)
100g watercress
METHOD
Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Tear the bread into rough chunks and put in a bowl with ½ tbsp rapeseed oil and a little seasoning. Toss well, then tip onto a baking tray. Bake for 8-10 mins until golden. Set aside.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the samphire for 3 mins before draining and plunging into ice-cold water. Leave to cool for a few minutes before draining.
To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, crème fraîche, remaining 1 tbsp rapeseed oil, the brown crabmeat and dill, if using, in a small bowl. Season, mix to evenly combine and set aside.
Mix the watercress and drained samphire together in a large bowl, drizzle over the dressing and toss well to coat. Serve on a platter or divide between plates, then top with the white crabmeat and croutons.
Asparagus & New Potato Frittata
INGREDIENTS
200g new potatoes, quartered
100g asparagus tips
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 eggs, beaten
40g cheddar, grated
rocket or mixed leaves, to serve
METHOD
Heat the grill to high. Put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Once boiling, cook for 4-5 mins until nearly tender, then add the asparagus for a final 1 min. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan and add the onion. Cook for about 8 mins until softened.
Mix the eggs with half the cheese in a jug and season well. Pour over the onion in the pan, then scatter over the asparagus and potatoes. Top with the remaining cheese and put under the grill for 5 mins or until golden and cooked through. Cut into wedges and serve from the pan with salad.
Spring Vegetable Orzo
150g orzo
1 lemon, zested and juiced
4 tema, mammole or violet artichokes, or use jarred
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
150g new potatoes, such as Jersey Royals, cut into bite-sized pieces
5 spring onions or 4 baby leeks, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 mint sprig, plus 1 tbsp finely chopped mint
140ml white or rosé wine, or dry vermouth
300g broad beans (podded weight)
200g fresh or frozen peas (podded weight, if fresh)
100g ricotta
1 tsp pink peppercorns, crushed
pecorino or vegetarian alternative, for grating
METHOD
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil and cook the orzo following pack instructions until al dente. Drain, then immediately plunge into cold water to halt the cooking.
Halve the lemon, then cut the tips from the artichokes with a serrated knife and strip away the tough outer leaves. Pare away any tough bits from the bases, and trim the stalks to about 5cm, peeling away the outer skins to reveal the white cores. Quarter the artichokes, scooping out the hairy chokes, then halve each quarter. Transfer to a bowl and squeeze over the juice from half the lemon, tossing to coat.
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan over a medium heat and fry the potatoes, spring onions, garlic and artichokes, stirring for 5-6 mins until the potatoes are starting to brown. Add the mint sprig, wine and 500ml water, then season, cover and simmer for 12-15 mins until the potatoes and artichokes are tender. Add the broad beans and peas and cook for 2 mins more until tender but still retaining their bright colour. Remove the pan from the heat. Drain the orzo and stir into the pan with the chopped mint and most of the lemon zest, then leave to stand for a couple of minutes so the orzo can absorb the flavours. Taste for seasoning and adjust the salt, and squeeze over the remaining lemon half, if you think it needs it.
Dish into warmed bowls and top with spoonfuls of the ricotta. Scatter over the crushed pink peppercorns and the remaining lemon zest, then grate over some pecorino to serve.