spring recipes
A collection of recipes selected by The Saturday Paper team
side dish August 27, 2022
Thistles, nettles, chestnuts and prickly pear/cactus have formidable defence systems. Hard shells and sharp spines act as a deterrent to food-gatherers. The harsh climates and more difficult growing conditions that these plants can endure thus...
dinner September 18, 2021
Spring greens and shredded lamb shoulder
Just like the sunlight streaming through my windows, the fresh flush of spring greens are streaming into greengrocers and farmers’ markets across the land. Now is the start of the glorious run of asparagus, peas, both shelling and in pods, and...
breakfast September 12, 2015
Omelette of spring greens and goat’s cheese
It is a magic thing to be able to make a meal from a few eggs. The egg is the best convenience food I know, and an omelette is one of the quickest and most satisfying things I cook when pressed. The simplicity is comforting. I like to make a...
dessert August 2, 2014
The lemon tart has been considered a classic for 20 years – which is not really long enough to be properly called a classic, except in cafes. The lemon tart we now know is more often a set custard than a curd, although originally it...
side dish November 21, 2020
Roasted green asparagus and pickled white asparagus with tarama
Asparagus is a vegetable indelibly linked to gourmet French cuisine. It was the fancy dish in a sauce of I don’t know what. A celebratory vegetable course that communicated the chef’s pedigree. My first picking of asparagus highlighted...
salad October 8, 2016
Spring vegetable salad, herb dressing and soft duck egg
Tansy Good once told me people can’t use too many herbs when cooking. That has stuck with me, and to this day I try to use an abundance of herbs. Soft herbs, in particularly, you can’t go wrong with. It just requires common sense and a balance of...
side dish October 4, 2014
Boiled asparagus with brown butter and almonds
Asparagus signifies the end of winter. Each year, it is one of the first spring vegetables to hit the restaurant kitchen. Local farmers Jo and Trevor Courtney of Bridge Farm in Koo Wee Rup keep us updated on when the first spears will be ready....
breakfast September 15, 2018
Spring milk ricotta with honey and kunzea pikelets
Even milk has seasonality. Developments in agriculture that have seen variation diminish can be seen in both a positive and negative light. However, the difference in a milk from a spring pasture should be celebrated. I have the good fortune of...
dessert September 10, 2016
Madeleines filled with lemon curd
Madeleines have many admirers. Take Proust, in the “episode of the madeleine” from his epic novel In Search of Lost Time: “No sooner had the warm liquid mixed with the crumbs touched my palate than a shudder ran through me and I...
salad July 5, 2014
This chopped broccoli and freekah salad is a simple and honest dish we serve at the pub. The salad’s uncomplicated simplicity is its attraction. It is healthy and has a wonderful texture. It successfully accompanies most dishes on the menu and is...
breakfast May 3, 2014
Wilted greens and poached eggs on toast
A friend told me recently about a restaurant in Japan that only serves toast. In the US, the west coast is dotted with artisanal toast bars. Toast has become a stand-alone menu item, like waffles or eggs. It has crossed over. Toast is the...
