Spring on a Plate

adapted from Julius Roberts’ The Farm Table

Procedure

1. Blanch the fava beans in a pot of water.

2. Pour the olive oil into a wide pan, add the onion and garlic, season well with a pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes or so, being careful not to color the garlic, until the onion is sweet and tender. Add the asparagus with a little splash of wine. Keep stirring and cooking for a few minutes, until the asparagus is nearly tender, then add the peas. Season as you go and add a splash of wine here and there to keep the pan juicy.

3. The peas won't take long, so keep trying until they're ready. At this point, add the lettuce - you want it to gently collapse but still retain a nice crunch. Turn the heat off just before the lettuce is ready, as the residual heat will continue to cook things further.

4. Add the fava beans and most of the herbs (holding some back for serving). Grate in the zest of one lemon, stir, then have a taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary.

5. Put the ricotta into a bowl and whisk well until it becomes light and fluffy. Grate in the zest of the second lemon, add a pinch of salt and the juice of half a lemon. Whisk to combine, then taste to check the seasoning.

6. Spoon a bit of the ricotta on to each plate and spread it slightly, then top with the warm vegetables and finish with a drizzle of olive oil, some more herbs and a squeeze of lemon.

7. Serve with toast, fish, or lamb, or use in an omelet.

Ingredients

1 lbs fava beans, shelled to yield about 10½ oz

5 tbsp olive oil

1 large yellow onion, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

10-12 stalks asparagus, tips left whole, woody ends removed and stalks cut into chunky rounds

A bottle of white wine (you won't need all of it)

1 cup frozen peas

1 head of gem lettuce, roughly chopped

1 bunch fresh mint and basil, finely chopped

2 unwaxed lemons

10½ oz ricotta

Spiced Carrot Cupcake

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Fill cupcake tins with liners.

2. In a large bowl, mix sugars, oil, and eggs. Add in carrot, pineapple and raisins and mix until combined.

3. In a medium bowl, mix dry ingredients until well blended. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just blended. Do not over-mix.

4. Divide your batter between your muffin tins and bake for 15-18 minutes in the center of the oven. Test with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cupcakes have finished baking.

5. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.

   For the Icing:

6. As your cupcakes cool, mix your icing in a large bowl with an electric mixer. If your butter hasn’t fully softened, whip it first alone to avoid chunks.

7. Mix in cream cheese and lemon juice on medium speed until softened and creamy. Add your sugar and mix on low so that you don’t have a puff of sugar fly up in your face.

8. Ice to your liking. You can simply use a rubber spatula and swirl the icing around or get a little fancier with a pastry bag and even marzipan baby carrots to top if you’re feeling crafty. Either way, these taste delicious. Refrigerate overnight.

Ingredients

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

¾ cup melted butter

3 eggs

1 packed cup grated carrot

¼ cup crushed pineapple, drained

½ cup golden raisins

1 ¼ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon Garam Masala, plus extra for dusting

For Icing:

6 tablespoons salted butter, softened

10 oz. cream cheese softened

Juice of ½ lemon

2 cups powdered sugar

Spiced Apple Pancake

Serves 6

Procedure

1. Mix Garam masala, flour, baking powder, baking soda, flax seed, wheat germ, and fine sea salt with a whisk in a bowl.

2. In a separate bowl, mix maple syrup, eggs, and buttermilk.

3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, and add the grated apples. Set aside for at least half an hour to rest.

4. Heat the cast-iron skillet on high. Pour pancake mixture into the skillet, cover, and reduce to medium heat. Cook each pancake for 4 minutes covered, flip, and cook uncovered for another 3 minutes.

Ingredients

2 cups organic, unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/3 cup maple syrup

5 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 tsp Garam masala

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 medium apples, grated

2 tbsp ground flax meal

3 tbsp wheat germ

Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Serves 6 - 8

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10”x5” (1 ½ lb) loaf pan. Line it with a piece of parchment paper, allowing the paper to hang over the pan. Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt together in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. Beat the eggs in a separate large mixing bowl. Whisk in the granulated and brown sugars until well incorporated. Add the Greek yogurt and vanilla. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter, whisking to combine. Mix in the dry ingredients until smooth.

3. Place the shredded zucchini in the center of a kitchen towel. Ring out the excess water into the sink (as much as you can). Fold the zucchini and chocolate into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

4. Bake the zucchini bread uncovered on the middle rack in the oven for 55-60 minutes, or until cooked through. Let cool for 30 minutes in the pan. Use the parchment paper to pull the bread out of the pan. Cool for another 15 minutes or so.

5. Use a serrated knife to slice the bread into thick slices. Serve warm or at room temperature with softened salted butter slathered over top.

Optional: For the oat streusel, add the oats, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, Garam Masala, and salt to a small bowl. Toss to combine. Add the cubed butter and use your fingers (or a pastry cutter) to “rub” the butter into the flour. Keep working it in until the flour has been absorbed and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Top the batter with the streusel.

Ingredients

1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. Garam Masala

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. kosher salt

2 eggs

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup Greek yogurt

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

¼ lb. unsalted butter, melted

¾ lb. shredded zucchini (approximately 2 cups)

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped

softened salted butter, for serving

OPTIONAL:

Oat Streusel:

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup brown sugar

2 tsp. Garam Masala

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ lb. unsalted butter, cubed