Month: August 2018

Broad Bean Salad

Broad Bean Salad

This Broad Bean Salad combines the fresh-tasting beans with tangy feta cheese.  Spring onions provide additional flavour and radishes provide an extra crunchy texture.   A lemon and olive oil dressing brings the tastes of the ingredients together.

You can make this salad ahead of time, in fact I think it improves if it is left for a while as the dressing brings the flavours of the other ingredients together.  This makes it great for cold buffets, picnics or take-to-work lunches.

If you cannot get hold of fresh broad beans, and they are not that common in supermarkets, you can use frozen broad beans.   I think broad beans, along with peas, are one of the vegetables which keep their flavour and texture best when frozen.

Other easy salads

I love salads and eat them all the year around – not just in summer. If you like this Broad Bean Salad recipe, you might also like some of my other salad recipes.

Broad Bean Salad recipe

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Broad bean salad

Broad Bean Salad

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 5
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: for 6 people 1x
  • Category: Salad
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This tasty salad can be made in advance and is a great addition to cold buffets and picnics.  It combines broad beans with tangy feta and crunch radishes with a zesty lemon dressing.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 600 g fresh podded broad beans or frozen broad beans
  • 150 g feta cheese
  • 3 large radishes
  • 4 spring onions
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Cook the broad beans either by putting into a pan of boiling water and simmering for five minutes or by steaming for five minutes.
  2. Drain the beans and cover with cold water to stop the cooking process and to cool them down so they can easily be handled.
  3. Remove the outer skins from the beans.  There is a technique to this which involves splitting the outer skin with your thumb nail and then squeezing gently so that the inner part of the bean pops out of the skin.
  4. Place the skinned beans in a bowl.  Chop the feta cheese into small chunks, slice the spring onions and radishes and add them all to the bowl with the beans.
  5. Add the lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to the bowl and stir to combine.  Be sparing with the salt as the feta cheese will be quite salty.

Notes

This salad can be made ahead of time which makes it great for buffets and picnics

If you can’t get fresh broad beans you can use frozen broad beans which give an excellent result

Keywords: broad beans, fava beans, feta, salad, picnic, buffet

Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Herb Fennel and Chives

Spaghetti with smoked salmon
Smoked salmon, herb fennel and chives

Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Herb Fennel and Chives

Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Herb Fennel and Chives is probably the  quickest and easiest pasta dish.   It is done in the time that it takes to cook the pasta – which is usually around 10 to 15 minutes – and only needs a single saucepan.   It is also extremely tasty with the cream absorbing the savoury, salty smoked salmon flavour and allowing it to permeate the whole dish.   Although smoked salmon is often considered a luxury food, and can be expensive,  a little goes a long way and it is fine to use smoked salmon trimmings which are sold in most supermarkets and are a lot more affordable.

The use of fresh herbs to enhance dishes and the ease with which this can be done – you just chop them up and add them at the end of cooking – is highlighted in this dish.   I have referred to Herb Fennel, to differentiate it from the bulb fennel, often used in Italian cooking.  Both the Herb and bulb fennel share an aniseed taste.  Therefore, if you do not have Herb Fennel, dill is a good substitute.

My daughter, who is a pescatarian and therefore eats fish but not meat, describes this pasta sauce as being like spaghetti carbonara for non-meat eaters.  I think she is right – there is definitely an echo in this dish of the creamy, salty taste created by pancetta and eggs in a carbonara.

Uses

I often make this dish as a quick family supper but, as the smoked salmon makes it seem luxurious, it is also a really good easy option for a dinner party or for a date night!    It would certainly be a good choice for a romantic meal as it is so quick and tasty and is easy for those with little cooking experience to prepare (and, unusually for my pasta recipes, it does not include garlic!)

 

Spaghetti with smoked salmon
Smoked salmon, herb fennel and chives

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Smoked salmon, fennel and chives

Spaghetti with Smoked Salmon, Herb Fennel and Chives

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 10
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: for 4 people 1x
  • Category: Pasta
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This quick and easy pasta dish combines delicious smoked salmon with fennel and lemon.   It takes a matter of minutes to prepare and is perfect for supper after a long day at work.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 500 g dried spaghetti
  • Salt
  • 100 g smoked salmon (smoked salmon trimmings are fine)
  • 2 fronds of herb fennel (or dill)
  • Bunch of chives (about 6 stems)
  • 150 ml double cream
  • A knob of butter
  • Zest of half a lemon
  • Black pepper

Instructions

  1. Fill the large saucepan with water and bring to the boil.   When boiling, add a pinch of salt, put the spaghetti in the saucepan and cook according to instructions (generally this will be for around 10 minutes).
  2. Meanwhile, cut the smoked salmon into small pieces and finely chop the herb fennel and chives.
  3. When the spaghetti is cooked, drain it and return it to the saucepan.  Stir in the smoked salmon pieces, chopped herbs, double cream and knob of butter.   Grate a little lemon zest over the pasta – the amount will depend on how lemony you like your pasta.   Season with black pepper.  There is no need to add any extra salt as the smoked salmon will be very salty.
  4. Remove the pasta from the pan and serve.

Keywords: smoked salmon, pasta, chives, fennel

Spaghetti with smoked salmon
Mix the sauce with the spaghetti

Loved this recipe?  You may like

Prawn Pasta with Sorrel and Chive Herb Butter

Apricot Tart

Apricot Tart recipe
Apricot Tart

Apricot Tart

This Apricot Tart consists of a buttery frangipane filling, topped with fresh, seasonal apricots, contained in a crisp pastry case.   Frangipane is made from ground almonds, sugar, butter and eggs and is used in many sweet recipes, such as Bakewell Tart.   The taste of almonds has a particular flavour affinity with stoned fruit, such as apricots or cherries.

I love the vibrant orange-purple colour of fresh apricots.   It is so different from the rather sickly yellowy-pink colour that is generally called “apricot”.   I think that this tart really shows off the beautiful, cheerful colour of fresh apricots!

If you are planning a picnic this summer, this is the perfect tart.   It looks beautiful and is great if you are going to a more formal outdoor event such as an open-air concert or play.   It is robust enough to survive being transported in a picnic basket and provides just the right combination of gooey almond filling and fresh, zingy fruit.

As an alternative, you could try my Cherry Tart which has the same pastry and frangipane elements, just topped with a different fruit.   This makes it very easy to double the ingredients for the pastry and frangipane and make both!

Apricot Tart

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Apricot tart recipe

Apricot Tart

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 1 tart serving 8 people 1x
  • Category: Tart
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This beautiful tart combines fresh, seasonal apricots with buttery almond frangipane in a crisp pastry case.

Ingredients

Scale

For the pastry:

  • 275 g plain flour
  • 125 g fat (I use a mix of half butter and half Trex as I think this makes the lightest pastry)
  • Salt and pepper
  • A little water

For the filling:

  • 140 g golden caster sugar
  • 140g ground almonds
  • 140 g butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon apricot brandy
  • 3–4 large fresh apricots
  • 1 tablespoon apricot jam
Apricot Tart recipe
Apricot Tart – ready for the oven

Instructions

  1. Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl.  Add the fat and combine –  either by “rubbing in” by hand or processing – until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add a little cold water (2-3 tbsp) and shape the mixture into a dough.
  3. Roll out your pastry and use it to line a 19 cm quiche or flan dish.   Bake for 5  minutes in the oven to allow the pastry to “set”.  This will stop the filling making it soggy!
  4. To make the filling, put the sugar, ground almonds and butter in a bowl and beat using a food processer or hand blender until pale and creamy.   Add the eggs and apricot brandy and continue to beat until incorporated into the mixture.
  5. Spoon the filling into the pastry case and smooth down the top with a knife.
  6. Wash the apricots.  Cut each apricot in half and remove the stone.  Slice each apricot into segments.
  7. Place the apricot segments on top of the filling.
  8. Place the tart in the oven and bake for around 40 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven.  While the tart is still hot, use a pastry brush to add a thin coating of apricot jam on the top. This will make enhance the appearance of the tart by making the fruit look shiny and also add an extra boost of flavour.
  10. This tart can be eaten warm or cold.

Keywords: apricot tart, apricots, tart

Love this recipe?  You may like this too

Cherry Tart

Cherry Tart

Cherry Tart

This Cherry Tart recipe brings together luscious fresh cherries with a sweet frangipane filling, made with ground almonds, set in a crisp pastry case.  Cherries and almonds are brilliant flavour companions.

Serve this tart either warm or at room temperature.  You can have it as a dessert or pudding, possibly with some cream or ice cream. Alternatively, you can have it with coffee or afternoon tea. This flexibility makes it a brilliant addition to picnics.  The fruity sweetness of the cherries supported by the more substantial almond filling is just want  you want after a day in the fresh air!

You can use any kind of fresh, seasonal cherries for this Cherry Tart recipe.  I particularly like using the dark red-purple cherries.   Cherries come in all kinds of colours from yellow through to dark purple.  If you are lucky enough to have access to more than one type, you could get really creative with the decoration. 

As an alternative, you could try my Apricot Tart which has the same pastry and frangipane elements, just topped with a different fruit.   This makes it very easy to double the ingredients for the pastry and frangipane and make both! If you have an over-supply of fresh cherries, you might also be interested in my Cherry Ice Cream.

What you need to know about this recipe

  • I generally make my own pastry. I was a late learner when it came to pastry and for years used ready-made versions. However, a few years ago I decided I had to get to grips with pastry-making and discovered how easy it is. If you have the time to make your own pastry, it is really worth doing as the taste will be much better than anything you can buy in the shops. However, if you don’t have the time or inclination, you can make this recipe using ready-made pastry and it will still taste pretty good.
  • Whether you are making your own pastry or using ready-made, it is really important to bake the empty pastry case in the oven for 20 minutes before you add the filling (step 3). This sets the pastry and means that it is properly cooked so it will be crisp and delicious rather than soft and soggy.
  • You can use any kind of fresh cherries to make this recipe. You can use any kind of cherries to make this tart. However, make sure that they are sweet and full of flavour. The best way to check this is by eating one! The better the flavour of your cherries, the better the flavour of your tart. I used dark cherries but you you can use any colour, or a mix of colours, to make your tart.
  • I use kirsch, a cherry-based spirit, in the filling (step 4) but you can leave this out if you prefer.
  • A glaze of cherry jam makes your tart look beautiful and glossy. However, this step is not essential.

Other easy dessert recipes

If you are looking for an easy, make-ahead dessert, you might also like some of my other recipes.

Cherry Tart recipe

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Cherry Tart recipe with frangipane filling

Cherry Tart

  • Author: Tastebotanical
  • Prep Time: 20
  • Cook Time: 40
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: Serves 8
  • Category: Tart
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: English
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Description

This luscious tart, made with fresh, seasonal cherries set in a frangipane base encased in crisp pastry, is fantastic eaten at room temperature so makes a great addition to picnics or cold buffets.

Ingredients

Scale

For the pastry:

  • 275 g (10 oz) plain flour
  • 125 g fat (4 oz) I use a mix of half butter and half Trex as I think this makes the lightest pastry)
  • A pinch of salt 
  • A little water

For the filling:

  • 140 g (5 oz)  golden caster sugar
  • 140 g (5 oz)  ground almonds
  • 140 g (5 oz) butter or non-dairy alternative
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon kirsch (optional)
  • 300 g (10 oz) fresh cherries
  • 1 tablespoon cherry jam (optional)

Instructions

Cherry Tart recipe
Place the cherries on the frangipane base
  1. Set your oven to 180 C, 350 F or Gas Mark 4.
  2. Make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl.  Add the fat and combine –  either by “rubbing in” by hand or processing – until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Season with salt.  Add a little cold water (2-3 tbsp) and shape the mixture into a dough.
  3. Roll out your pastry and use it to line a 19 cm quiche or flan dish.   Bake for 20  minutes in the oven to allow the pastry to “set”.  This will stop the filling making it soggy and make sure that the base is crisp and delicious.
  4. To make the filling, put the sugar, ground almonds and butter in a bowl and beat using a food processer or hand blender until pale and creamy.   Add the eggs and kirsch and continue to beat until incorporated into the mixture.
  5. Spoon the filling into the pastry case and smooth down the top with a knife.
  6. Wash the cherries.  Cut each cherry in half and remove the stone.
  7. Place the cherries, cut side down, on top of the filling.
  8. Place the tart in the oven and bake for around 40 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven.  While the tart is still hot, use a pastry brush to add a thin coating of cherry jam on the top. This will make enhance the appearance of the tart by making the fruit look shiny and also add an extra boost of flavour.
  10. This tart can be eaten warm or cold.
Cherry Tart recipe
Make concentric rings of cherries
Ready for the oven

Keywords: cherries, cherry tart