Rachel's Recipes

STARTERS

Asparagus Stir-Fry

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Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4

30ml sunflower oil
1½ tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 dried red chillies
10 fresh curry leaves
2 medium banana shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 green chillies (bird’s eye or similar), chopped
250g asparagus, woody ends cut off and discarded, spears cut in half widthways
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
50g grated fresh coconut
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 small handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Put the oil in a wide pan set over a medium heat. Once it’s hot, add the mustard and cumin seeds, the whole dried chillies and the curry leaves, cook for 30 or so seconds, until they all start to sizzle and smell fragrant, then add the sliced shallots and green chillies, and cook, stirring, for three minutes.

Add the asparagus, stir-fry for two minutes, then sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Add the grated coconut and cook, stirring, for another three minutes, until well combined.

Take off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and chopped coriander, and serve at once.

Grilled nectarine and burrata salad with pickled onions, tomato and mint

Prep 35 min
Cook 10 min
Serves 4

1 red onion,peeled and finely sliced
2 tbsp good-quality white wine vinegar
2 tsp caster sugar, or honey
Salt and pepper
40g pumpkin seeds
2 not-too-ripe nectarines
4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cucumber, cut in half lengthways, deseeded and cut into diagonal chunks
300g baby yellow or red tomatoes, halved
2 big handfuls mint leaves, roughly chopped
80g rocket
Juice of ½ lemon
250g burrata

Put the onion in a small bowl, add the vinegar and caster sugar, and toss to coat. Season and set aside.

Tip the pumpkin seeds into a small frying pan set over a medium heat and toast for a few minutes, shaking the pan every now and then, until lightly toasted all over. Tip out on to a plate and set aside.

Put a griddle pan on a medium-high heat. Run a sharp knife around the seam of the nectarines, pull them in half and gently remove and discard the stones without damaging the flesh. Cut each half into quarters, then put in a bowl, toss with a tablespoon of oil and season. When the griddle is smoking hot, grill the nectarine slices for a few minutes on each side, until char marks appear but they are still holding their shape (you can also do this under a hot grill).

Put the cucumber, tomatoes, mint and rocket in a large bowl, squeeze over the lemon juice, drizzle with a few tablespoons of oil and season well. Toss gently, then arrange on a platter or individual salad plates.

Break open the burrata and tear it into pieces over the salad, tucking in the nectarine slices as you do. Scatter over the pickled onions, dress with their pickling liquor and season the lot with freshly ground black pepper, a little sea salt and a final drizzle of your best olive oil. Sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and eat at once.