Jersey Royal Wild Garlic Watercress Tart With Pink Pickled Onions Recipes

JERSEY ROYAL, WILD GARLIC & WATERCRESS TART WITH PINK PICKLED ONIONS

Steps:

• First, make the pickled onions. Put the onion in a bowl, then bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds and 50ml water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir, on a medium heat, to dissolve the sugar. Once dissolved, remove from the heat and pour over the onions. Set aside for at least 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the pastry. Mix the flour with a pinch of sea salt in a bowl. Add the butter and use your fingers to lightly bring it together to a breadcrumb texture. Don't worry if there are some big chunks, this will help make it light and flaky. Stir in the vodka, then pour over 2 tbsp ice cold water and use a butter knife to bring the dough together. Use your hands to form into a ball. If it needs more liquid, add a dash more iced water. Turn out onto a floured worksurface and knead briefly, until smooth and pliable. Squash it into a disc, then wrap in baking parchment and chill for 30 mins.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the potatoes and mint in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Add a big pinch of salt and bring to the boil, then simmer for 10 mins until tender. Turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to cool in the water.
• Roll the pastry out until about 5mm in thickness, then transfer to a loose-bottomed 20cm tart tin. Trim the edges with a knife, then chill for 10 mins until firm. Prick the base with a fork, line with crumpled baking parchment and fill with baking beans or rice. Bake for 20 mins.
• Remove the baking beans and parchment. Whisk one of the eggs in a bowl, then brush all over the pastry. Bake for 10 mins more, then remove from the oven.
• Blitz the remaining eggs and egg wash, the wild garlic, watercress and cream to a purée in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the drained ricotta and lemon zest. Add most of the cheese, nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Slice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and arrange half of them in the tart case. Using a teaspoon, dot in the harissa. Pour over the green egg mixture and nestle in the remaining potatoes. Scatter over the rest of the cheese.
• Bake for 35-40 mins. Allow to rest for at least 20 mins before you remove it from the tin and slice. Serve with a watercress salad, if you like, and the pink pickled onions.

ASPARAGUS WITH PEAS, MINT & JERSEY ROYALS IN WILD GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil and cook the potatoes for 8-10 mins or until tender. Drain.
• Toast the slivered almonds in a dry frying pan until golden. Set aside.
• Mix together the butter, wild garlic leaves and mint (you can blitz in a food processor, if you like). Set aside.
• Cover the peas with boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain and immediately plunge into cold water.
• Heat the olive oil in a large lidded saucepan over a medium heat. Add the asparagus spears and a good pinch of sea salt and shake to coat in the oil. Put the lid on and cook the asparagus over a low to medium heat, shaking the pan to move the spears around, about 4 mins. Remove the spears from the pan and immediately plunge into iced water.
• Melt the garlic butter in the pan and squeeze in the juice of the lemon. Stir the potatoes, asparagus and peas into the butter untiul warm. Tip everything onto a serving dish and grate over some lemon zest. Top with the toasted almonds.

WATERCRESS SALAD WITH BOILED JERSEY ROYALS, ROAST SHALLOTS & PICKLED RADISH

Steps:

• Wash the watercress and leave to soak in a large bowl of cold water.
• Whisk the vinegar with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Toss the radish in the vinegar and leave to pickle.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the shallots in a roasting tray and coat in the olive oil. Season. Arrange the shallots cut-side down and roast for 45 mins.
• Meanwhile, put the potatoes and mint in a pan. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 10 mins until tender. Leave to cool in the water, then drain, cutting any bigger potatoes in half.
• Peel off the roasted shallot skins and discard. Pull apart the shallot halves and toss in a salad bowl with the potatoes, dressing and the roasting oil. Drain the watercress, then add that, season, and scatter over the pickled radishes and a little cider vinegar. Toss everything together and serve.