A Fresh Take

With the winter months behind us, the garden at our new home has doubled in size and is ready
for the abundance that spring brings. I’ve added a number of fruit trees to my blank canvas of
a garden with fig, orange, peach and feijoa. The latter is a must after missing this wonderful fruit while living abroad. I’ve also added every edible flower I could get my hands on — violets, borage, marigolds and more, hoping they’ll grace the tops of cakes and summer drinks. Vibrant vegetables have been such a focus in our household after the cold months and all the illness that school and workplaces have thrown at us.

I’m a firm believer that fresh seasonal produce supports our immunity with what we most need
at the time. Even better if it’s locally grown. This issue features plant-based salads that are great
as a side or divided into lunches for busy people. And now’s the best time to harvest (or buy)
those sweet late-season ruby-red rhubarb stalks to make this delicious syrup that can be used in
a refreshing family drink or a grown-up gin fizz.‍

For more recipes and local produce inspiration, follow @madebyhollys

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Spring Soba Noodle Salad

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Serves 6 as a side or 4 as a light lunch

200g dried soba noodles
1 cup frozen edamame beans
1½ cups red cabbage, finely sliced
2 large carrots, cut into thin batons (julienne)
½ large cucumber, cut into thin batons (julienne)
¼ cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra leaves to garnish
1 red capsicum, finely sliced
Chopped roasted peanuts, to garnish

Dressing

¼ cup good-quality peanut butter
3 tbs soy sauce
2 limes, juiced
1 tsp grated ginger 
¼ cup rice vinegar
1½ tsp sesame oil
2 tbs brown sugar (substitute honey, if preferred)

Cook noodles according to packet directions, blanch in cold water and drain. Cover beans
with boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain.

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl.

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients with ½ cup boiling water and mix well to emulsify.
Drizzle over the salad and combine well. Garnish with peanuts and a scattering of coriander.

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Greens with Orange Mustard Vinaigrette & Toasted Almonds‍

I was lucky to get my hands on new season asparagus and beans at an early morning trip to
the market. Simply paired with edamame and peas from the freezer, toasted almonds and
a tangy dressing, the just-cooked greens are the hero of this dish.

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Serves 6 as a side or 4 as a light lunch‍

2 bunches asparagus
Large handful green beans, stems trimmed
½ cup frozen edamame beans
½ cup frozen baby peas
½ cup flaked almonds‍

Dressing

1 tbs wholegrain mustard
1 tbs apple cider vinegar
1 tbs orange juice 
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and blanch all the greens for 2 minutes or until
tender, then plunge into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain well and arrange
on a large serving platter. 

In a dry pan, toast the almonds until light golden, then place in a cold bowl to stop the
cooking process.

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients and season with sea salt and black pepper
to taste.

Just before serving, scatter the almonds across your greens and lightly drizzle the salad
with the vinaigrette.

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The syrup

Add 500g white sugar, 500ml water, and 500g chopped red rhubarb stalks to a saucepan and simmer for about 15 minutes until sugar has dissolved and fruit is soft and pale. Avoid stirring the
fruit to retain clarity. Skim off any foam that rises up while cooking and discard. Strain into a bowl through a fine mesh sieve. Refrigerate in a sealed container for a fortnight or freeze.

Family friendly rhubarb sparkler

Combine one part syrup to five parts sparkling water and pour into a glass with ice. ‍

Rhubarb gin fizz (pictured above)

Add a nip (30ml) of gin and a nip of rhubarb syrup to a glass. Top with chilled soda water and
serve with a slice of lime (for this photo, I got my hands on some fantastic calamansi limes, though any tart citrus will do).

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Words & Recipes by Holly McVicar