Jan Bilton: Spring recipes from the garden (+recipes)

Rhubarb Custard Cake

Suddenly, I'm thinking salads for lunch instead of soup. It must be spring. The first spears of asparagus are thrusting up through the soil, my rhubarb is sprouting bright red stalks and our local hydroponic strawberries are in full blush, writes JAN BILTON.

RHUBARB CUSTARD CAKE

Serve with coffee or add extra rhubarb and whipped cream and serve as a dessert.

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Rhubarb: 400g trimmed rhubarb

1/4 cup caster sugar

Cake: 1/2 cup thick custard

250g butter

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 tsp each: finely grated orange rind, vanilla essence

4 large eggs

2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200C. To roast the rhubarb, wash the rhubarb, shake off the excess water and cut into 5cm lengths. Place in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it in a single layer. Sprinkle with the caster sugar and toss to cover evenly. Cover with foil. Roast for about 20 minutes, remove the foil and continue cooking until the juices are syrupy. Cool.

To prepare the cake, first lightly grease a 23cm spring-form cake pan. Line with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180C.

Place 3 tablespoons of the custard aside in a bowl. Beat the butter, remaining custard, caster sugar, orange rind and vanilla essence, until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix to combine. Spoon one-third of the mixture into the cake pan then scatter with a third of the rhubarb. Repeat twice. Dot the tops with the reserved custard. Bake for 40 minutes, cover with foil and continue baking for another 10-15 minutes, until a skewer inserted in then centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan. Great served dusted with icing sugar.

STRAWBERRY PINWHEELS

These pinwheels may be reheated briefly in the microwave and served with whipped cream or yoghurt. For extra tang, drizzle with pomegranate syrup.

INGREDIENTS

200g strawberries, hulled and sliced

3 tbsp caster sugar

3/4 cup self-raising flour

Finely grated rind 1 lemon

4-5 tbsp plain yoghurt

1 tbsp strawberry jam, warmed

Icing sugar and mint leaves to serve

METHOD

Place the strawberries in a bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the caster sugar. Preheat the oven to 225C.

Lightly grease four non-stick Texas muffin holes. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the remaining caster sugar and lemon rind. Add the yoghurt and mix to a soft dough. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead gently, until smooth. Roll into a 20cm square. Brush with the jam. Place two-thirds of the strawberries in a single layer over the dough leaving a 2cm border at the top and bottom. Roll up to form a log. Cut into 4 even pinwheels. Place 1 pinwheel in each muffin hole, cut-side up. Press down gently. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Stand for 5 minutes then turn on to serving plates. Spoon the remaining strawberries and their juice on top. Dust with icing sugar, and garnish with mint leaves. - Serves 4

SMOKED ASPARAGUS BRUSCHETTA WITH GARLIC CANNELLINI

I used Earl Grey tea for smoking the asparagus but lap sang souchong tea or hickory chips are also good.

INGREDIENTS

Garlic Cannellini: 1 cup frozen peas

400g can cannellini, drained and rinsed

2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp each: olive oil, lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Topping: 10 medium asparagus spears

1/4 cup tea for smoking

10 hearty slices ciabatta or similar, toasted

Herbs to garnish

METHOD

Cook the peas, until soft. Mash together with the cannellini beans, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and seasonings. Set aside. Makes about 1&1/2 cups.

Trim the asparagus and place on a wire rack in a single layer. Sprinkle the tea into a wok. Place the rack about 4cm over the tea.

Cover with foil. Place a lid on the wok and smoke the asparagus on low heat until it is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.

Don't over-smoke as the asparagus will become too strong. Cut into 1cm pieces.

Spread the ciabatta with the garlic cannellini then top with the asparagus. Garnish. - Makes 10

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH OLIVE TAPENADE

Also excellent garnished with shaved parmesan cheese.

INGREDIENTS

Olive Tapenade: 3/4 cup pitted black Kalamata olives

1 tbsp capers, washed and drained

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Asparagus: 500g asparagus

2-3 tbsp olive oil

Freshly ground salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

To make the tapenade, place the olives, capers, garlic, olive oil and pepper into a food processor or blender and process, until finely chopped.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Snap the tough ends off the asparagus and trim the stalks if necessary.

Place in a small roasting pan. Toss together with the olive oil. Season.

Roast for 5 minutes, turn the spears over then continue roasting until crisp-tender, about 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness.

Serve the asparagus hot or at room temperature topped with the tapenade. Great accompanied by French bread. - Serves 4 as a starter or light meal.