Fresh seasonal produce makes for some lovely looking - and tasting - dishes.
How lovely to walk into your local fruit and vege store and be greeted by the sight and smells of the new season's produce.
Green mounds of the freshest asparagus, baskets of acid-free tomatoes, glossy red, orange and yellow capsicums all mingling with the gorgeous scent of big fat mangoesand alluring bunches of basil. It inspires me to create the simplest of dishes which highlight these vivacious new flavours, which are perfect to enjoy during the first few weeks of warm, sunny weather.
Asparagus has been in the shops for a couple of weeks and is the quintessential spring vegetable. Snap off the ends then blanch or grill - it takes just a little cooking and should retain a slight "al dente" texture. Soft, overcooked asparagus is a no-no unless you buy it in a can and wrap in white bread which, I must admit, I am still quite fond of.
Beautiful colourful capsicums are just starting to become more plentiful and will be coming down in price. Raw, roasted or grilled, they add colour, flavour and texture to a salad with pieces of gently baked salmon and slices of acid-free tomatoes. Fragrant basil pairs nicely with these tomatoes. My grandmother always preferred them for their more subtle flavour and obvious lack of acidity, so seeing them in the store instantly brought back some lovely memories.
Huge Australian mangoes are available and are a summer treat. Even though they are expensive, they smell and taste sublime.
Strawberries are beginning to appear and when served with mango the flavours complement each other well.
I have added some savoiardi biscuits, a drizzle of cardamom syrup, a little whipped cream topped with toasted sesame seeds and a few fresh mint leaves.
These are all motivating flavours to welcome summer - bring it on.
Chef's tip
Choose vegetables which look the freshest and have bright colour. Try to buy asparagus sold loosely so you can choose similar-sized spears which will take the same amount of time to cook. Refrigerate and use within two days.
