The Spoon Feed

vegetarian

Leek tart with lemon zest

Spring has certainly arrived, and even as a self-proclaimed autumn fan, I am thoroughly enjoying the sun beating down on my face and the cool breeze that comes with it this time of year.

My recipe for Leek Tart with Lemon Zest is simple and tasty to have in the garden as a light meal, accompanied with blanched sprouting broccoli, or a simple salad and buttered new potatoes. Leeks are often an unpraised ingredient in my opinion, and they really can offer wondrous flavour and act as the star ingredient in many dishes. The lemon in this dish, really adds a vibrancy and lifts it into a bright and delicious treat for al fresco dining.

Leek Tart with Lemon Zest

Leek Tart with Lemon Zest

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A Spoonful of… Spinach – Some Thoughts

Spinach may seem an odd choice for the first subject of discussion in this “ode to an ingredient-esque” series. However, it really is a simply delicious and versatile ingredient.

Spinach truly is a “super-food” with its sources of niacin, zinc, protein, fibre, vitamins A, C, E and K, as well as iron and calcium. This vibrant leaf has a delectably rich and earthy flavour with an almost creamy tone. Used raw it is crisp, light and nutty. Why not try throwing some sunflower seeds, feta, steamed runner beans, and a generous glug of balsamic vinegar in with a big bowl of spinach – you’ve got yourself a healthy, flavour-rich supper.

Wilted, spinach is almost a completely different ingredient. Smooth and mild, it melts at the touch of heat and softens in to a gorgeously silky green. Mix simply with butter and garlic to make a more than worthy side dish. Stir in to pots of tangy tomato stew, tagine, curry and deeply spiced pans of Huevos Rancheros to bring a rounded element of earthiness; you can almost taste the nutrients that prosper in each leaf.

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