If you’re new here, WELCOME…This is first and foremost a place for recipes, but also where I can dish out expertise on the only thing I truly know about- feeding your friends. I hope that You Bring The Wine either remains, or becomes, your ultimate tool kit.
This week I’m bringing you a couple of recipes that can be made (genuinely) at speed. These salads bring the newsletter salad streak to a brief end as next week I’ll be bringing you a little pasta number… watch this space.
The first is an asparagus and puy lentil number that I make veryyyy regularly, it’s so easy and you can swap the asparagus for tenderstem, courgette or other greens as the season changes. The second is a courgette and grain salad- I told you raw courgette would be your new party trick and this salad shows off yet another way to put that trick to good use. PLUS they’re both vegan, so no need to worry for dietries.
I created these recipes in partnership with Merchant Gourmet- and if you’re into skipping the soaking/cooking of pulses and avoiding the process of repeatedly eating solid grains as you test their done-ness (I sure am)- these will come as a treat because they’re speedy and delicious and perfect for feeding crowd.
Serves 4
PREP: 10 mins
COOK: 10 mins
The when is obvs asparagus season. BUT also when you want something that you can get together at speed, it’s great for a lunch with pals served like this on a big platter- you could also pack it up and take it to a picnic, you do you. The why is a flavour thing, the reason I make a version of this salad so much is because it hits all the spots, the pickled onions, the charred asparagus the creamy yogurt, those tasty herby lentils, its perfect.
INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 shallot, peeled and finely sliced
400g asparagus
4 tbsp olive oil
2 x 200g pouches Merchant Gourmet Puy Lentils
Small bunch each mint and dill, roughly chopped
150g vegan yogurt, to serve
75g pumpkin seeds, toasted, to serve
METHOD
Mix the red wine vinegar, honey, and Dijon mustard together in the base of a large bowl. Add the shallot slices along with a big pinch of salt. Toss well and set aside.
Heat the grill to high. Toss the asparagus with 1 1/2 tbsp of the olive oil, season well, then spread on a large baking sheet. Grill for 7-10 mins- depending on the thickness of your asparagus spears, they should be charred and softened with a slight bite.
Meanwhile, add the remaining olive to the large bowl, then tip in the puy lentils. Roughly chop the herbs and add most of them to the bowl. Toss, taste and season with salt and pepper. Tip onto a platter.
Season the yogurt with salt and pepper, add enough water to make it a drizzle-able consistency, then drizzle it over the lentils.
Top with the charred asparagus and toasted pumpkin seeds, finish with the remaining chopped herbs.
Serves 4
PREP: 10 mins
COOK: N/A
The when is that moment when you invite people over for lunch or for a bbq and you realise that really you want something table ready in 10 mins… if you’re not a vegan this is actually VERY good with a roast/bbq chicken. The why- well because in this salad, the peeled courgette ribbons are a new and exciting way to use your raw courgettes, and also because topping salads with hazelnuts makes them bloody delicious.
INGREDIENTS
2-3 courgettes
2 lemons, zest and juice
200g Frozen peas
2 x pouches Merchant Gourmet Italian-Style Grains
400g can white beans, drained and rinsed
Small bunch each parsley and dill
75g roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
60g capers
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp mustard
3 tbsp olive oil
METHOD
First, use a vegetable peeler to peel the courgettes into long ribbons directly into a large salad bowl. Add the zest of the two lemons, frozen peas, grains and white beans. Roughly chop the herbs and add them to the bowl along with most of the roasted hazelnuts and capers- saving a few for the top.
Make the dressing. Whisk the juice of 1 ½ of the lemons together with the maple syrup, mustard and olive oil. Season well, then tip over the salad. Toss, taste and season, add the remaining lemon half and extra olive oil to taste. Scatter with the remaining roasted hazelnuts and capers and serve.
This week, I really wanted to do a little round up of some GREAT salad platters that I’ve found recently. I’ve linked them all below.
From the top left dolphin platter from Luke Edward, big shell from Aerin , my fave splattery guy from Hot Pottery.
Le Plateau Harlie Brown Studio - also check out her incredible mugs, I’ve been lusting over them for yonks. A blue check number from Popolo and a simple elegant platter from Astier de Villate.
Finally, one thats just for lusting from Soft Edge Studios (go wild and lust over their whole collection. A very practical platter that is ACTUALLY big enough to serve some big old table salads from Gharyan and finally… a beauty from Tatiana Alida maybe less for salad and more for the wall, she also make some really really great butter dishes.