Craig Wilson of Eat on the Green also known as The Kilted Chef shares two of his favourite spring recipes.
Spring is almost here, and the change of season means a change of tastes, flavours and ingredients.
As the days get longer and we spend more time outdoors, dishes which are light, fragrant and full of flavour are on the menu.
My bubble and neep (not squeak!) is great for a delicious Sunday brunch and can use up any leftovers.
Pop the pan in the middle of the table and let the family dig in.
Roast chicken is top of the list of favourites in our house, and the superfood-rub recipe on the opposite page adds loads of great nutrition and flavour.
Superfood-rubbed whole roast chicken with sauteed nest of greens
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
- 1 whole, large chicken
- 1 whole garlic bulb
- 1 lime
- 1 fresh chilli
- 30g fresh coriander
- 100ml Mackintosh of Glendaveny Rapeseed Oil (for rub)
- 1 tsp chai seeds
- 1 tsp flax seeds
- 1 tsp black sesame seeds
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 100g cavolo nero
- 2 spring onions
- 1 leek
- 300g tender stem broccoli
- 100g yellow beans or green beans
- 2 tbsps Mackintosh of Glendaveny Rapeseed Oil (for cooking vegetables)
- 250ml cold water
Method
- Cut the garlic bulb in half, leaving the skin on, and cut the lime in half. Place these in the cavity of the chicken.
- For the superfood rub: Chop the chilli and the coriander (including the stalks) and place in a bowl.
- Add 100ml rapeseed oil, the flax seeds, black sesame seeds, chia seeds, turmeric and sea salt and mix together.
- Using your hand, take the mixture and rub all over the top of the chicken.
- Place the chicken on an oven tray uncovered, then put into a pre-heated oven at 205°F/185°C/405°F/Gas Mark 6 for 30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and spoon over the tray juices; you can also put a spoonful into the cavity.
- Loosely cover the chicken with a double layer of tinfoil to form a tent – don’t seal around the edges – and return to the oven (at the same temperature) for 60 minutes.
- Take the cavolo nero leaves, and using a knife, remove the centre stem on each leaf.
- Cut the leek and spring onions lengthways into long strips and wash.
- Trim the ends off the broccoli and remove end stalk on the yellow/green beans.
- When the chicken is ready, remove from the oven and allow to rest while you sautee the greens.
- In a wide pan or frying pan put 2 tbsp of oil. Add all the vegetables to the pan.
- Then pour in 250ml cold water, cover with the lid and leave for 8-10mins until slightly wilted.
- Drain off any excess water.
To serve:
- Warm a large serving platter. Place the chicken in the centre and the vegetables around the sides.
- Spoon the remaining pan juices over the chicken. Delicious!
Bubble and neep (not squeak!)
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
- 280g neep
- 400g Red Rooster potatoes
- 1 large onion
- 180g sprouts or shredded cabbage
- 50g beef dripping (or rapeseed oil)
- 100g Blue Murder Cheese by the Highland Cheese Company
- Sprig of rosemary
- Pinch of sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Method
- Leaving the skin on, chop the potatoes.
- Peel the neep and cut into squares.
- Put both into salted water and boil in a pan for 20 minutes until soft enough to mash.
- Drain the water, return to the heat and break up in the pan until the potatoes and neep are crushed and dried out.
- Peel the onion and cut it into slices.
- Shred the sprouts or cabbage, using a grater.
- In a frying pan, melt the dripping, add the sliced onions and a pinch of sea salt.
- Fry the onions until golden and soft.
- Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the remaining dripping in the pan.
- Heat the pan again until hot, then add the shredded sprouts/cabbage, tossing in the pan until slightly softened.
- Mix in the crushed neeps, tatties and a pinch of cracked black pepper.
- Arrange the mixture to cover right up to the edge of the pan.
- Put the fried onions on the top, followed by the crumbled blue cheese.
- Sprinkle with fresh rosemary and serve straight from the pan.
More in this series…
The Kilted Chef: Make sure spice is right with these recipes
The Kilted Chef brings a taste of Auld Lang Syne with his recipes for a delicious Burns supper