Chargrilled Asparagus Spring Onions With Chive Flowers Food

CHARGRILLED ASPARAGUS & SPRING ONIONS WITH CHIVE FLOWERS

Steps:

• Heat a griddle pan over a very high heat and add the olive oil - place the asparagus spears & spring onions in the pan, being careful that the oil does not spit and burn you.
• Cook for 2 to 4 minutes on one side, depending on the thickness and then turn over and continue to cook for a further 2 to 4 minutes. You are aiming for charred, but not burnt!
• Just before the end add the Balsamic vinegar and a little more oil if needed.
• Serve straight away with chopped fresh chives and chive flowers sprinkled over the top, and a lemon wedge per serving.

PICKLED SPRING ONIONS (DUA HANH - VNESE)

Steps:

• Wash onions and let dry completely.
• Boil vinegar, sugar and salt, allow the mixture to cool.
• Pour liquid into a jar, covering onions.
• Seal tight and let sit for at least 3 days.
• Pickles last in fridge for up to 3 weeks.

GRILLED CORN, ASPARAGUS AND SPRING ONION SALAD

Steps:

• Heat grill to high. Lightly brush corn, asparagus and spring onions with vegetable oil. Place them on the grill and spread them out in one layer so they can cook evenly. Flip the vegetables a couple of times until they are charred on all sides but retain a firm bite; asparagus and spring onions should cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness, and corn about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove them from the grill as they are ready, then set aside.
• While the vegetables grill, combine lime juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire, Maggi, chile oil and salt in a large bowl. Whisk until fully combined. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
• Once vegetables have cooled enough to handle, cut asparagus and spring onions into thirds and add them to the bowl. Shave the kernels from the corn, discarding the cobs, and add kernels to the bowl. Toss to combine with the sauce. Add the halved tomatoes and combine well. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SEA BASS THAI STYLE

Steps:

• Apart from the sea bass, mix all the other ingredients together.
• Arrange the sea bass fillets on a sheet of tin foil so that the shiny side is on the outside.
• Score the fillets, and pull up the corners of the foil. Spoon over the Thai dressing and crimp the corners together to create a sealed bag.
• Dip the base of the bag in some oil and place on a chargrill or hot dry pan and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the pan, tear open bag and serve.

GRILLED SPRING ONIONS WITH ROMESCO SAUCE

Steps:

• Slice 4 garlic cloves in half crosswise and put them in a small, microwave-safe dish. Cover with 1/4 cup olive oil. Loosely cover dish with plastic wrap, cut a slit in top and cook in microwave on medium power for 1 minute, 20 seconds. Uncover and let cool. Alternately, saute garlic in oil until golden around edges, about 3 minutes.
• Place tomato cut-side down on a plate. Microwave on medium power for 4 minutes. Let cool, then pull off tomato skin; it should come right off. If not, cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Alternatively, roast tomato halves in a 350-degree oven until wrinkled and tender, 20-30 minutes, then peel.
• Chop remaining 3 cloves garlic and put in a food processor along with nuts and biscotti. Grind to a powder, add sun-dried tomatoes and yolks, and process until tomatoes are ground. Add cooked tomato, cooked garlic with oil, plus vinegar, paprika, salt and cayenne, and process until smooth. Slowly drizzle in remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. Taste and adjust salt and vinegar if desired. If mixture is too thick, slowly drizzle in 1-3 tablespoons warm water. (You can make sauce up to 5 days ahead.).
• To prepare onions, preheat a grill or broiler. Brush onions with oil and place on a grilling rack or broiler pan. Grill or broil for about 5 minutes a side, until browned and softened. Serve with romesco sauce.

CHARGRILLED ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Remove woody ends of asparagus.
• Toss asparagus in a bowl with olive oil.
• Heat a griddle, or barbeque and cook the asparagus for about 10 minutes, until al dente.
• Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with parmesan shavings to serve.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS, ONIONS AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F.
• Line a 10 x 15 inch rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Place vegetables in pan and sprinkle with olive oil and toss until covered evenly.
• Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
• Roast 10 minutes, stir, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and roast an additional 10 to 15 minutes until vegetables are slightly charred and tender.

GARLIC AND CHILLI PICKLE

Steps:

• Peel and wash garlic cloves.
• Clean and wash garlic greens/chive.
• Destalk and wash green chillies.
• Place garlic, chillies and chives in the sun, on a towel for a few hours, to dry out the water completely. Any leftover water will make the pickle go 'off' very quickly.
• Place garlic, chillies and greens together in a food processor and let 'er rip. They should not be too fine and retain a rough texture.
• Add salt, oil and amchur powder. Mix well and spread out on a plate. Leave out on a sunny window sill for a few hours.
• Transfer to a clean glass jar. Tie a piece of cloth/old handkerchief on top, using a rubber band.
• Leave again on a sunny window sill, for a few hours more. Remove cloth and replace with a screw top lid.
• This pickle will last for more than one year.

TAMAGO SUSHI

Steps:

• In a bowl beat eggs, flour,sugar and salt together.
• Heat a non stick or lightly oiled pan on a medium heat. I normally use a small frying pan to give me a 1/4 inch thick omelette.
• Cook egg mix until golden on both sides.
• Allow to cool and slice into 1/2 inch thick slices.
• Slice the spring onions lengthways into long thin strips. Depending on preference you can use the white only or all parts of the onion.
• In a small dry frying pan place the sesame seeds and heat over a medium heat until they turn golden brown and become aromatic; watch carefully they burn very easily.
• Assembling the sushi. There are two ways to assemble this sushi you can either make fat rolls (futomaki) or layered sushi (nigari) I will describe both.
• Rolls (futomaki):.
• Lay a sheet of nori down on a sushi rolling mat.
• Spread 1/3 of the rice over the nori pressing down well; leave a 1 inch gap at the side nearest to you.
• Leave a 1 inch gap on the rice at your side and place 1/3 of the onion, sesame seeds and omelet; top with a line of the mayonnaise.
• Take the inch of seaweed that is showing and fold over the rice, continue rolling up the seaweed using the mat if needed as an aid. You should end up with a cigar shaped roll.
• Remove the roll to a plate and place in the fridge, make the other rolls in the same way.
• When the sushi is cool, use a sharp knife dipped in salted water to slice into 1/2 inch slices.
• The end sections will look untidy so eat them and arrange the rest of the pieces on a plate.
• Layered (nigari):.
• Line 9 x 13 inch pan with cling film.
• Place 1/3 of the sushi rice in a layer on the bottom.
• Place one of the nori sheets on the rice adding more around the sides if needed.
• Place the sliced omelet on top of the nori leaving 1/2 inch gaps between the slices.
• Place the spring onions in the gaps and top each one with a thin line of the mayonnaise.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds and top with another sheet of nori.
• Add another 1/3 of the rice.
• Add the other nori sheet.
• Add the rest of the rice.
• Press down the top of the sushi with another pan covered in cling film.
• Turn the sushi out onto a board and using a sharp wet knife cut into squares.

PICKLED SPRING ONIONS AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Bring 3 3/4 cups water, the vinegar, coriander seeds, lemon zest, bay leaves, 2 tablespoons salt, and the sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add onions, and return to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes.
• Divide asparagus between two 1-quart jars. Add onions, and divide liquid between jars. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover, and refrigerate at least 1 day and up to 1 month.