Seasonal recipes to try now: vibrant salads, roasted vegetables and easy sides for entertaining at home

Paddy’s Markets ambassador Melinda Essey shared how to serve up a vibrant spread using seasonal produce, from hearty eggplant rolls to colourful salads and crispy cumin-roasted potatoes.

Bright green salad with pomegranate & mint

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 4 minutes

Serves: 4 – 6

Ingredients

• 1 cup (100g) snow peas, trimmed
• 80g baby brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 bch broccolini, ends trimmed
• 1 cup (150g) edamame, podded
• 1 zucchini, ribboned (a mandoline or veg peeler is great)
• 1 or 2 radish, very finely sliced
• Lg handful mint, leaves picked
• 1 sml garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 100g feta, large crumbles
• pomegranate seeds (garnish)

Method

1. Slice the zucchini two millimetres thick on a mandolin, or as thin as you can with a peeler or knife. Spread the slices on your chopping board and season them lightly with salt and pepper. Leave the zucchini to wilt while the make the rest of the salad.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. You will use this same water for all the veg. Add the brussels sprouts. After 2 minutes pour in the edamame and broccolini. After another minute add the snow peas and cook for another minute. All the veg should now be bright green and just cooked. Drain, refresh in iced water, then drain well.
3. For the dressing, combine all ingredients in a screw top jar that will also fit the feta. Shake well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Then add the feta, shake gently to coat and refrigerate until needed.
4. To serve toss the blanched greens on a serving platter. Fold or roll the zucchini and add it to the plate. Scatter over the radish and mint. The toss gently with the feta and dressing.
5. This delicious side pairs just as well with roast chicken, lamb or fish with the yoghurt dressing complementing the meat. It can also easily transform into an elegant yet hearty canape by using kipfler/fingerling potatoes. To serve top each potato with a teaspoon of yoghurt and garnishing with an additional sprinkle of chopped herbs or small fronds.

Roasted Maple & Tahini Carrot Salad

Prep time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Servi: 4 – 5 as a side

Ingredients

• 2 bunches Dutch carrots, scrubbed & halved lengthwise if large, trim carrot fronds leaving 3cm at top — use rest of fronds in pesto or as a salad leaf
• 3 – 4 red onions, peeled and cut into eighths
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 – 3 tbsp maple syrup
• Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup tahini
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• ¼tsp salt
• 1 tsp water
• Handful of greens: rocket, spinach, lettuce, basil, parsley, fennel or carrot fronds
• Cheese: Feta, goat cheese or bocconcini
• Grains or beans: quinoa, bulghur, cous cous, barley, lentils, cannellini beans or chickpeas
• Nuts & seeds: Pine nuts, pecans, sesame seeds, pepitas, sunflower seeds (lightly toasted)
• Olives

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line oven trays with baking paper. In a large bowl toss onion with half the oil, salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on the tray. In the same bowl toss the carrots in the rest of the oil, maple syrup, salt and cayenne if using. Roast for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway through, until carrots are tender and golden and carmelised..
2. Meanwhile, combine all dressing ingredients in a small jar. Seal and shake well. Taste and adjust seasoning. If the dressing is too thick, add more water, a tsp at a time, until it’s a drizzleable.
3. If using additions also prepare now.
4. To serve: Layer vegetables, greens, feta and nuts (if using) on a serving platter; drizzle with dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cumin Roasted Potatoes with Preserved Lemon Yoghurt

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Serves: 6 as a side

Ingredients

• 125g natural yoghurt
• 1 tbsp preserved lemon, finely minced
• 1 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped finely (dill, coriander, mint & parsley work well)
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1kg small roasting potatoes, unpeeled and halved lengthwise (use kipfler for canapes)

Method

1. In a small bowl combine the natural yoghurt, preserved lemon and herbs. Stir well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. At least an hour to let the flavours develop.
2. Preheat oven to 200C.
3. Combine olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add the cut potatoes and toss well to coat evenly. Arrange potatoes, cut side down on a oiled or lined baking sheet. Flip once the cut sides are brown (about 30 minutes), then continue to and roast until tender and golden brown, another 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Arrange potatoes, cut side up on a serving platter with a sprinkle of herbs to garnish with the yoghurt on the side.
5. For everyone afraid of eggplant, this is an ideal gateway! The earthy nuttiness of the brown rice is complemented by the creaminess of the steamed eggplant and tahini sauce Light enough to serve as an interesting side for a special occasion. It’s also nutritious and delicious as a meal in its own right. Pair it with a crisp green salad and add a large handful of chickpeas or lentils to the rice to bump up the protein.

Eggplant Rice Rolls

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4 - 6 as a side

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown basmati rice
• 2 eggplants, cut lengthwise 1cm thick
• zest & juice 1 lemon
• 1-2 clove garlic, minced
• 2½ tbsp tahini
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp Lebanese 7 spice mix
• 1 tsp za’atar
• lg handful coriander or parsley, roughly chopped (reserve some for garnish)
• 1½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp toasted seeds — sunflower, sesame or pepitas (to serve)

Method

1. Boil or steam the rice. At the same time, steam eggplant slices for 15 mins, until pliable but not falling apart. Allow to cool slightly.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon zest, juice, garlic, tahini, olive oil, water, maple syrup and a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste, adjust seasoning and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine the cooled rice, spices, herbs, ½ tsp salt and half the tahini mixture. Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Preheat the oven to 200C and grease a roasting dish lightly with oil.
5. Lay a few of the eggplant slices on a board or piece of baking paper. Put a heaped dessertspoonful of the rice mixture onto the bigger end of each eggplant slice. Roll the slices up to encase the filling. Nestle the rolls snugly together in the roasting dish, seam-side down. Sprinkle any remaining rice filling around the edges of the dish. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the top. Bake for 20 – 25 mins until golden.
6. Remove from the oven, drizzle with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the seeds and reserved herbs and serve.

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