As the end of winter approaches but before spring kicks in, it can be hard to find seasonal inspiration in the kitchen – especially if you fancy something bright, fragrant and flavourful. But with some clever cooking you can take the available fruit and veg and transform them into something colourful and fresh, tantalising your taste buds until spring arrives
RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING EMILY GUSSIN PHOTOGRAPHS INDIA WHILEY-MORTON
Mushroom larb
Serves2
Hands-on time25 min
KNOW-HOW
Fish sauce is a key ingredient of many Thai dishes, but if you’re veggie or vegan you can get vegan ‘fish sauce’ from Asian supermarkets (made with soy). It offers up the same funky savouriness, lasts forever and opens up a whole new world of dishes – so it’s well worth tracking down a bottle if you don’t eat fish. Please note though: vegan ‘fish sauce’ isn’t gluten free.
• 1 tbsp glutinous rice or jasmine rice
• Dash vegetable oil
• 300g white mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1½ tbsp fish sauce (or vegan alternative – see Know-how)
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• Juice 1 lime
• Handful mint leaves, chopped
• 1 little gem lettuce, leaves separated, to serve
1Toast the rice in a large dry frying pan over a low-medium heat, shaking regularly, for about 10 minutes until richly golden all over. Tip into a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, then crush to a powder.
2Return the frying pan to a high heat and add the oil along with half the mushrooms and a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring now and then, for about 2 minutes until golden and tender. Push to one side, then add the rest of the mushrooms and repeat. Remove the pan from the heat, add ½ tbsp fish sauce and the shallots, then leave for a minute.
3Stir in the rest of the fish sauce along with the chilli flakes, lime juice and mint. Taste and adjust the flavour, adding more lime or fish sauce as you prefer. Stir in the rice powder, then spoon into lettuce leaves to serve.
Per serving 99kcals, 2.6g fat (0.3g saturated), 6.1g protein, 13g carbs (2.4g sugars), 2.7g salt, 2.7g fibre
Spiced venison naan with pineapple salsa
Serves 4 Hands-on time 30 min, plus at least 30 min marinating Oven time 2 min
ECO TIP
Look out for pineapples sold ‘crownless’ – removing the leaves before they’re shipped saves on space and energy, and the leaves can be composted at th
