Gather friends and family together to share delicious food and create warm memories – our recipes will keep the celebrations going all the way through the long weekend
recipes GOOD FOOD TEAM photographsMYLES NEW & LIAM DES BOIS
Veggie centrepiece Asparagus, rocket, caper & hollandaise tart
Our unctuous tart showcases seasonal asparagus, teamed with creamy hollandaise and a tangle of rocket on top for peppery freshness.
Ailsa Burt
SERVES 6-8 PREP 30 mins plus 1 hr 30 mins chilling and cooling COOK 1 hr MORE EFFORT V
1 bunch of asparagus (about 250g),
trimmed
4 eggs
250g butter
½-1 tbsp vinegar, such as sherry
or white wine
¼ tsp ground mace
1 tbsp capers, drained
10g parsley, finely chopped
30g rocket
For the pastry
200g plain flour, plus extra
for dusting
100g cold butter, cut into pieces
1 egg yolk (freeze the white for
another recipe)
1First, make the pastry. Tip the flour and butter into a food processor, and blitz to fine crumbs. Alternatively, rub the butter into the flour using your fingers. Add the egg yolk and 11/2tbsp cold water, then blitz or mix until a dough comes together and forms into a ball. Shape into a disc, then cover and chill for 30 mins.
2Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 1/2cm-thick circle, then use it to line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin, pushing it into the base and up the side. Trim any excess, then chill for another hour. Will keep chilled for a day.
3Cut most of the asparagus spears into thirds, reserving 2 whole spears for decorating later. Cook the asparagus pieces in a pan of boiling water for 1 min, then drain well and immediately plunge into a bowl of iced water to halt the cooking process. Leave to cool for 15 mins, then drain well and pat dry using kitchen paper.
4Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 with a baking sheet inside. Prick the pastry case all over using a fork, then scrunch up a sheet of baking parchment and use it to line the pastry case. Fill with baking beans, then carefully slide onto the hot baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mins until the pastry is set. Remove the parchment and beans, and bake for 5-10 mins more until the pastry is just starting to turn golden and is sandy to touch. Leave to cool slightly.
5Separate the egg yolks and whites into two separate bowls. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat, then pour into a jug. Put the yolks in a food processor and blend briefly, then, with the motor running, slowly pour in the melted butter in a thin stream until it has all been incorporated and has emulsified. (This will take 7
