Bear with me for a moment. But if we think of the seasons as an oreo (not that you would), right now we're licking the sweet white filling of spring. Broad beans abound, silverbeet is cheap and globe artichokes bloom at restaurants across the country. After dinner we peel tangelos from their knobbly necks. As for that smell? It's all the strawberry tarts, pies, jam and shortcake we're baking.
Sure, summer is nigh, and its arrival will bring flashy crowd-pleasers like mango, stone fruit, tomatoes and more reasons to find joy in the kitchen. But as we cook our way through October, these are the pearls keeping us inspired. Now, onto how to cook them.
Find the recipes we're loving in October 2022, below.
Mimi Thorisson's White Asparagus with Vinaigrette
Asparagus are popping their tiny little heads out of the ground, kindly alerting us to the fact that they are ripe for the picking. If you're lucky to get your hands on the nutty and sensitive white kind, then this recipe from Mimi Thorisson will serve you well. Have the green instead? The same rule applies.
Gribiche on everything as exhibited by Laila Gohar
Seeking a way to jazz up a sandwich? Struggling to get excited about those leftover cuts of lamb roast? There's few kitchen problems that can't be served with a little gribiche. That is hard boiled eggs emulsified and wed with capers, dijon mustard, parsley, olive oil – all that good stuff.
Ravneet Gill's Lazy Chocolate Cake via Seasonal Simone
Remember that scene from Matilda where Miss Trunchbull forces Bruce to gorge on a chocolate cake the size of a car tyre? Me too. The funny thing is, rather than disturb, the memory of that glossy, thickly iced cake never fails to rouse my appetite. This one is tickling that itch, which is great because it really is catered toward lazy girls.
Ellie Bouhadana's Spring Ragu with Broad Beans
As a kid, spring's arrival was always closely followed by my mum stumbling into the kitchen with styrofoam boxes of broad beans stacked in her arms. We would sit and shell the little suckers for hours, at that age I resented it but now those memories glow. This recipe from Ellie Bouhadana at Hope St Radio in Melbourne captures that feeling. And all good food must be shared, so that's what I'm doing here.
How to handle Globe Artichokes with Seasonal Simone
Don't know how to prepare and cook an artichoke? Spring is the time to learn. And who better to guide us than from Ms Seasonal Simone. Whip up a little sauce, dip and enjoy!
Image: @laila.cooks
