Seeds of an idea

These simple recipes make good use of the produce that's around just now.

Chance meetings often have unexpected outcomes. After running into Richard and Helen Dorresteyn from the Clevedon Farmers’ Market I ended up having a conversation about my love of borlotti beans and my frustration at not being able to find them. A short time later an envelope arrived in the post containing three small packets of heirloom seeds, courtesy of Running Brook Seeds.

Running Brook Farm, on the Awhitu Peninsula, looks after a collection of traditional open-pollinated seeds, including many heirloom varieties. Hens roam free, weeding and composting simultaneously, and sheep and cattle are used for winter tidying and manuring of the garden beds.

The packets contained seeds of vege­tables that are hard to find in the shops. The thin-skinned red kuri pumpkins will be roasted in a little olive oil to bring out their sweetness. The pea beans when green will be served with melting taleggio cheese, then shelled and tossed in olive oil or butter, or dried as white haricots to use in winter soups and stews. The handsome mottled cream and pink borlotti beans will be left on the vine for the pods to dry out before harvesting. When shelled, they’ll be eaten warm with a salad of wild rocket, juicy cloves of new-season garlic and grilled bread smothered in olive oil.

I find beans irresistible and as there are still a few broad beans around, I’m going to make the most of them before the season ends. This is one of the simplest, freshest-tasting pasta dishes – one look and you just know it’s going to taste good. I prefer not to serve cheese with it but don’t let that stop you. A quality pecorino would be ideal.

Pappardelle Pasta with Broad Beans, Peas and Prosciutto

200g podded peas

salt and black pepper

Cook the peas and beans separately in boiling water until tender. Don’t add salt to the beans until the end of cooking. Add the sugar to the peas. Drain and skin the broad beans, then toss the beans and peas with the oil. Chop the parsley leaves, then halve and stone the olives.

Make the dressing by whisking the oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook the pasta, then drain and toss with the beans, peas, parsley, olives and dressing. Tear the ham into rough pieces, fold through the warm pasta and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Raw sauces for pasta are simple and provide a brilliant contrast of flavours and combinations. This sauce, which highlights summer tomatoes, is a splendid alternative that requires minimum effort. Use the recipe as a base then add other seasonings, such as capsicums, capers, anchovies or olives, if you like.

Raw Tomato Sauce

1kg ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

salt and black pepper

Combine the tomatoes and oil in a bowl. Finely chop the almonds (do not be tempted to use ground almonds). Finely chop the garlic and add to the tomatoes. Chop the basil, bruising it more than shredding it, then stir it into the tomatoes with the sugar. Seed and finely chop the chilli, then gently toss all the ingredients together, seasoning generously with salt and pepper. Do not refrigerate the sauce. As soon as the pasta is cooked and drained, dress it with the sauce and serve.

Enough for 4.

Syllabubs and possets are old-fashioned desserts that are enjoying something of a comeback. This recipe is usually made with a dessert wine that’s left to infuse with sugar, lemon juice and occasionally a twist of orange peel. I replace the sugar with honey as it helps stabilise the whipped cream.

Boysenberry Syllabub with Sponge Fingers

1 lemon

1 packet of sponge finger biscuits

Grate the lemon zest into the bowl of an electric mixer, squeeze in the juice, then add the honey and wine. Mix until the honey has loosened up. Using the whisk attachment, slowly beat in the cream, stopping when it sits in soft peaks. In a separate bowl, crush the berries with the sugar to form a lumpy purée. Fold into the cream but do not stir it in completely, as you want to achieve a ripple effect. Spoon into chilled serving glasses and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving with a plate of sponge fingers.

Serves 4.

This easy fruit tart is a variation on the date and mascarpone one I often serve in winter.

Cherry, Blackberry and Mascarpone Tart

100g unsalted butter

1 tbsp redcurrant jelly

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. In a food processor, grind the biscuits to fine crumbs then mix in the melted butter. Pour the crumbs into a shallow 22cm diameter loose-bottomed tart tin and push them around with your fingers to cover the base and, if possible, up the sides. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.

To make the filling, separate the egg, putting the yolk into the bowl of an electric mixer with the sugar. Beat until pale and creamy then add the mascarpone and zest. Tip into a bowl and set aside. Wash and dry the mixer bowl. Pour in the egg white and beat until stiff. Fold it gently into the mascarpone mixture. Pour into the tart base, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.

To make the topping, remove the stalks and pits from the cherries. Place in a saucepan with the blackberries, lemon juice, cornflour and redcurrant jelly. Over a low heat bring the fruit to a simmer, cooking for just a few minutes once the mixture starts to bubble. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Pour the fruit carefully over the tart, cover with plastic wrap and return to the fridge for 45 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Enough for 4.