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Eggplant, Prawn, Baby Corn and Peanut Rolls
Two of these rolls make a great starter served with roasted or sliced fresh tomatoes, but they’re also good as a canapé if made smaller. If you’re lucky enough to have some crayfish tail to hand, use that instead of the prawns.

2 eggplants Peanut oil (or avocado or olive oil) 200g raw peeled prawns 12-16 baby corn (425g can), halved lengthways 1 juicy lime 1 carrot, peeled and julienned 2 spring onions, sliced thinly on a long angle 1 handful of coriander ¼ cup roasted, crushed peanuts 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Cut stalks off eggplants then lay them on their sides and cut slices lengthways, about 5mm thick. Discard the outside slices as these have too much skin and will be hard to roll up. You should get about 8 slices per eggplant. Brush them lightly with oil, heat up a skillet, barbecue or heavy-based pan and cook slices on each side until golden.

 

Toss prawns and baby corn with 1 tablespoon oil and grill until both are just cooked. Cool prawns then cut in half lengthways if large.

 

Lay eggplant slices out on a board, a few at a time. Give them a squeeze of lime juice then place on some prawns, 2 corn halves, some carrot, spring onion, coriander, peanuts and sesame seeds. Sprinkle with a little salt then roll up tightly and place seam down on a plate. Roll remainder the same way. These need to be eaten quite soon after rolling, before the fillings wilt. Makes about 16

 

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Chilled Beetroot and Sourdough Soup
In summer it’s great to have a few chilled soup recipes up your sleeve – they make a great appetiser for dinner parties and an excellent midday meal. This one is thickened with sourdough, which gives it body and texture. It will keep for up to three days in the fridge.

700g red beetroot, skins washed 100ml white vinegar or cider vinegar 100g sliced sourdough, crusts removed (2-3 slices) 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (or oregano or rosemary) 8 large tomatoes, chopped 400ml water 50ml crème fraiche 50g tapenade

Place beetroot and 90ml of the vinegar in a pot with plenty of cold water to cover, add 1 teaspoon salt and bring to the boil. Cook with a lid on until you can easily insert a knife through them. Drain and place in a bowl of iced water until cool enough to handle then peel (wearing gloves) and cut into chunks.

 

While beetroot is cooking, toast bread until golden and crisp and tear into pieces.

 

Fry onion and garlic in oil until just beginning to caramelise then add herbs and tomatoes and bring to the boil. Add chopped beetroot and the water. Return to the boil, cover and simmer rapidly for 30 minutes. Add toast, stir well then cover and cook another 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf, add reserved vinegar and purée soup until smooth. Adjust seasoning and leave to cool then place in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours.

To serve, give soup a good stir and taste for seasoning – when food is served cold it often needs a bit more salt. Ladle into bowls then dollop on some crème fraiche and tapenade. Serves 6

 

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Golden Beetroot Pesto with Linguine, Peas and Mint
I used golden beets in this recipe, although you can replace them with red beets or other colours if preferred.

3 medium golden beetroot, washed 100g macadamias, lightly toasted 2 cloves garlic, peeled 1 small handful of coriander leaves and stalks, shredded 1 small handful of basil leaves and stalks, shredded 1 small handful of parsley, leaves only 80ml extra virgin olive oil 40g grated parmesan 400g dried linguine (or spaghettini or tagliatelli) 200g peas (frozen or fresh) 1 handful of mint leaves, torn

 
Preheat oven to 200°C. Wrap beetroot tightly in foil, either individually or all in one sausage shape. Roast 90 minutes then poke a skewer or thin, sharp knife through the foil to see if they’re cooked – it should go through with the tiniest resistance. Open foil and cool for 20 minutes before rubbing off skins with fingers or a knife. Dice 2 beetroot and cut 1 into chunks.

 

Place macadamias and garlic in a small food processor and blitz to coarse crumbs. Add beetroot chunks, coriander, basil and parsley and blitz 10 seconds then add 60ml of the olive oil and blitz again briefly. Tip into a bowl and stir in parmesan. If mixture looks too dry add a little extra olive oil. Season to taste.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to the boil, drop in pasta and give it a good stir. Cook until almost al dente then add peas and boil another 2 minutes before draining into a colander.

 

Tip into a large bowl or back into the pot, add the diced beetroot, remaining olive oil, mint and two-thirds of the pesto. Mix together really well then divide between 4 bowls and dollop on the remaining pesto. Serve with extra grated parmesan if desired. Serves 4 for lunch or 6-8 as a starter

 

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Baby Beetroot, Broad Bean, Feta and Hazelnut Salad
This salad is lovely served with grilled fish or cold roast chicken. If you can, get a variety of different coloured beetroot to give this a really special look.

 

700g mixed baby beetroot, leaves attached
80ml white vinegar
2 teaspoons fine salt
2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice
2 teaspoons English mustard paste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 handful of tarragon
600g broad beans in the pod
120g hazelnuts, roasted and skins rubbed off
100g feta, cut into small dice

 

Cut leaves off beetroot, wash in cold water and set aside. Wash beets in warm water to remove any dirt then place in a generous-sized pot with vinegar and salt. Cover with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil then simmer, uncovered, until tender. They are ready when you can easily poke a thin knife or skewer through. Leave to cool in their liquid for 20 minutes then drain and rub skins off with your fingers or a small knife (wear gloves if using red beets). Cut beets in half and toss with lemon juice and mustard paste then stir in oil and tarragon leaves (discard the stalks).

 

Bring another pot of lightly salted water to the boil and cook beetroot leaves for 30 seconds. Drain and refresh, squeeze out excess liquid then coarsely shred and mix in with the beets.

 

While beetroot are cooking, pod the broad beans then boil in salted water for 2-4 minutes depending on size. Drain, refresh in cold water then peel off skins.

 

Roughly crush hazelnuts then mix into beets with broad beans and feta and taste for seasoning. Serve straight away.  Serves 6-8

 

Wine suggestion: Cottage Block HB Chardonnay 2007 ($35).  Yvonne Marie Lorkin

 

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What to drink: