Seasonal Suppers: the joy of tasty vegetables

Are you ready for Japanese-grilled fresh new-season baby veg?

A chargrill or small bbq is also a nice way of giving a pleasing aroma to a whole host of baby vegetables.
A chargrill or small bbq is also a nice way of giving a pleasing aroma to a whole host of baby vegetables.

The May sun is finally shining and all sort of plants and vegetables are popping up. Each week, I’m greeted by an abundance of baby vegetables: carrots, leeks, turnip. They are all so beautiful and sweet, cooking them seems like a sin. Gently washing and scrubbing them and then eating them raw is the only way to go.

When vegetables are in abundance I often like to make them the star of the dish and use a meat- or fish-based vinegar to impart a punch. Bonito (tuna) vinegar is a nice way to lightly pickle new season vegetables. You can usually pick some up in an Asian food shop.

Alternatively, you can make your own with some bonito flakes. Soak a little handful of these flakes in some malt vinegar with a little sugar. Bring to the boil and then leave in the fridge to macerate for a week. Strain before using.

A chargrill or small bbq is also a nice way of giving a pleasing aroma to a whole host of baby vegetables. Baby leeks work well this way.

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I recently bought a small Japanese charcoal grill. If you can't get your hands on some binchotan (Japanese white oak charcoal), try some charcoal from the Irish Artisan Charcoal company.

A Japanese grill is the kind of contraption that will make your guests think you’ve just won an episode of MasterChef! The grill imparts a beautiful smoky flavour. I find the best way to grill small vegetables is to blanch them first. This moisture helps bring the sweetness to the fore – and you get a better burn.

To grill a selection of baby vegetables, first give them a good clean, making sure there’s no soil attached. Then put on a pot of water. Add a spoon of Lapsang Souchong (smoked tea) and a good lump of butter. Bring to the boil. Blanch the vegetables briefly and then grill immediately. Season with some nice coarse Achill Island sea salt. I can think of no better side-dip than Velvet Cloud sheep’s yoghurt.