Midweek meals: Five delicious spring dishes to bake for dinner this week

From roast lamb to a delicious chicken pie, here are some suggestions that will satisfy the whole family this week at the dinner table

Midweek meals: Dinner ideas for a spring evening

Spring quiche

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Use very cold butter when making the pastry for a crispy result

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 60 mins

Cooking Time

 40 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 French

Ingredients

• For the pastry:

• 175g plain flour

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper

• a pinch of salt

• 100g cold butter, cubed

• 1 egg yolk — keep the white to seal the pastry

• For the filling:

• 150g onion, peeled and finely diced

• a knob of butter

• 100g soft goat's cheeses, cut into small pieces

• 100g comté or gouda cheese, grated

• 200mls crème fraîche

• 200mls cream

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

• To decorate:

• a handful of peas

• sprigs of herbs

• baby green leaves such as lettuces and spinach

• edible flowers

Method

1. Mix the salt, pepper and nutmeg into the flour and rub in the butter until it looks like rough breadcrumbs. Add the yolk and bring the pastry together. Place it into the fridge until it has firmed up — it will take at least an hour.

2. Preheat your oven to 200°C and grease and line a 9-inch tart case.

3. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured surface into a disk about 14 cm in diameter. Sit this gently into your prepared tin. Pinch the sides so it fits snugly. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and parchment and brush the pastry with the egg white. Place back into the oven for another five minutes without any parchment or beans on top, then set it aside.

4. To make the filling, sauté the onions in the butter until they are completely translucent. It is worth taking your time here as cooking them slowly will make them sweeter. Season the onions and set aside.

5. Whisk the crème fraîche, cream and eggs.

6. Scoop the onion and goat's cheese into the pastry base. Pour the crème fraîche filling on top and sprinkle it with the gouda. Very gently slide this into your oven. Lower the heat to 180°C.

7. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the centre is set but not fully firm. Allow to cool in the tin. You can either serve it warm or cold.

8. Decorate it with the peas, flowers and baby lettuce leaves to make a spring garden.

 

Asparagus tart

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Theis delicate bake with tender asparagus stems, a mixture of cheese, fresh herbs and a hint of mustard is a lunchtime delight

Servings

8

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 18 mins

Total Time

 33 mins

Course

 Baking

Ingredients

• 250g puff pastry

• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten

• dash of olive oil

• 100g Ricotta

• 85g Mascarpone

• small tsp Dijon mustard

• bunch of chives, finely chopped

• bunch of parsley, finely chopped

• 100g Parmesan, grated

• bunch of asparagus, trimmed and blanched in boiling water

Method

1. Heat your oven to 200°C and cover a baking tray in parchment.

2. Roll the pastry to about 6 x 12inch, in as neat a rectangle as possible. Place it on the baking tray and prick it all over with a fork. Lightly pinch the sides in to form a shallow crust. Brush the sides of the tart with the egg yolk and bake for 12 minutes.

3. While it is baking, mix the Ricotta, Mascarpone, mustard and herbs together with half of the grated cheese. Season to taste.

4. Press down the centre of the pastry, if it has risen, and fill with the cheese mixture. Lay the asparagus stems across the tart. Drizzle with a little olive oil, sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan and bake for 18 minutes.