19 SPRING In early spring, when vine leaves are still too small to use, the mulberry tree is there for you. In fact, unlike grape leaves that hide a bit of sourness, mulberry leaves are quite sweet. Make sure to pick them while they are soft and fresh, before any fruit has ripened on the tree. Try to find the biggest leaves you can, to make your life easier later on. MAKES 40 300 g (1½ cups) basmati or jasmine rice 50 g (⅓ cup) toasted pine nuts 40 large mulberry leaves 125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil 1 brown onion, diced ½ bunch of mint, leaves chopped ½ bunch of dill, fronds chopped 2 lemons: 1 zested, 1 sliced sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 2 tomatoes, cut into 1 cm (½ in) thick slices 60 ml (¼ cup) pomegranate molasses Put the rice in a bowl, cover generously with water and set aside to soak for 1 hour. Drain. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently, for 2–3 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat and blanch the mulberry leaves in batches for 30 seconds. Drain the mulberry leaves and refresh under cold water, then transfer to a clean dry tea towel to dry out. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 10 minutes or until a light golden colour. Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, herbs, lemon zest and pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil over the base of a large heavy-based saucepan, then cover the base with the tomato slices and season with salt and pepper. On a comfortable working space, place a mulberry leaf with its wide end closest to you. Place a tablespoon of the rice mixture in the centre of the leaf, then fold in the sides and roll up to enclose the mixture firmly. Call someone to give you a hand because you have 39 more to go. Tightly pack the stuffed leaves on top of the tomato in the saucepan, starting from the edge and working inwards, creating an inner circle as well. If you need to stack a second layer, go for it. Top with the lemon slices and pour over the pomegranate molasses and remaining oil. Add enough water to come to the top of the stuffed leaves and place an upside-down plate on top to keep the leaves in place. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil over medium–high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 1–1½ hours, until the rice is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature. Any leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1–2 days, covered with a layer of olive oil. stuffed mulberry leaves 18 SPRING19 SPRING In early spring, when vine leaves are still too small to use, the mulberry tree is there for you. In fact, unlike grape leaves that hide a bit of sourness, mulberry leaves are quite sweet. Make sure to pick them while they are soft and fresh, before any fruit has ripened on the tree. Try to find the biggest leaves you can, to make your life easier later on. MAKES 40 300 g (1½ cups) basmati or jasmine rice 50 g (⅓ cup) toasted pine nuts 40 large mulberry leaves 125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil 1 brown onion, diced ½ bunch of mint, leaves chopped ½ bunch of dill, fronds chopped 2 lemons: 1 zested, 1 sliced sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper 2 tomatoes, cut into 1 cm (½ in) thick slices 60 ml (¼ cup) pomegranate molasses Put the rice in a bowl, cover generously with water and set aside to soak for 1 hour. Drain. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently, for 2–3 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil over high heat and blanch the mulberry leaves in batches for 30 seconds. Drain the mulberry leaves and refresh under cold water, then transfer to a clean dry tea towel to dry out. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 10 minutes or until a light golden colour. Remove from the heat and stir in the rice, herbs, lemon zest and pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the remaining oil over the base of a large heavy-based saucepan, then cover the base with the tomato slices and season with salt and pepper. On a comfortable working space, place a mulberry leaf with its wide end closest to you. Place a tablespoon of the rice mixture in the centre of the leaf, then fold in the sides and roll up to enclose the mixture firmly. Call someone to give you a hand because you have 39 more to go. Tightly pack the stuffed leaves on top of the tomato in the saucepan, starting from the edge and working inwards, creating an inner circle as well. If you need to stack a second layer, go for it. Top with the lemon slices and pour over the pomegranate molasses and remaining oil. Add enough water to come to the top of the stuffed leaves and place an upside-down plate on top to keep the leaves in place. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil over medium–high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 1–1½ hours, until the rice is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature. Any leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 1–2 days, covered with a layer of olive oil. stuffed mulberry leaves 18 SPRING20 21 SPRING This is what we want to eat every day in spring! Fresh, crunchy and colourful, with the broad beans reminding us of their short but sweet season. SERVES 4 400 g (14 oz) broad (fava) beans ½ bunch of celery, cut into 5 mm (¼ in) thick slices on the diagonal 5–6 radishes, cut into thin wedges 2 handfuls of mint leaves 4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced 100 ml (3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil juice of 1 lemon sea salt flakes Pod the broad beans, then peel them again. This is easier if you give them a quick soak in hot water first. Place the double-podded beans, celery, radish, mint leaves and spring onion in a bowl. Drizzle over the olive oil and lemon juice, scatter with sea salt and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately. celery, radish, mint, broad beans, spring onion SPRING20 21 SPRING This is what we want to eat every day in spring! Fresh, crunchy and colourful, with the broad beans reminding us of their short but sweet season. SERVES 4 400 g (14 oz) broad (fava) beans ½ bunch of celery, cut into 5 mm (¼ in) thick slices on the diagonal 5–6 radishes, cut into thin wedges 2 handfuls of mint leaves 4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced 100 ml (3½ fl oz) extra virgin olive oil juice of 1 lemon sea salt flakes Pod the broad beans, then peel them again. This is easier if you give them a quick soak in hot water first. Place the double-podded beans, celery, radish, mint leaves and spring onion in a bowl. Drizzle over the olive oil and lemon juice, scatter with sea salt and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately. celery, radish, mint, broad beans, spring onion SPRING31 SPRING 30 SPRING31 SPRING 30 SPRINGNext >