Just-cooked baby spring vegetables grow together and go together to create such a stunning dish and the zingy-fresh gremolata topping makes it super-special. Please take care not to overcook the vegetables though, because the pleasure is in the bright, vibrant flavours and colours, and it doesn’t take too long to overcook them and lose both.
Ingredients
For the Vegetables
- 1 large lemon juice (use the zest for the gremolata)
- 2 globe artichokes
- 2 medium fennel bulbs
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup (250 ml) plus 1 tbsp white wine
- 5 cups (1.25 litres) good-quality vegetable stock
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- a few tarragon sprigs
- 10½ oz (300 g) baby carrots
- 9 oz (250 g) radishes
- generous 1½ cups (250 g) fresh peas
- 1 lb (450 g) asparagus, trimmed
- 4½ oz (125 g) tenderstem broccoli/broccolini or purple sprouting broccoli, trimmed
For the dressing
- 4 tbsp brown rice syrup
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon juice (use the zest for the gremolata)
For the Gremolata
- 2 finely grated lemon zest
- a bunch of parsley, freshly chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
How to Make It
- For the vegetables, preheat the oven to 200˚C (400˚F) Gas 6. Fill a bowl with cold water and add the lemon juice. Snap off the woody outside leaves of the artichokes and cut off the stems and tough tops. Cut them in half and remove the fluffy centres with a teaspoon. Cut each half into three and plunge them immediately into the acidulated water, to stop them from turning brown.
- Trim the fennel bulbs, and cut them into wedges. Arrange them on a large, deep sheet pan and drizzle with the oil. Cook for 15 minutes, until they are starting to turn golden. Remove the sheet pan from the oven and pour in the white wine and stock. Add the bay leaf and tarragon sprigs. Add the baby carrots and radishes to the pan. Take a piece of baking parchment and lay it over the liquid (much like you would use a cartouche if you were cooking on the hob/stovetop) and cook for about 10 minutes, until the carrots are just starting to soften.
- Remove the sheet pan from the oven, take away the cartouche and add the fresh peas, asparagus and broccoli stems. Cover with the parchment and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes, until the vegetables are just cooked and still have their lovely bright colour. Immediately drain away the stock, and reserve it for something else.
- In the meantime, whisk all the ingredients for the dressing together in a bowl.
- For the gremolata, the lemon zest, chopped parsley and garlic together in a separate bowl.
- Serve the vegetables warm, drizzled with the dressing and scattered with the gremolata.
