GARDEN STATE

Make vegetables and fresh produce the star of your next dinner party with these plant-forward dishes made to share.

- MAX ADEY

Japanese egg cups with miso dressing

MAKES 16 // PREP TIME 20 MINS // COOK 6 MINS

Packed with crunch and flavour, these egg cups are infinitely versatile; serve as an entrée or a light lunch.

8 eggs

16 large butter lettuce leaves

32 shiso leaves (see note)

4 baby French breakfast radishes, cut into wedges

2 spring onions, cut into julienne 1 sheet nori, toasted and finely chopped Togarashi (see note), to serve (optional)

SPICY PICKLED CUCUMBER

1 tbsp each yuzu juice, tamari and rice vinegar

2 tsp mirin

1 long green chilli, thinly sliced

3 baby cucumbers, thinly sliced into rounds on a mandolin

MISO DRESSING

1 tbsp each shiro (white) miso paste (see note), sesame oil, maple syrup and rice vinegar

2 tsp finely grated ginger

1 For spicy pickled cucumber, combine yuzu, tamari, rice vinegar, mirin and chilli in a bowl. Add sliced cucumbers and set aside to lightly pickle (15 minutes).

2 For miso dressing, whisk ingredients in a bowl; season with pepper to taste.

3 Cook eggs in a saucepan of boiling water until cooked to your liking (6 minutes for soft-boiled). Refresh in ice-water, then peel and halve lengthways.

4 Place lettuce leaves on a large platter; top each with two shiso leaves, an egg half, radish and spicy pickled cucumber. Drizzle with miso dressing and scatter with spring onion, toasted nori and togarashi to serve.