HELLO, SPRING!

Celebrate the season with an Easter feast that mixes some new recipes with some old favourites...

- Katie Nicholls

Aubergine tartare with flat-leaf parsley salad

PREPARATION TIME 20 minutes COOKING TIME 30 minutes SERVES 4 to share

YOU WILL NEED

✔ 2 aubergines, cut into small cubes ✔ 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing ✔ 20 thin baguette slices ✔ 2 tbsp mixed fresh herbs (chervil, parsley, tarragon), finely chopped ✔ 1 tsp cornichons, finely chopped ✔ 1 tsp capers, finely chopped ✔ 1 tsp Dijon mustard ✔ freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon ✔ Tabasco sauce, to taste ✔ parsley oil, to taste ✔ sea salt and black pepper

For the parsley salad ✔ 50g fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely torn ✔ 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ✔ 3 spring onions thinly sliced ✔ freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon

DIRECTIONS

■ Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/ Gas Mark 4 and line a baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.

■ Place the aubergine in a single layer on the lined baking sheet, season well with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

■ Brush the baguette slices with olive oil, season to taste and bake, turning once, for 5-7 minutes until golden. Set aside to cool.

■ To make the parsley salad, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, toss lightly to combine and set aside.

■ Put the roasted aubergine in a large bowl with the remaining ingredients, stir to combine and season to taste. Pile onto the toasted crostini, top with parsley salad (or serve alongside) and serve.

TOP TIP

A flavour-packed, super-tasty alternative to steak tartare, this works as a side a starter, or as canapés for a crowd. It's also nice piled into a bowl with the bread on the side, for people to help themselves