Primavera Tulips Recipe - Great British Chefs

Starter
medium
4
60 minutes

PT1H

This glorious tulip recipe from Pascal Aussignac is an unusual spring or summer starter, making spectacular use of fresh seasonal ingredients. Make sure to purchase organic tulips which have not been treated with any pesticides.

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Ingredients

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Tulips

4 tulip flowers, with stems
50g of button mushrooms
500ml of water
3 spring onions
50g of Parmesan, grated, or vegetarian hard cheese
100g of tapioca
200g of shelled peas
100g of sugar snap peas
3 sprigs of dill
3 tbsp of olive oil
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

To plate

1 handful of mixed salad leaves

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Steamer
Blender
Parchment paper

Nip out the stamens from the tulip flowers and check the petals are clean

4 tulip flowers, with stems

Bring the water to the boil and stir in the tapioca and a little salt. Return to the boil, stir and simmer for 5 minutes until soft, then drain

500ml of water
100g of tapioca
sea salt

Meanwhile, finely chop the sugar snap peas, spring onions and dill. Set aside

100g of sugar snap peas
3 spring onions
3 sprigs of dill

Cook the peas in lightly salted water until soft. Drain the peas, reserving some of the water. Whizz the peas in a blender with the oil to a thick purée. Set aside

200g of shelled peas
3 tbsp of olive oil

Soak the mushrooms in boiling water, just enough to cover, and leave until softened. This should take about 2-3 minutes. Drain, pat dry and finely chop

50g of button mushrooms

Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and fry off the mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Season. Mix in the cooked tapioca and Parmesan, followed by the sugar snap peas, spring onion and dill

black pepper
50g of Parmesan, grated, or vegetarian hard cheese

Leave the mushroom mixture to cool before spooning into the centre of the 4 tulip flowers. Reshape the petals around the filling

Put a pan on to boil with a steamer basket fitted above. Place a disc of baking parchment on the base of the steaming basket and put the stuffed tulips and their stems on top

Steam for 30-40 seconds until the petals wilt, then carefully lift each stuffed flower and stem onto a plate

Reheat the puréed peas and serve alongside the tulips, garnished with a herby green salad