Mother’s Day recipes from Thomasina Miers: leek, spinach and sheep’s cheese tart with rice and cauliflower salad | Pie

AAs my oldest daughter approaches adolescence, I realize the full range of motherhood. Among other things, as I did before her, she approaches her mother’s affairs as if they were her own and, as a result, I increasingly appreciate my own mother’s patience and unconditional love . I think few things say more about love than a pie, and I hope this simple but delicious one does the trick.

Leek, spinach and sheep’s cheese tart with rosemary garlic cream (top photo)

A good pie manages to be indulgent, comforting and nourishing all at once.

Preparation 20 mins
Cook 45 minutes
Serves 6

2 medium leeks
440 g spinach leaves
550g potatoespeeled and cut into 2½ cm cubes
40g butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
¼ nutmeggrated
1 small bunch of fresh thyme
120 g of hard sheep’s or goat’s cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
500 g puff pastry
1 eggbeaten

For the poached garlic cream
250 ml of milk
1 head of garlicbroken into cloves
2 sprigs of fresh rosemarypicked leaves
200 g fresh cream

Trim and hull the leeks, cut them in half lengthwise and wash them thoroughly under the cold tap. Also wash the spinach, then let it drain in a colander. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes, simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until tender, then drain.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the garlic cream. Place the milk, garlic and rosemary leaves in a small saucepan and heat until the milk is simmering. Leave the garlic to poach gently for 15-20 minutes, until the cloves are soft, then peel them (the skins should slide off easily) and leave to cool in the milk. Once cooled, add the cream, then mix.

Cut the leeks into half rings. Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large wok over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, leeks and thyme, season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg and fry gently for 10-12 minutes, until the leeks begin to soften. Stir in the spinach, cook for a further five minutes, until wilted, then stir the drained potatoes into the leek mixture. Pour the garlic cream into the pan, add the cheese and lemon juice, then season to taste.

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and pour the mixture into a baking dish. Spread the puff pastry to cover the dish, place it on the filling and crimp the edges. Brush the beaten egg all over the crust, then bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the tart is golden brown, puffy and smells amazing. Serve hot with a green salad, or with the wild rice and cauliflower salad below.

Wild rice and cauliflower salad, turmeric vinaigrette and honey-fried almonds

A vibrant, nutty salad with a beautiful earthy-colored vinaigrette.

Preparation 15 mins
Cook 20 mins
Serves 6

200 g wild rice
70g raisins
250 g of cauliflowerfinely chopped
200g carrotcoarsely grated
450 g red cabbageseeded, thinly sliced ​​and chopped
3 radishesthinly sliced
120 g cooked green lentils
1 handful of mint leavescoarsely chopped
1 handful of coriander leavescoarsely chopped

For the almond vinaigrette
60 ml of sunflower oil
100 g blanched almonds
1½ teaspoons of liquid honey
1 teaspoon of turmeric
Salt and black pepper
1 red onionpeeled and finely chopped
Juice and zest of 1 lime
90 ml extra virgin olive oil

Cook the rice in boiling salted water, turn off the heat five minutes before the end of the recommended cooking time, cover and set aside.

To make the vinaigrette, put the sunflower oil in a small frying pan over low heat, add the almonds, half the honey and half the turmeric, season generously and cook, stirring, for seven to eight minutes, until the almonds become captivating. , pale gold color. Remove them with a slotted spoon, place them on a saucer and set aside.

Add the raisins to the pan of hot oil, heat gently until they puff into balls, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a second saucer. Add the onions to the oil, season generously and cook until golden.

Once the rice is tender, drain it of any remaining liquid (most of it will have disappeared into the pan) and place it in a bowl with all the other salad ingredients except the almonds and onions. Coarsely chop the almonds. Pour the onions and their cooking oil into a pitcher, then add the remaining honey and turmeric, olive oil, lime zest and juice. Season generously, then use to dress the salad – the rice and lentils will absorb the dressing. Taste again, adjust the seasoning, decorate the salad with the chopped almonds and serve immediately.