The Best Spring Menu to Impress your Guests

Spring has sprung! We've created an easy yet elegant dinner menu infused with the fresh flavours of your favourite teas - and inspired by St. Patrick's Day we're going green. Full of spring flavours, the healthy hue of our Pea & Broccoli Soup followed by the steamed Gunpowder Green Tea Salmon offer nourishing and seasonally fresh ideas for springtime and beyond. The pièce de résistance is our decadently divine Matcha Tart: the emerald cream and contrasting crunchy chocolate base will be matcha-ppreciated by your dinner guests (if you manage to save them a portion!).

Pea & Broccoli Soup with Cucumber Mint Tea (Serves 4-6)

It may seem an odd combination, but using Cucumber Mint tea in place of a stock cube is a stroke of genius. The peppermint adds a herby freshness, while the hint of cucumber offers the promise that summertime's not too far away. Paired with the dewy flavour of petits pois and a punch of broccoli, this green soup is refreshing, sweet and nourishing to the last spoonful. 

Ingredients:

1.2 litres boiling water

4 teaspoons Cucumber Mint infusion

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

4 small cloves garlic, peeled

300g frozen peas

300g broccoli

Crème fraiche to serve (optional)

Method:

Brew the Cucumber Mint infusion in a teapot with 1.2 litres boiling water for 5 minutes, and then remove the tea leaves.  

Pour the infusion into a saucepan and add the frozen peas and garlic, then bring to the boil with the lid on.

Add the broccoli florets and cook for 10 minutes (or until the broccoli is soft) with the lid off.

Season with salt and pepper, then take off the heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes.

Blitz with a stick blender until no lumps remain, then distribute between bowls, add a dollop of crème fraiche and serve with warm bread.

Gunpowder Green Tea Steamed Salmon (serves 4)

The delicate flavours of green tea provide an excellent backdrop for the star attraction of our three-course meal: the salmon. Gunpowder Green Tea infuses the salmon fillets with a smooth, sweet freshness and a smoke-tinged finish. Served with seasonal vegetables, this is one healthy dish you can add to your repertoire with ease.

Ingredients:

4 x 125 g (4oz) skinned salmon fillets

4 slices lemon

7 tbsps Gunpowder Green Tea

1.75 litres water

Tenderstem broccoli and new potatoes, to serve

Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Place the Gunpowder Green Tea and water in a large, wide pan with a lid and bring to the boil. Then turn the heat off and leave to steep for 20 minutes.

Place a sieve over a large heatproof bowl and carefully strain out the tea leaves. Return the liquid to the pan and carefully submerge the salmon fillets in the liquid. Place over a low heat. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the fish is just cooked through.

Serve with tenderstem broccoli and new potatoes. 

Matcha Tart

Who would have thought that Oreos and green tea would be the perfect matcha? This no-bake tart is great for entertaining and offers a deliciously sweet end to the evening. Our high-grade matcha is stirred into double cream and melted white chocolate for a combination that is sumptuously smooth and heavenly in flavour.

 

Ingredients:

For the base:

150g Oreos (without the filling)

50g wafer biscuits

90g butter

55g dark chocolate

For the Filling:

250g white chocolate

250ml double cream

1 tablespoon (10g) matcha powder

Method:

Pulse the Oreo biscuits (without the cream filling) and wafers in a food processor until they resemble crumbs.

In a separate bowl, add the butter and chocolate and melt in the microwave or over a pan of boiling water.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the crumbed biscuits and combine.

Using a round loose-based flan tin, press the biscuit mixture evenly around the base. Refrigerate for at least an hour to set.

Meanwhile, heat cream until warm, chop the white chocolate into small pieces and stir into the cream until melted.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the matcha powder, making sure that all to the powder is dissolved and the colour is even.

Set aside to cool.

Remove the base from the fridge and, once cool, pour the matcha mixture into the biscuit-lined flan tin.

Leave in the fridge to set for around 3 hours.

To serve, remove from the tin, slice and enjoy!

Try our new Spring Menu for yourself or treat your friends to a feast this weekend! Send us photos of your creations on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

Products Used:

Cucumber Mint

Pimlico Teapot

Gunpowder Green Tea

Matcha