Hetty Liu McKinnon's Spring Vegetable Feast: A Celebration of Seasonal Renewal
As winter thaws and spring emerges, chef and author Hetty Liu McKinnon invites home cooks to embrace the season with a vibrant, vegetable-centric menu. This collection of recipes—featuring a cheesy asparagus loaf, mushroom filo tart, pickled celery salad, and strawberry matcha pudding—showcases how vegetables can take center stage in relaxed, flavorful dishes that honor both tradition and innovation.
A Personal Connection to Vegetables
McKinnon's deep bond with vegetables stems from her childhood in Sydney, where her father worked as a wholesale banana purveyor at Flemington Markets. Her family home overflowed with nature's bounty: succulent Asian greens, glossy aubergines, perky spring onions, and crates of stone fruit and oranges. This abundance shaped her culinary philosophy, though it ended abruptly when her father passed away when she was 15.
"Today, chopping broccoli or charring cabbage makes me feel closer to my dad," McKinnon shares. "It's a daily ritual that keeps his memory alive." This emotional connection infuses her cooking with purpose, especially during spring—known as chūn in Cantonese—which marks new beginnings in the Chinese Lunar Year.
Spring Menu: Bold Flavors and Easy Entertaining
McKinnon's spring menu is designed for unfussy cooking and stress-free hosting. Vegetables are the stars, with dishes that can be prepped ahead, served at room temperature, or briefly reheated before guests arrive. This approach liberates the cook to enjoy their own gathering, embodying what McKinnon calls the "radical spirit of spring."
Cheesy Asparagus Loaf: A Savory Surprise
This crowd-pleasing loaf transforms asparagus into a moist, textured bake. Turmeric adds a golden hue and warmth, while olive oil creates a robust, slightly flaky crumb. Black olives and sharp cheddar provide salty jolts, balanced by the sweet earthiness of asparagus. Prep time is 15 minutes, with a cook time of 1 hour 15 minutes, yielding one standard loaf.
Ingredients:
- 185g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 175g sharp cheddar, grated
- 30g chives, thinly sliced
- 100g pitted black or green olives, roughly chopped
- 100ml extra-virgin olive oil
- 150g soured cream
- 1 egg
- 300g asparagus, woody ends removed and sliced into 1cm pieces
Instructions: Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan). Grease and line a loaf tin. Whisk dry ingredients, then fold in cheese, chives, and olives. In another bowl, whisk wet ingredients with asparagus. Combine mixtures, pour into tin, and bake until golden. Cool before slicing.
Mushroom, Spring Onion, and Chilli Crisp Filo Bake
Inspired by Turkish borek, this tart features a chilli crisp-infused butter brushed between shattery filo layers. Chestnut and shiitake mushrooms offer depth, while spring onions add freshness. Serves 6-8 with a prep time of 15 minutes and cook time of 1 hour 15 minutes.
Key tip: Score the filo before baking to allow the chilli crisp butter to penetrate, making it easier to cut. Serve hot with extra chilli crisp for added heat.
Pickled Celery, Red Onion, and Feta Salad
This bold salad starts with a quick pickle of celery and red onion in red-wine vinegar, cumin, and sugar. After resting for at least four hours, it's tossed with herbs and crumbled feta. For a heartier version, add chickpeas or quinoa. Prep time is 10 minutes, plus pickling.
Strawberry Matcha Pudding: A No-Bake Dessert
A fusion of tiramisu and strawberry matcha latte, this pudding uses matcha-soaked savoiardi biscuits layered with mascarpone cream and strawberry syrup. It requires an overnight chill, making it perfect for advance prep. Frozen or fresh strawberries work equally well.
Ingredients include: sour cream, mascarpone, caster sugar, vanilla, savoiardi biscuits, strawberries, and matcha powder. The matcha soaking liquid combines matcha, sugar, and hot water, while the strawberry syrup is a simple blend of berries and sugar.
Embracing Spring's Radical Spirit
McKinnon's menu exemplifies how vegetable-focused cooking can be both indulgent and practical. By prioritizing prep-ahead dishes and room-temperature servings, hosts can enjoy their gatherings without being tethered to the kitchen. As McKinnon notes, "Spring is the time to be bold, take risks, and reawaken your tastebuds." These recipes offer a delicious starting point for celebrating the season's renewal.
