VEGAN KIMCHI, FETA AND ASPARAGUS TART WITH FENNEL, PARSLEY AND LEMON OIL

Serves 2 – 4

Creamy feta, crunchy kimchi and succulent asparagus atop feather light puff pastry all drizzled in a vibrant green herb oil. What’s not to love?!

With asparagus almost at the end of the season, this delicious and super simple tart is a great way to farewell this most delicious of vegetables and salute plant-based goodness all at the same time.

If you haven’t tried casheta feta yet, you must. It took out the top prize for feta at NZ’s 2022 vegan cheese awards and it’s a no brainer because creamy, firm and tangy, it does all the things that a good feta should do in your mouth, and it will be delivered to your door by the good folk @OOOOBY

And The Wild Fermentary Kimchi. Crunchy, lightly spiced, sour, sweet goodness in a jar. It’s just PERFECT on everything and particularly good mixed with casheta on this tart.

THE TART

150g (1 sheet) puff pastry
⅓ c Wild Fermentary kimchi, chopped medium fine
80g Casheta
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
2 T olive oil
Flaky salt

FENNEL AND PARSLEY AND LEMON OIL

Large handful of fennel fronds
Large handful of fresh parsley
1 t lemon zest
1 c sunflower oil
¼ t salt

TO FINISH

80g Casheta
3 T fennel and parsley oil
Fennel fronds and flowers

TO MAKE THE TART

Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease the lid of your OLD DUTCH and line with pastry. Mix kimchi and the Cashetta and spread on top of pastry, leaving a 1cm rim around the edge. Prick the rim with a fork.

Arrange asparagus spears on top, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes till pastry is golden.

TO MAKE THE HERB OIL

Blend the ingredients in a high-speed blender or nutribullet till bright green and silky smooth. Place muslin cloth over a bowl and allow oil to slowly strain through.

TO SERVE

Divide the remaining Casheta over the hot tart then drizzle with herb oil and finish with fennel fronds and flowers.

Serve with a crunchy fresh salad. And give thanks to the earth!