Ingredients

• 3 litres/5¼ pints whole milk
• 1.5 litres/2½ pints double cream
• 8 lemons
• juice only
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 2 garlic cloves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• to serve
• 100g/4oz fresh peas
• podded
• 100g/4oz broad beans
• podded
• 1 bunch asparagus
• chopped
• ½ fennel bulb
• shaved
• 1 punnet pea shoots
• salt
• 25ml/1¾fl oz pomace oil or olive oil
• 25ml/1¾fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 garlic clove
• grated
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 orange
• zest only
• 1 tsp salt

Directions

• For the ricotta
• place the milk
• cream
• thyme
• rosemary and garlic in a medium saucepan and heat through to infuse the milk. Pass through a fine sieve.
• Place back on the heat in a new saucepan and season with salt. Bring to a simmer and add the lemon juice. Do not whisk. The milk infusion will split on its own. Remove from the heat
• set aside for 30 minutes.
• Place a sieve over a large bowl and line with muslin. Pour the split milk mixture into the sieve and place in the fridge for 6 hours. Discard the whey and place the curd in the fridge.
• For the broad bean salad
• heat a large saucepan of boiling water and season with salt. Blanch the peas
• broad beans and asparagus for 3-5 minutes
• plunge in cold water to cool then drain. Mix the vegetables in a bowl
• then add the fennel and pea shoots.
• For the dressing
• place the ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix just before serving.
• To serve
• spoon ricotta onto a plate
• dress with some black pepper
• sea salt and extra virgin olive oil and place some of the salad alongside.