Asparagus and Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:
4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 asparagus spears, trimmed
250ml grated mozzarella cheese
125ml fresh bread crumbs
5ml Italian seasoning

Method:
Preheat the oven to 190˚C. Butter an 8 x 12 inch baking dish.

Cut each chicken breast through the side, but not all the way across to form a flap. Open up each chicken breast and place between two sheets of heavy plastic, such as a zip-lock freezer bag opened up, on a solid level surface. Firmly pound the chicken breast with the smooth side of a meat mallet to an even thickness of about a quarter inch. Season each side with salt and pepper.

Place 3 spears of asparagus down the centre of each chicken breast, spread about 60ml cheese over the asparagus and roll the chicken around the asparagus and cheese to make a tidy, compact roll. Repeat with the other chicken breasts. place the rolls seam-side down in the prepared baking dish, sprinkle each with breadcrumbs and bake for about 25 minutes in the prepared oven until the juices run clear and the chicken is cooked through. If testing to see if the chicken is cooked a thermometer inserted in the centre of each roll should read at least 74˚C. 

Asparagus & Crab Salad Melts with Old Bay Seasoning

Ingredients:
3 asparagus spears
250g crabmeat, any shells or cartilage removed
80ml finely chopped celery
60ml finely chopped red bell pepper
1 spring onion, finely chopped
20ml lemon juice
15ml mayonnaise
2.5ml Old Bay seasoning
2-5 dashes Tabasco sauce
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 whole-wheat English muffins, split and toasted
125ml shredded cheddar cheese

Method:
Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the grill.

Place asparagus in a medium microwave-safe bowl with 5ml water. Cover and microwave about 30 seconds until tender. Add crab, celery, bell pepper, spring onion, lemon juice, mayonnaise, Old Bay seasoning, Tabasco sauce and pepper; stir to combine.

Place English muffin halves, cut-side up, on a large baking sheet. Spread a generous 60ml of the crab salad on each muffin half and sprinkle each with a dollop of cheese. Grill for 3 to 6 minutes until the cheese is melted.

Old Bay Seasoning

30ml bay leaf powder

30ml celery salt

15ml powdered mustard

10ml ground black pepper

10ml ground ginger

5ml white pepper

5ml ground nutmeg

5ml ground cloves

5ml ground allspice

2.5ml chilli flake

2.5ml ground mace

2.5ml ground cardamom

2.5ml ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in an airtight jar and mix thoroughly. Keep sealed in a cool, dark place until ready to use.

Herby Chicken with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Herby Chicken with Asparagus and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, halved horizontally

1 bunch of fresh herbs (parsley, chives, basil) chopped

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

20 asparagus spears, trimmed

12 cherry tomatoes

Olive oil

New potatoes to serve

Chives to garnish

Method:

Toss the chicken with the mixed herbs, lemon juice and zest. Season to taste. Cover and set aside.

Preheat a griddle pan to hot and cook the asparagus and tomatoes for 5 minutes, turning occasionally. You may need to do this in batches. Set aside and keep warm.

Cook the chicken pieces on a hot griddle for 4-5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Slice the chicken diagonally and layer with the cooked vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with boiled new potatoes, garnished with chives.

Fruit and Vegetables in June

The abundance of fresh food in June makes cooking a pleasure. This month heralds midsummer, with the longest day and plenty of sunshine. The promise of long summer evenings provides the ideal time for out door living and good eating.

June keeps up the good work that May began with asparagus remaining the star vegetable, with lower prices than May, but with quality every bit as good, if not better. I have noticed that as we approached June, the spears grew fatter and more succulent, all the better for pigging out on! Make the most of them as they don't last for much longer.

Jersey Royals, those gorgeous little spuds, are also still available, but make the most of them this month as they will also be ending their season at the end of this month. I use them often for a quick salad; boiled and covered in herb butter, they are the quintessential accompaniment of a grilled steak or chop on the braai or barbecue.

Broad beans are also continue in their availability; they are likely to be larger than they were in May so skinning them is a good idea. Use them for extra filling and nutritious salads and stews. Summer cabbages are also in their peak season, tender enough for a stir-fry. Cauliflowers are also available now, but are still a little on the pricey side; their price should come down as the month wears on.

New UK vegetables this month include courgettes and mangetouts, which should get steadily more plentiful as the month progresses. Think about using courgettes cooked on the braai, halved lengthwise and brushed with olive oil. You may want to try them in salads too, where they add a lovely nuttiness and crunchy texture. Salads are of course in vogue this month to accompany outdoor living with Baby Gem lettuces, tangy spring onions, crunchy radishes, cucumbers and lots of tomato varieties becoming widely available. Cherry tomatoes make such colourful additions to a green salad and there are also some delightful little berry tomatoes available now, which are no bigger than blueberries and just as tasty as their bigger cousins; give them a try some time.

Junes fruit basket begins its summer bounty this month. Apricots are starting to ripen, getting the orange hue that indicates good texture and flavour. Gooseberries are also coming along nicely with the best of this fruit arriving in about the middle of the month, but this year looks to be coming sooner because of the unseasonable warm spring. Among imports from the continent should be melons from Spain, including honeydew and cantaloupe, and peaches from Italy. Cherries are another June speciality, with the first supplies coming from Europe, to be followed later in the month by good fruit from British orchards. Raspberries also make a showing at the beginning of this month, along with red and black currants.

But the star among fruit this month, of course, is the strawberry. It is the quintessential summer fruit, forever associated with the Wimbledon tennis season. How could we ever do without strawberries and champers in this season of sunshine!

In recent years a lot of investment in money and time has been made in trying to find varieties that extend the season of this fruit. Some of the modern varieties have been developed to show resistance to disease and for long shelf life, sadly sacrificing flavour. Varieties have been created to look good, but as with any fruit, the proof is in the tasting. With the season progressing as fast as it does, the same variety can taste sharp one week and gloriously sweet the next.

There are three critical elements when it comes to proper strawberries with the perfect balance of sweet and sharp. The first and most important is the variety. It is rare to find a large variety, like for instance an Elsanta, that thrills; big it might be but size counts for very little. The small strawberries like the Mara des Bois, on the other hand, nearly always bursts with stunning flavour, is richly scented and totally bursting with the tang that a strawberry is supposed to possess.

The second critical element is freshness. The shorter the time from plant to plate, the better the strawberry tastes. Time, even in relatively small doses, takes its toll. Only a couple of days away from the plant the fruit already become dull, the goodness dissipates and they all taste mediocre. In practice this means growing your own is best; if you can't do that then pick your own at an open farm or at least buy from a farm shop or farmers market where you can be assured that the fruit has been picked that very same day, or at most, the previous day. It's up to you how quickly you can eat them.

The third element is the right degree of sunshine - plenty of sunshine but not overly hot - as the berries redden to plump ripeness. A little rain is fine, but too much moisture swells the berries to an ungainly, watery mass, diluting the taste and encouraging the berries to rot.

Since there is little we can do about the weather, it makes sense to concentrate on flavour and freshness. As with all the best fruit, the trick to always enjoying good strawberries through the season is to choose the varieties that are at their peak as they ripen through the season.

Look for strawberries that are red from crown to tip, and as always, rely on taste rather than looks alone. Remember, even a strawberry that is a little sharp can be improved with a little sugar.

Asparagus and Spring Onion Tart

Here's a delectable tart to bake in a celebration of spring. If it is at another time of the year when you can't get fresh asparagus it can be made with canned asparagus spears or salad cut asparagus.

Ingredients:
Shortcrust pastry
1 egg white, lightly beaten to glaze
10 spring onions, trimmed
20g butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
350g fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and lower ends peeled
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
250ml double cream
100g medium cheddar, grated

Method:
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a large circle, 2-3mm thick. Line a tart tin (23-24cm round, 2-3cm deep, removable base), leaving a little excess overhanging the rim. Chill in the fridge for 30-40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line the tart case with baking paper and baking beans and blind bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Leave to cool slightly, then trim off the excess pastry around the rim. Brush the inside of the pastry case to glaze. Leave to cool while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven setting to 180C.

Slice the spring onions on the diagonal. Melt the butter in a pan and add the spring onions with a little seasoning. Fry over a medium heat until soft but not browned. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

Add the asparagus spears to a pan of boiling salted water and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Drain under cold running water and drain well. Halve the asparagus spears lenghtways.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and cream together in a bowl. Add three quarters of the cheese and season well with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle half the remaining cheese over the pastry base, then sprinkle over a layer of spring onions. Arrange the asparagus spears on top and carefully pour in the cream mixture over the top until it reaches just below the rim of the pastry. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 35-45 minutes until the filling is set and golden. Leave to cool in the tin before unmoulding.
Serve war or at room temperature.

Creamed Haddock on Toast with Leek, Asparagus & Spiced Cashew Nuts

Enriching smoked haddock with leek, asparagus and cream gives the fish a sumptuous silky texture, while the nuts add a sweet spicy tang that cuts through the richness perfectly.

Ingredients:
450g smoked haddock fillets
30ml olive oil
1 large leek, white parts only, trimmed and finely sliced.
350g asparagus spears cut into half inch pieces
300ml double cream
grated nutmeg
4 slices of country bread (eg. Poppy Seed Bloomer)
30-50g Spiced Cashews, roughly chopped

Method:
Bring a wide, shallow pan of water to the boil and add the haddock fillets, skin side down. Poach gently for 3-4 minutes until the flesh is just cooked and flakes easily. Using a fish slice, carefully transfer the fish to a plate and leave to cool for a few minutes. While still warm, flake the fish, discard the skin and remove any pin-bones.

Heat the olive oil in a pan, add the leek and sweat for 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and saute for another 3 minutes. Pour in the cream and simmer to reduced and thicken the sauce. Fold through the flaked fish. Grate over the nutmeg and check seasoning. You may bot need to add salt as smoked haddock is usually quite salty. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

Toast the bread slices and place on warm plates. Pile the smoked haddock mixture onto the toast slices and sprinkle over the spiced cashew nuts. Serve at once.

Scallop Mousse with Herbs and Asparagus

Asparagus and scallops make great partners. These warm timbales of scallop mousse with fresh herbs and asparagus are an exciting entree to a special meal.

Ingredients:
For the Mousse:
15g soft butter
50ml mixed herbs (tarragon, winter savoury, flatleaf parsley, chervil)
150g scallops, white only
2 eggs
200ml double cream
2ml salt
2ml cayenne pepper

For the Garnish and Sauce:
25g butter
150g asparagus tips
1 small shallot, finely chopped
75ml dry white wine
100ml double cream
juice of a quarter of a lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
2 large scallops, white only
5ml vegetable oil

Method:
Preheat the oven to 160C.

For the Mousse:
Brush 4 ramekin dishes generously with butter and stick a layer of herb leaves into the butter on the sides of the ramekins.

Blend the scallops and eggs in a food processor for one minute, or until smooth. Add the cream, salt and cayenne pepper and blend for a further minute. Divide the mousse evenly between the ramekins and cover each ramekin with foil.

Line a roasting tray or a deep ovenproof dish with kitchen paper and place the ramekins on top. Add enough boiling water to come half way up the sides of the ramekins. Place into the oven and cook for about 20-25 minutes. To check if the mousse is cooked, push a skewer into the centre of one of the ramekins for 10 seconds; it should come out clean and feel hot - touch it to your upper lip, you'll feel the temperature. Set aside and keep warm.

For the Garnish and Sauce:
Heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the asparagus for 2-4 minutes, or until just tender. Remove half of the asparagus from the pan.

Add the shallot and wine to the pan and bring to the boil. Pour in the cream and boil for a further two minutes. Puree the sauce with a hand blender and then pass it through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Add the lemon juice, salt and freshly ground black pepper to season and keep warm.

Preheat a cast iron grillpan to high. Slice the 2 large scallops in half horizontally and drizzle with oil. Season with sea salt and cook on the hot grillpan for 30 seconds on each side. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and keep warm.

To Serve:
Remove the foil from the ramekins, loosen the timbales with a small knife and turn each one out onto a warmed serving plate. Place a slice of grilled scallop on top of each timbale and arrange the asparagus alongside. Drizzle a little sauce on each plate and serve immediately.

Crab and Asparagus Fettuccine

Crab adds a wonderful splash of flavour to this fresh pasta dish. It works well as a starter for a special meal, or as a perfect quick supper. Adding the browned butter at the end may seem a little over the top, but it is essential for that magical touch to complete the dish.

Ingredients:
30ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, finely diced
5ml fresh thyme leaves
10ml anchovy essence
150ml dry white wine
150ml fish stock
450g asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
350g white crab meat
750g fresh fettuccine
50g unsalted butter
juice of half a lemon
30-40ml chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Method:
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan. Add the shallot and cook gently over low heat for about 5 minutes until softened but not coloured. Stir in the thyme, anchovy essence, wine and fish stock. Bring to the boil and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Set aside and keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring to the boil a large pan of salted water. Add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes until just tender. Drain the asparagus, reserving the cooking liquid, which you can return to the pan. Refresh the asparagus under cold running water. Stir the asparagus and crab meat into the reduced shallot liquid.

Return the reserved asparagus cooking liquid to the boil. Tip in the fettuccine and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Drain and quickly refresh under cold running water. When drained, stir into the asparagus and crab sauce.

Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook until nutty and golden, but not burnt. Squeeze in the lemon juice and add the parsley, gently whisking to combine. Pour over the fettuccine and crab mixture and toss gently to combine. season to taste and serve at once.

Jubilee Salmon

Asparagus and salmon go so well together that the Queen chose this combination for a dish to be served at the banquet to celebrate her Silver Jubilee; it's a celebration of Scotland and England, two of the countries over which she reigns. Most British asparagus is grown in England, while salmon is caught mostly in Scottish waters. Although wild salmon is now not as abundant as it was previously, farmed salmon is usually readily available, even if it's never quite the same as the wild fish, the quality is generally quite good. If you do come across wild salmon, which is available in May, it only needs poaching, not much more.

Ingredients:
4 x 175g salmon steaks, trimmed and pin-boned
25g unsalted butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely diced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
12 asparagus spears, trimmed
150ml white wine
150ml fish stock
25g clarified butter
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

For the Herb Hollandaise
150g clarified butter or ghee
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
5ml white wine vinegar
10ml lightly chopped fresh tarragon
10ml snipped chives

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Lay the salmon steaks skin-side down on the work surface. Make an incision through to the skin from back to belly, taking care not to cut through the skin. Open up the steaks so that the skin is folded in the middle at the back - like a book. You should now have a 'heart shape' fish steak.

Grease an oven proof baking dish with butter and sprinkle in the finely diced shallots. Add the salmon steaks, skin side down, and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the asparagus spears around them and pour in the wine and stock. cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the prepared oven for 10 minutes only. Do not be tempted to cook the fish for longer than this; it needs no more cooking.

While the salmon is in the oven, prepare the topping for the fish. Melt 25g clarified butter into a small pan, add the diced tomatoes, season and warm through. Do not stir.

when the salmon has finished its 10 minutes in the oven, remove from the oven and transfer the salmon steaks carefully to individual warmed plates and keep them warm. Take out the asparagus spears and trim off the tips; chop the remainder of the spears finely. Keep both the tips and dice warm.

In a small pan, reduce the salmon cooking liquor from the baking dish to about a third of it's original volume.

To make the Hollandaise, in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water - the bowl should only be in contact with the steam - whisk the egg yolks and vinegar to a frothy consistency. Be very careful not to overcook. If necessary, remove from the heat so the eggs do not scramble with overheating. Whisking continuously, take off the heat and slowly drizzle in the clarified butter. If the sauce cracks or starts to curdle, add about a teaspoon of cold water to bring it back. To complete the sauce, add the reduced cooking liquor, seasoning, the chopped herbs and diced asparagus and blend through the sauce.

To serve, spoon the sauce over the fish steaks and top the fish with a little of the tomato dice. Garnish each steak with asparagus tips and serve immediately.

Creamed Asparagus Soup

Simple and yet sophisticated, this elegant soup is a culinary classic. It can be served fresh, or it can be frozen for a later date. For freezing, prepare up to the puree stage, leaving the cream out until it is defrosted and heated up for serving.

Ingredients:

350g green asparagus

25 g butter

25g plain flour

450ml milk

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

150ml double cream

pinch of nutmeg to garnish

Method:

Trim the woody ends from the asparagus and discard. Bring 300ml water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the asparagus and simmer for 6-8 minutes until just tender. Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.

Cut tips off the asparagus and set aside 8 for garnish. Cut the stems into short lengths.

Melt the butter in a large pan and stir in the flour. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk, whisking as the milk is added. Return to the heat and cook, stirring until thickened. Stir in half of the asparagus cooking liquid. Add the stems and spare tips. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Puree the soup with a hand blender. (If you are going to freeze the soup, this is the point at which to put it away.)

Reheat and stir in the cream. Serve garnished with reserved asparagus tips and a sprinkling of freshly grated nutmeg.

Spring Vegetable Risotto

If you're needing an energy boost, this vegetable risotto is just the ticket. It's bound to lift the lethargy and is incredibly filling as it's high in fibre and is crammed with long lasting energy givers. Just what the Dr ordered!

Ingredients:
1 litre vegetable stock
100g asparagus tips
100g baby carrots, halved lengthwise
200g fresh young peas, shelled
500g baby broad beans, shelled
30ml olive oil
2 baby leeks, thinly sliced
300g risotto rice
15ml pesto
freshly ground black pepper
25g toasted pine nuts

Method:
Bring the stock to the boil in a large saucepan, then reduce the heat and add the asparagus tips, carrots, peas and broad beans. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until tender.
Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep the stock simmering over gentle heat.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the leeks. Stir-fry for 2 minutes o medium heat, or until they are bright green, then stir in the rice.
Add about 50ml stock and cook gently, stirring until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding stock, a little at a time and stirring regularly for about 20 minutes, until the mixture is soupy and the grains of rice are tender, but still have a slight bite.
Stir in the pesto and season with freshly ground black pepper. Gently stir in the reserved vegetables and cook for a further few minutes, or until the vegetables are heated through.
Serve sprinkled with the toasted pine nuts.

Lamb in Asparagus Cream

Thanks to the Romans' penchant for asparagus, we have this delectable seasonal vegetable in Britain. It has always been a luxury affordable to the rich, but with today's extensive farming of this crop, it is available to almost everyone, even if it's only once in a while. After all, it is only available for two months of the year, so as they say, "make hay while the sun shines"; spoil yourself and graze some 'sparrow grass'.

I've been looking for all the ideas I can get for using this amazing little veg and was amazed to find this classic recipe in one of my old cookbooks. Who would have thought to put creamed asparagus in a stew?! The original recipe comes from the Argenteuil region of France, just north-west of Paris, where asparagus is grown, but the tender early British asparagus gives just as good a flavour to this succulent lamb stew.

Ingredients:
1kg asparagus
1 kg boned shoulder of lamb
4 small onions
30g butter
30ml flour
5ml steak and chop seasoning
125ml double cream
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
juice of half a lemon

Method:
Wash the asparagus, but do not trim. Cook in a large pan of lightly salted water for about 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and set the cooking liquid aside. Cut of the tips about 3 inches down the spears and set aside. Put the rest of the spears in a liquidiser or blender and puree. Pass the puree through a sieve and discard any course and stringy bits.

Cut the lamb into 1-2 inch cubes. Toss in seasoned flour to coat evenly. Peel and roughly chop the onions.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and brown the meat. Once the meat is seared on all sides add the onions and cook together until the onions are browned. Gradually blend in about 250ml asparagus cooking liquid, stirring continuously until the sauce is smooth and creamy.

Simmer for about an hour until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally. If the liquid evaporates too much, cover the saucepan with a lid.

When the meat is cooked and tender, stir the asparagus puree and cream into the sauce. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and add the lemon juice. The sauce should be fairly thick.

Arrange the asparagus tips around the edge of a warm serving dish and spoon the meet and sauce into the middle. Serve with boiled baby potatoes in their jackets with a parsley butter sauce.

Warm Asparagus and Herb Mousses

If you're looking for a spectacular starter for a special meal then this is simply marvelous!

A good specimen of asparagus should be as fat as a ladies index finger; those that are thin and spindly are great for making this delicious starter and no one will be the wiser that you have used undersized scrawny asparagus, but they are bound to be wowed by your culinary proficiency.

Cook's Tip

To remove the woody ends of asparagus simply hold the spear about a third of the way down the spear below the tip and at the base of the woody end then bend the spear. It will snap where the woody base joins the soft succulent part of the spear.

To trim asparagus, use a vegetable peeler and remove only the outer hard tissue with sharp little leaves on the lower end of the spear. Always peel from the tip end to the base and try to get uniformity in look. Much of the flavour and goodness is in the skin, so you anly want to remove the outer tough layer. The succulent tip needs no paring.

Ingredients:
75g butter
450g small asparagus spears, trimmed and woody ends removed.
3 large eggs and 2 egg yolks
10ml freshly chopped tarragon
10ml freshly chopped chives
560ml double cream
Sea salt and freshly ground balck pepper to season
2 shallots, peeled and very finely chopped
150ml dry white wine
150ml vegetable or chicken stock
Sprigs of fresh tarragon to garnish

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180c.

Melt 25g butter and grease 6 x 150ml ramekins and chill them.

Set aside 12 of the best asparagus tips, cut about 2 inches long, and roughly chop the rest.

Bring to the boil a large pan of salted water, add the chopped asparagus and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Make sure you don't boil them for too long or they will loose their colour. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and plunge into iced water to stop the cooking and keep the colour. Drain again and transfer to a food processor with the eggs and egg yolks and blend until smooth. Sieve and stir in the chopped herbs and 450ml of the cream. Season well with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Cook the reserved asparagus tips for 1-2 minutes, drain and put to one side.

Pour the asparagus mixture into the chilled ramekins and put in a large roasting pan with enough boiling water to come half way up the sides of the ramekins. cover the whole roasting pan with tin foil and cook in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until just set.

Melt the remaining butter in a pan, add the finely chopped shallots and cook over low heat, stirring, for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the wine and stock and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the remaining cream, season and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Just before serving, reheat the reserved asparagus tips in the prepared sauce for about 1 minute. Turn the ramekins out onto six heated plates, spoon round the sauce and decorate each mousse with a couple of asparagus tips. Garnish with tarragon sprigs.

Fruit and Vegetables in May

As summer approaches, long warm days tempt us outdoors for braais, barbecues and picnics. May is a good month for veggie-lover. It's the first month to provide new and welcome produce for the year. There are two undisputed May champions: asparagus and new potatoes, particularly Jersey Royals. Both asparagus and new potatoes, which rank among the worlds great delicacies, may be expensive early in the season, but they are worth every penny for their unique flavour. Later in the month as they become more abundant their price comes down.

Asparagus should be bought, if possible, from a good supplier on the day of picking and eaten on the same day for the best results. Their hard, bright spears lose some of their lustre after even a day in the fridge. If you do buy more than you can eat in one day, keep them loosely wrapped in the vegetable drawer of the fridge. any less than perfect asparagus can be used in things like soups. pies and risottos.

When buying asparagus - or 'sparrow grass' as it was originally called - look closely at the individual spears and squeeze them if you can; they should be rock hard, like any good vegetable, with no sign of wrinkles, and a spear, when held by the end and shaken, should not be flexible enough to bend. The root-ends may be white, where sunlight was kept from them as they were hidden in the soil, but if there is too much white you will loose too much when trimming. The green tops of the spears should be really green, with no hints of the yellow or brown that indicates they are less than fresh. When you get the asparagus home, wash it well to remove any sand or grit that may still be attached to it.

Jersey Royals have a creamy texture and complex flavour that are have no equal and range in size from barely more then an olive to larger than an egg. Squeeze them between thumb and forefinger to check for freshness; if they dent at all, they are far from fresh, but don't be alarmed if the skin appears to be falling off; this is normal for this type of potato. Prepare them by washing only; they do not need to be peeled as the skins have flavour and nutrients. If they are gritty, soak them in warm water to clean them. Boil them whole or slice and saute them for delicious hot accompaniments to a main course or for cold salads.

While new potatoes and asparagus are the stars of May, it is also a good month for a lot of other vegetables as it's the beginning of summer where dining is concerned. Look out for the first sweet and tender broad beans that will be appearing now; it's worth the extra work to shell and skin them before serving, but the small fresh baby broad beans may not even need to be skinned.

Other interesting vegetables this month include spring greens, cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli, and towards the end of the month the first of the British grown garden peas should appear. Peas should be eaten as soon after picking as possible as their sweetness and succulence begin to wain soon after picking, so don't be persuaded to buy the Spanish imports: they have come so far and it may be days since they were picked before they grace your table. Coming into the stores should be baby leeks, which are great for steaming or stir-frying. British baby spinach will also become available this month, ideal for salads as well as cooking. Watercress will also be available to add crunch to salads and stir-frys. Spring cabbage varieties, will also be gracing the shelves this month. Radishes will begin to appear to grace your salads with bite and heat.

Apart from rhubarb, most fruits available this month are imported. May is a good month for mangoes and pineapples as well as the ubiquitous banana.

Grilled Lamb with Asparagus and Wild Garlic

Nothing speaks of spring better than pungent wild herbs, fresh asparagus and the sweetness of new season lamb.

Allium ursinum, known as wild garlic or Ramsoms, is a wild relative of chives that grows in deciduous woodlands with moist acidic soils. This prolific allium flowers before the trees get their leaves in spring, filling the air with their distinctive garlic odour. The leaves are edible and can be used in salads, cooked like spinach, or as an ingredient of pesto. The bulbs and flowers are also very flavoursome.

Ingredients:

6 lamb cutlets

5 springs thyme

3 sprigs rosemary

2 cloves garlic, crushed

olive oil, for drizzling

6 new potatoes

12 spears asparagus

1-2 shallots, finely chopped

1handful of spinach, finely chopped

1handful of wild garlic leaves, finely chopped

30-50ml double cream, finely chopped

a few florets of purple sprouting broccoli, finely chopped

30g butter, finely chopped

Method:

Place the lamb cutlets on a plate. Make a rub with about 20ml of olive oil and the thyme, rosemary and crushed garlic. Rub the cutlets with this mixture and set aside to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the new potatoes in a pan of boiling water for 10-15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cut into quarters, then place into a bowl and season with salt and drizzle with olive oil. Toss well to coat.

Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and add the new potatoes. Toss the asparagus in the olive oil, season and add to the griddle. Cook the potatoes and asparagus for 3-4 minutes, or until nicely charred and tender. Set aside.

Heat some more olive oil in a separate pan and fry the shallots with a pinch of salt for 3-4 minutes, or until softened. Add the spinach, wild garlic and a splash of water. Stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the purple sprouting broccoli florets.

Pour the stock into the pan, followed by the cream. Stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes, until the liquid has reduced slightly in volume. Just before serving, stir through the butter until melted.

Return the griddle pan to the heat and add the marinated lamb cutlets. Griddle for 2-3 minutes on both sides, or until golden-brown all over and cooked to your liking.

Divide the asparagus and potatoes between two serving plates and lay three lamb cutlets on top. Spoon the cooked vegetables over the top and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Fruit and Vegetables in April

April heralds the blossom of spring. With the daffodils in full bloom, buds bursting on the trees and the days growing longer, it makes for an exciting month of change with longings for the outdoors, alfresco meals and the first braai or barbecue of the year.

Where vegetables are concerned, nothing much changes from the supply situation of March: Broccoli, including the purple sprouting variety, carrots, leeks, new potatoes and sweet potatoes are regularly available. Cauliflower may be available and English spinach will become available as the month progresses. Another vegetable that appears now is Asparagus, but not the local variety, which is only available in May. Imported varieties of asparagus may be available from as far afield as Peru, but the one to look out for is the superior quality Spanish asparagus, which are invariable available from early April. Good courgettes and chicory are also available now, both great components of salads. Another salad vegetable not to be forgotten this month is delicious watercress, which can also be used in cooked dishes.

A dark green leaf with a distinctive peppery, pungent flavour, watercress is an incredibly versatile and healthy vegetable, which can be included in recipes instead of spinach. Look for dark, green leaves and avoid any that are wilting or yellowing. Often eaten raw in salads, watercress can also be cooked. It takes very little cooking and is often used in soups and sauces, in cheese or egg dishes, or served with fish, such as salmon, or as a filler in pies and tarts.

Fruit supplies in April are dominated by imports. Oranges are past their best, although still available, but other citrus fruits are good, for instance you may be able to use grapefruit in place of oranges for some recipes. Lemons and Limes are also still available.

The main UK fruit of the month, although not truly a fruit, but considered as such, is the first of the outdoor rhubarb, which makes a great accompaniment with apple in crumbles and sweet pastries.

Alan's Asparagus Sticks

My brother-in-law gave me this idea for asparagus.
I thought it would make a great al fresco snack for the wonderful summer weather we are having lately. Serve with aioli, mayonnaise or a dip made with cream cheese or mascarponi.

Ingredients:
1 bunch of asparagus
4-6 sheets of filo pastry
Melted butter
poppy seeds or sesame seeds to sprinkle.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Clean the asparagus, trim the ends and peel the lower shaft with a vegetable peeler to remove any woody skin.
Cut the filo pastry into squares slightly shorter than the asparagus.
Brush the pastry with melted butter and roll each asparagus spear in a square of pastry.
Place these rolled up asparagus tubes on a baking sheet, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds.
Bake for 10-25 minutes until golden brown.
Take out of the oven and cool on a wire wrack before serving.

Asparagus and Gremolata Aioli

Asparagus and gremolata aioli is wonderful served as a side dish to red meat.

Ingredients:
a bunch of fresh asparagus, 250g bases snapped off and shafts pealed.
25ml mayonnaise
7.5ml grainy mustard
zest of 1 lemon
7.5ml chopped fresh mint
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Method:
Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water for around 5 minutes.
Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon zest mint and add salt and pepper to season.
Serve the asparagus spears covered with a dollop of gremolata aioli.

Asparagus and Pear Salad

Asparagus is now in season in the UK.

This salad makes a good accompaniment to a braai or barbecue,

or as a starter to a meal.

I use Conference pears for this salad as they are firm and cook well.

For the salad leaves, I like to choose a pack with baby lettuce of different varieties with rocket (arugula), mizuna or watercress.

Ingredients:

Bunch of fresh green asparagus, 250g

50g butter

zest of half a lemon

2 pears, pealed and sliced

1/2 packet of mixed salad leaves.

juice of half a lemon

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to season

Method:

Prepare the Asparagus by snapping off the woody base of the stem and peel to remove the spiky leaves along the shaft.
Fry gently in a pan with the butter and lemon zest until warmed and the green colour brightens.
Add the pear slices and fry gently for a further minute or two.
Place the salad leaves on a large flat platter and toss the asparagus and pear slices, along with the melted butter, over the leaves.
Drizzle with lemon juice and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Chicken and Asparagus Rolls

This is a great way to use up that left over roast chicken from Sunday lunch.

These little pastries are delicious served as snacks,

or you can make them bigger and have them as part of a meal.

These can be prepared about 3 hours before serving, but are nicest served hot.

Ingredients:
4 sheets ready rolled puff pastry
250ml chopped cooked chicken
125ml chopped and drained canned asparagus
30ml double cream
lemon juice
30ml chopped fresh chives
50g strong cheddar cheese, or some other tasty cheese, grated
1 egg lightly beaten

Method:
Preheat oven to 200C
Cut each pastry sheet into 4 strips, cut each strip to give 3 rectangles.
Roll each rectangle on a lightly floured surface to an 8cm x 10cm rectangle.
Whisk the cream with a couple of drops of lemon juice to give it a sour cream taste.
Combine chicken, asparagus, soured cream, chives and cheese in a bowl.
Spoon a teaspoon of mixture onto each piece of pastry, lightly brush edges with egg and fold in long sides and ends. Place pastries on a baking-paper lined baking tray seam side down.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.