Spring may be in the air, but it is still too early for many home-grown crops. Instead, play with fresh flavours such as citrus and verdant herbs...
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British spinach
Its tender juicy leaves taste amazing if blanched and chopped before being reheated with spring onions sautéed in olive oil and finished with crème fraîche. Otherwise, wilt into the simplest of pastas with sautéed garlic, shallots and chilli.
Spring herbs
Tender aromatic herbs start to sprout as the days lengthen. The first new parsley shoots have a delicate, fresh flavour that is delicious added to creamy chicken or fish dishes with a hint of lemon zest. Young peppery chives are wonderful added to soups, salads and savoury tarts.
Papaya
Papaya has a natural affinity with lime juice and is irresistible in both sweet and savoury dishes. Try slicing it into a salad with seared prawns, salad leaves, cucumber and spring onion, or purée it into a fool, flavoured with lime and vodka and thickened with whipped crème fraîche.
Pineapple
Pineapple is now grown to be so fragrant that it rarely needs sweetening. Like papaya, it works well in both sweet and savoury dishes, but unlike papaya, pineapple also cooks well. So, aside from adding to salads and salsas, try using it instead of apple in a tart Tatin or just fry in butter, add brown sugar and flambé in rum for an easy pudding.
More seasonal ingredients...