Linguine with Provencal Vegetables.

This basically a quick cook ratatouille and is just a case of cutting the veg into similar size small pieces and cooking in the right order.
Finely chop or dice onion, courgette, aubergine and red pepper.
Add a good glug of olive oil to a pan and fry the onion with finely chopped garlic until soft, but not coloured - then add the courgette and cook for a few minutes before adding the red pepper - add the aubergine and cook for a few minutes then add chopped tomatoes and slowly stew down for a few minutes before adding chopped herbs - basil is the obvious choice but parsley is more traditional - or combine the two.
Add more olive oil and cook on a low heat until all the flavours merge together - ratatouille is vegetables slowly stewed in olive oil.
Serve with pasta and a good cheese on top.

Aubergines with Garlic, Mint and Chilli.

Place a clove of chopped garlic in a mortar and pestle add some salt and mix to a smooth paste. Add good olive oil, a grind of pepper and sherry vinegar and mix well.
Cut another clove of garlic into match sticks and gently fry in veg oil until slightly coloured - do not over cook or they will turn very bitter.
In a frying pan heat veg oil until very very hot (beginning to smoke) and fry aubergine slices on both sides until browned - if the oil isnt very hot the aubergine will just absorb the oil then release it.
Drain on kitchen paper and place in a dish. Scatter with chopped mint the garlic matchstick and chopped red chilli and dress.
Leave to cool to room temperature before eating but do not refrigerate.

Smoked Salmon with Dill, Lemon and Dijon Dressing.

Place Dill (reserve a few pieces), dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, extra virgin olive oil, a dash of white wine vinegar salt and pepper in a blender and whizz to an emulsion.
Drizzle onto smoked salmon and some salad leaves, sprinkle with the reserved dill and serve.

Smoked Mackerel Pate with Pickled Cucumber and Ramson Buds.

Mix half water and half white wine vinegar in a sauce pan with a few black peppercorns and a teaspoon of sugar, bring to the boil then leave to infuse and cool.
Chop the cucumber length ways, de-seed and cut into chunks. when the pickling liquid is cool pour over the cucumber pieces.
Repeat the process for the ramson (wild garlic) buds but leave out the sugar.
Heat the oven and place chopped celery leaves in an oven proof dish, turn the heat off and place in the oven to dry the leaves. when dry mix with good quality salt.
Remove the skin from the smoked mackerel and flake into a bowl. Add a dollop of mayonnaise, celery salt, a dash of tabasco, capers, some of the pickled cucumber cut into smaller pieces, lemon juice and zest and chopped chives and dill, then mix together - you can also add some good quality extra virgin olive oil to loosen it slightly.
Place the mix into ramekins and leave for half an hour for the flavours to merge.
Slide the mix out of the ramekins and serve with the pickles and good toasted bread.

Globe Artichoke with Lemon, Dijon and Tarragon Dressing.

Prepare the choke in water and lemon juice - this stops it discolouring. Start by pulling off the very tough outer leaves and cutting off the stalk leaving a flat base. Then cut off the top third and trim the tops of the leaves removing any spikes.
Place in a saucepan with enough seasoned water to come half way up the choke. Bring to the boil and simmer until a sharp knife can slide in with little resistance - this will vary depending on age and size of the choke.
Remove from the water to cool but retain the water and pan.
While the choke is cooking melt butter in some good olive oil and  gently fry a finely chopped shallot.
Add a dollop of dijon mustard, finely chopped tarragon, lemon zest and lemon juice, mix to an emulsion and keep warm.
When the choke is cool enough to handle remove the soft leaves in the centre and using a spoon remove the choke and rinse clean and return to the pan to warm through - you could also steam or poach it to warm it up.
Plate in a bowl in the dressing and pour more dressing into the centre well.