Mussels, Fennel and Parsley in White Wine.

 

In a large pan with a tight fitting lid soften a finely sliced bulb of fennel, a few spring onions, a stick of celery, a chopped garlic clove or two and half a small red chilli in good oil. 

Season and add a good glug of white wine and bring to a boil.

Add the mussels and place the lid on and cook for four or five mins giving it the odd shake. 

The mussels are cooked when they are open - dont over cook or they go rubbery.

Scatter with lots of fresh parsley, stir in and serve with crusty bread for all the juices.

Fruit Ripple Ice Cream

 

This recipe can be used for any soft fruit either on its own or as a fruit mix as I have done here.

Put an equal mix of double cream and  natural yogurt into am ice cream maker with a few table spoons of icing sugar and churn.

While the ice cream is churning place your fruit - I used red currants, strawberries, raspberries and cherries - in a saucepan with a dash of lemon juice and a few tablespoons of caster sugar, heat gently until the fruit collapses and releases all it juices.

You then need to push the pulp through a sieve with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula until you have collected all the juice and pureed fruit in a clean saucepan.

Warm through and stir together to mix the pulp and juice together then leave to cool before chilling in the fridge.

Layer a ice cream tub with an inch or so of ice cream then a thin layer of fruit puree repeat until you have used up all of both.

Chill in the freezer for 20 mins or so to firm it up, then run the edge of a pallet knife up and down the tub to create the ripple effect.

Return to the freezer until needed.

Raspberry Mousse

 

Place your raspberries in a pan (remembering to reserve the best ones for topping the finished mousse) with a tiny amount of water a dash of lemon juice and a table spoon of caster sugar.

Place on a low heat and cook until the raspberries collapse and release all their juices.

Place some leaves of gelatin in cold water (you will need about half a leaf per portion).

Push the cooked raspberries through a sieve into another pan - pushing all the pulp through with a wooden spoon or spatula, until you have a smooth puree.

Whisk egg whites until they form soft peaks and add a few table spoons of caster sugar - whisk again until stiff, smooth and glossy.

Place the soaked gelatin leaves in a container with some of the puree and gently heat in a pan of water - stirring until the gelatin melts into the puree and then add to the rest of the fruit puree.

Whip double cream until it forms firm peaks and then gently fold in the egg whites and fruit puree.

Spoon into glasses and leave in a fridge to set for a few hours.

Serve with the reserved berries on top.

Spaghetti and Clams in White Wine.

Place a large saucepan of salted water on a med/high heat - when the water is boiling add spaghetti.

While the spaghetti is cooking gently soften a small chopped onion, a stick of celery, chopped garlic and half a small red chilli in good oil. Season, add a good glug of white wine and bring to a light boil.

Add your cleaned clams and cook for 3/4 mins until the clams have opened.

Drain the spaghetti, add to the clams and stir in and cook on for another minute or two.

Scatter with a good handful of chopped parsley and serve in bowls.

Artichoke Stuffed with Spring Vegatables.

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.

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.

In a pan boil and steam asparagus tips, peas, broad beans and french beans.

Fry some chopped bacon with a knob of butter in a frying pan with chopped shallots. 

When the asparagus and other veg is cooked add to the bacon and shallots, remove from the heat and dress with sherry vinegar, olive oil  a dash of lemon juice, season with salt and pepper and mix in chopped parsley and mint.

Stuff into the centre of the warmed chokes, drizzle the choke leaves with a little more oil and serve.

Spring Vegetable Vinaigrette.

 

For the vinaigrette mix a dollop of dijon mustard with  sherry vinegar.

slowly add extra virgin olive oil while whisking to for an emulsion.

Season with a little salt and ground black pepper and set aside.

Boil or steam a selection of seasonal vegetables - I used spring onion, asparagus, peas and broad beans, but you could also add baby leeks, green beans etc

Dress the cooked veg in the vinaigrette and sprinkle with a good hand full of chopped chervil and serve.