Broad Bean, Bacon and Mint Salad

Very nice as a warm starter this one or a side dish if you use more beans and a bit less bacon.
Bring a pan of water to the boil (no salt) for the broad beans and cook for a few minutes until just cooked - less is best as you want them firm.
As the beans are cooking fry some bacon until crispy.
Drain the beans and leave to cool slightly then add olive oil, a dash of a good vinegar and season lightly.
When the bacon is cooked chop and add to the beans plate up and scatter with freshly choped mint and serve.

An alernative to the above is to use peas as well or replace the bacon with peas and serve on a bed of leaves.

Lamb Stuffed Artichokes in Tomato Sauce.

I used small chokes for this but you could easily use larger ones - just up the cooking times etc.
With a sharp knife cut the tops off the leaves about one third of the way down, pull off the tough outer leaves and trim any tough skin from the stalk and base. The idea is to remove as much of the non edible bits as possible, but don't worry if you don't! Then with a teaspoon scoop out the choke in the centre and discard. As soon as this is done drop into a saucepan or bowl with some lemon juice added to stop it discolouring. Repeat for the rest of the chokes.
When all the chokes are prepared add a little salt to the pan and bring to the boil, simmer for around 10mins until the chokes are just cooked. Drain and leave to cool a little.
While the chokes are cooking prepare the stuffing/sauce. I used lamb as it a great combination with chokes, but you could use beef or even a veg option.
Finely chop a small onion and a clove of garlic and fry in olive oil, when the onion has softened add minced lamb and cook through.
Season and add thyme and tomato paste or puree (loosen with a little water if need be) cook down into a sauce.
Place all the chokes in a cooking pot and sprinkle with olive oil - then stuff with the lamb sauce - pour any remaining over the choke and pop in a moderate oven to heat through and serve.

Braised Lamb with carrots, onions and peas.

Nice easy quick supper this one - I usualy use neck fillet for it as it's a nice cheap cut with enough fat on it to create a good sauce so a small amount of meat and lots of veg go a long way.
In a casserole or similar oven proof dish with a lid fry the onions and carrots in a little oil and butter, add the neck fillet and colour on each side - season and add some chopped thyme add a little white wine and place in an oven (around 120/140 for a long slow cook) for 45 mins to an hour.
10 mins before the end of cooking add your frozen peas.
Serve with butteren new potatoes at this time of year.

Roasted Wet Garlic with Herb Goats Cheese.

Wet garlic is freshly harvested garlic which has a milder flavour than the stuff you normally get in the shops which has been dried. the drying process intensifies the flavour. If you are using dried garlic in the recipe just roast it for slightly longer.
Place the garlic bulbs in an oven proof dish and cover with a small amount of oilve oil, season with salt and pepper and roast in an oven on about 180 for 35-45 mins depending on the size.
While the garlic is roasting collect some fresh herbs of choice and finely chop.
Press the fresh herbs around the outside of the goats cheese to give it a crust.
Serve the garlic with the cheese and some good bread - squeeze the garlic which should be roasted to a puree onto the bread and spread a little goats cheese on.
To speed up the roasting process if you are using dried garlic you can wrap in foil before placing in the oven.

Hop Shoot and Herb Omelette

We are lucky enough to have hops growing wild by the front gate so this year thought I would try the shoots which if eaten early enough are suposed to be good. Richard Mabey suggests before the end of May in his book Food For Free (a foragers bible!).
I collected a good number of shoots and then did a quick trip round the rest of the garden for herbs to beef out the omlette collecting fennel, rocket, parsley, chives and lovage.
Fry off the hop shoots in a little butter for a min or two before adding the rest of the herbs and egg.

Richard Mabey suggests blanching the in salted water before frying in a little butter and eating like asparagus.

Leeks Braised in White Wine & Tarragon with Mustard Vinaigrette.

Heat some butter in a casserole and colour the leeks on all sides over a gentle heat.
Add some chopped tarragon and a splash of white wine and place in an oven to braise.
Remove from the oven and place the leeks on a serving plate - mix the cooking liquior with some whole grain mustard to make a  vinaigrette and pour over the leeks.
This dish can be served hot from the oven slightly cooled or even cold.

Wild Garlic Pesto

Blanch the wild garlic in boiling water and refresh in cold and squeeze out as much water as possible or leave to dry.
Place in a blender with some toasted pine nuts (you can use others - walnuts work well).
Grate in parmesan (I also added some stilton) and blitz while adding olive or rapeseed oil, until you have the right consisteney.
Scoop into steralised jars and seal with a little oil.