Spring

Take pesto pasta to the next level by whizzing in some creamy ricotta. We’ve added asparagus tips to the pasta, but swap in any green veg you have to hand

These fishcakes are packed with vitamin B12, which can help to keep the nervous system healthy and boost energy levels. If cooking for one, the extra fishcakes can be frozen at the end of step 1

A green risotto with a citrus edge – perfect for welcoming in spring

All the squidge of a brownie but bursting with lemony freshness instead, these make a great elevenses treat on a bright spring morning. Use a good-quality lemon curd with plenty of tang and don’t overmix it through the batter – the little pools of lemon curd taste heavenly when you bite into them.

Bridge the gap between winter and spring with golden crumbed chicken, Caesar-dressed little gem, jammy eggs and parmesan.

Popped from their pods and inner skins, broad beans are sweet and tender early on in the season. They make a hearty addition to this salad and have a natural affinity with salty pancetta and fresh mint

Chef Saiphin says: "This is one of my favourites to have at Songkran, the Thai new year celebration. The key ingredient is black sesame, which offers a delightful combination of nuttiness, earthiness and a subtle sweetness."

Make a big batch of the butter, then refrigerate it for future meals. It’s great for adding flavour to other fish or meat, stirred into pasta or used as a spread in the ultimate sarnie

A simple but classic English dessert, ‘foole’ is first noted in 1598, with the earliest recipes being fruitless and based on cream and eggs. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was thought that fruit was unhealthy but could be made safe by boiling it to a pulp. The resulting fruit purée could then be chilled and folded through a ‘foole’ to make a light dessert. Many modern recipes skip the traditional custard and simply use whipped cream, but the custard definitely gives the fool more body and works especially well with rhubarb