Emma Cooper

Now that spring is here, keen gardeners everywhere will be sowing, propagating and pruning to get the best from their crops this summer. Whether you choose to cultivate salad, exotic or heritage varieties, we’ve pulled together a few recipes that should help you decide what to do with your produce this year.

Parsley Pesto
Basil is absolutely luscious, but this variation on the pesto theme is (surprisingly) even tastier – and parsley is a lot easier to crop in the British climate. The quantities in this recipe are a bit free and easy, so go easy with the garlic, cheese and lemon, adding gradually until you get the ideal combination.

1 large bunch of flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp of pine nuts
2 cloves of garlic
30g Parmesan/Pecorino cheese
Juice of half a lemon
Big slug of olive oil
Seasoning

Roughly chop the parsley and garlic. Finely grate the Parmesan. Add all ingredients to a food processor and wiz up until a rough paste is formed. Cook some pasta (spaghetti is best) and stir the pesto through whilst hot – add a splash of cream (optional).

Vegetable & Haloumi Kebabs
The barbecue doesn’t need to be the preserve of meat – quality vegetable kebabs go down a treat with meat eaters and herbivores, they just require a bit of time and imagination. The haloumi adds some bite and additional texture, going beautifully crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside.

Courgettes
Red/green/yellow pepper
Cherry tomatoes
Button mushrooms
Aubergine
Garlic cloves – leave skin on
Haloumi cheese
Fresh mixed herbs
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Brown sugar

Pick a bunch of herbs direct from the garden – parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano – roughly chop and throw in a bowl. Add a good slug of olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice, 1 tbsp of sugar and seasoning – mix well. Chop the vegetables into chunky cubes, add to the bowl, coat thoroughly and leave to marinade for 1-2 hours. Cube the haloumi cheese to match the size of the vegetables. When the barbecue is ready to cook, skewer an even sequence of veg and cheese. Cook over hot coals, turning regularly to brown evenly on all sides.

Homemade Burgers
Whilst you won’t necessarily be cultivating your own cattle in the back yard, there are some special and essential ingredients from the garden that can completely transform bog standard burgers into meaty sandwich sensations.

200g minced beef (sirloin if possible) per person
Finely chopped onion
Grated carrot
One red chilli
Fresh tarragon
Dijon mustard
Egg

Mash the chilli up with some salt in pepper – add the chopped onion and grated carrot. Mix in the minced beef – using your hands. Roughly chop a handful of fresh tarragon – add to mix along with a tsp (per person) of Dijon mustard. Finally crack an egg into the mix – use your hands to thoroughly mix and then mould palm-sized patties of burger mix. Cook over a hot barbecue; serve with a fresh oriental salad mix for a bit of bite, a slice or mature cheddar and a fresh bap.