This Month

In days gone by, fruit and vegetables took centre stage in our diets and meat was just a seasoning most days, if used at all. It’s an older way of life, perhaps simpler and certainly cheaper, especially these days, when every penny counts. And with Farmers Markets providing a bigger range of old-fashioned varieties in recent years – and even supermarkets sourcing the odd heirloom potato – you’re not short of ingredients to experiment with.

It’s true to say that if you’re eating seasonally, you’ll never be bored. On the other hand, you might find yourself in need of some recipe inspiration a couple of weeks into whatever vegetable glut you’re experiencing, be it home-grown or bought. Sarah Raven’s Garden Cookbook is a cornucopia of recipe ideas – 450 to be precise – for almost any fruit or vegetable you can think of.

Her ‘compendium’ is ordered by months of the year, when you’re most likely to find or harvest each ingredient. She covers cabbages to pomegranates, edible flowers to chillies and everything in between. Now we’re coming into early summer and we can tentatively have lunches outside, try her Salad of Asparagus, a Broad Bean Crostini – perfect for slightly older or frozen beans – or tiny New or Jersey Potatoes with a heady Saffron Dressing.

In the introduction to each ingredient you’ll find basic preparation tips and advice on what varieties to grow or look out for. Perhaps the only thing that’s missing is a tiny section on tips for grow-your-own – if you’re interested in the varieties, you might want to have a go yourself – but then, all the more reason for you to visit her wonderful Garden and Cookery School in Sussex for one of her courses.