For the strawberry ice cream, I am not following a traditional method of making ice cream. Instead it’s simply made by blending together all the ‘raw’ ingredients and then churning them into ice cream using an ice-cream maker. The reason for not making an egg custard base is because I like the fresh and pure taste of the strawberries in this uncooked version. The ice cream makes a few more scoops than you’ll need for this dessert, but it will keep perfectly well in the freezer for up to 1 week. Serve the leftover strawberry ice cream as a dessert after dinner, or try blending it with a glass of cold milk to make a refreshing strawberry smoothie.

I love the Fentimans brand of products and I personally think that their Dandelion and Burdock drink epitomises the values of being British. It’s traditional, classic and very cool, and it’s one of those things that will never go out of food fashion. For this recipe, I have turned it into a jelly that gives the strawberry bavarois an additional burst of botanical flavour.

I have made rhubarb pressé (or cordial) by accident in the past. What I mean by this is that I did not actually set out to make pressé, but it was a by-product from poaching rhubarb for some baked white chocolate and rhubarb cheesecakes. For those cheesecakes, I vacuumed the rhubarb with a couple of tablespoons each of grenadine and caster sugar and then cooked it in the water bath at 80°C for 10–12 minutes, until the rhubarb was just soft to the touch. This was then chilled over ice. When I was ready to use it, I drained the juices from the poached rhubarb. The rhubarb was then used for the cheesecakes and the syrup was used in the bar for making cocktails – anything from non-alcoholic lemonades to rhubarb and rosé wine spritzers or rhubarb martinis. Our customers loved them and I really liked the fact that the by-product was used in delicious drinks recipes.

This recipe makes a rhubarb and rose syrup or pressé that can be used in two different drinks – a non-alcoholic lemonade and a sophisticated alcoholic tonic, both of which are perfect for serving as a refreshing drink on a warm summer’s evening. The tonic, in particular, makes a wonderful party drink, and will make you the envied host or hostess amongst your friends. The cooked rhubarb pulp makes a wonderful ‘jam’ or spread too (see Cook’s Note for some serving suggestions), so nothing goes to waste.

See also the accompanying video for how to make this delicious rhubarb and rose pressé.

Watch the video on how to make the soup, plus some top tips on how to keep its vibrant green colour.

The baked ricotta is an excellent little recipe in its own right. It’s so easy to make and once it’s ready, it can simply be set aside and reheated under the grill when you are ready to serve.

The asparagus pesto is simply great. I use the trimmings of the asparagus and any damaged spears for this recipe. Just make sure that you cook the asparagus until soft, then refresh it in iced water before adding it to the rest of the ingredients to make the pesto.

I serve this dish as a light lunch with crusty bread. You could also serve it as a starter, if you prefer (see Cook’s Note).

Please watch the accompanying video for tips on making and plating up this fabulous dish that truly celebrates the new season’s asparagus.

The video shows how to prepare an emulsion that keeps the molecules together and repent them from separating out. You will still need to shake the vinaigrette before using though.

You could make your own version by using vinegar, oil and mustard of your choice. Add herbs and spices to adapt and change for your recipes. This recipe is very basic however a very good recipe and starting block to a classic vinaigrette for multitude of uses.

Following a trip to our local farmers’ market, I came home with free-range eggs, strawberries, asparagus, free-range chicken and plenty of other seasonal delights. I was all set to make my chocolate cake for Easter.

This cake is stupendously easy to make! Making the cake batter takes hardly any time at all and you don’t need to do much apart from weighing the ingredients into the mixing bowl (whilst boiling the kettle), then mix, divide and bake. It’s as simple as that!

For that reason, I prepare the strawberries first as they need to be roasted at the same time as the cake is baking. The strawberries are best if they are very ripe, because the flavour is even better, then the strawberries become almost jam-like during roasting and a delicious intense red strawberry syrup forms. Once cooled, half of the roasted strawberries then get blended with the mascarpone to make the frosting (which is delicious but not too sweet).

This cake is a fantastic recipe, even if I say so myself! The oil in the cake batter helps to keep the baked cake moist and it has an almost fudge/truffle-like texture. Delicious!

These are a few rules you must remember when preparing baby artichokes:

1. Work as quick as you possibly can.
2. Be organised – prepare as much as possible in advance before you make the first cut. The reason for this is because the artichokes start to oxidise as soon as you cut into them.
3. Prepare a large bowl of ice cold water with plenty of lemon juice beforehand, to submerge the artichokes in while you are preparing the rest.
4. Look after the cooked chokes, they keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days in the cooking liquid.
5. Most importantly, enjoy every single one!

I have prepared a slideshow of how to turn baby artichokes – hopefully it will make the process easier to understand and follow.

This tart makes a delicious light lunch, it could be served either warm or at room temperature, either way it’s delicious.

Globe artichokes are not only delicious and tasty but they are also beautiful in the garden or even in a flower arrangement. Preparing artichokes is a time-consuming activity, but ultimately a rewarding one.

The culinary world has gone into a macaron frenzy. It’s macarons wherever you turn your head. So I thought it’s about time that I jumped on the macaron bandwagon and give it a whirl. So, now I have even made this slide show and posted it on YouTube. To be honest, I tend to call them macaroons, but technically the correct term is macaron, because they’re actually two different things. The two ‘oo’s refer to a coconut biscuit and the one ‘o’ refers to these little fellas. You will see my comments on YouTube.

I am also addicted to all pretty things in life, so my aim is not only to make my macarons as pretty as possible, but also to give them a professional look. I achieve this by using a decoration of freeze-dried raspberry pieces, black sesame seeds or chopped pistachio nuts. I make one batch of macaron mixture, colour it with one colour, then use different decorations and flavoured fillings to finish them off. I make my own version of wasabi and white chocolate butter cream, as well as a toasted black sesame seed butter cream and, finally, a strawberry and rose jam filling.

You might think that the wasabi and chocolate is a weird combination, I honestly I thought the same until I had tried it, but all I can say is WOW, it surpassed all my expectations, and you really must try it! The wasabi has acidic and citrus undertones and when it’s combined with a good-quality white chocolate, it works really well. Just add the wasabi to suit your taste (I suggest you start with a little and mix it very well). I use a butter cream made from unsalted butter as my carrier for the wasabi, and I opt for wasabi paste, not powder, but the choice is yours (if you only have powder, then first make it into a paste with a little cold water before use – be careful not to add too much water though, otherwise if will make it too runny).

To add a bit of glamour and sparkle to your baked macarons, dust them with edible glitter. You can get all sorts of funky shades and colours.

What I love most about macarons is that you can make as many interesting colour and flavour combinations as you wish. I have listed only a few in the recipe below. I hope the short accompanying video will also give every macaron lover the confidence to give it a go and crack the art of making macarons.