With any luck the April showers are now over and we can really start looking forward to the Great British summer. May sees an abundance of greenery finding its way into the shops, lunchtime soups are replaced by salads and some may even be brave enough to dust off and fire up the barbecue.
If there's one vegetable that truly signals the start of summer, it has to be the humble pea. Sure to brighten up salads and starters alike, peas are a tasty way to get vitamins into your diet and kids will enjoy helping with the podding. For a super simple snack or starter, try Robert Thompson’s Mozzarella with peas, mint and olive oil. Tom Aikens matches seasonal asparagus with peas in his Pea pancake. poached eggs and herb sabayon, or for a stunning main course, try Paul Foster’s Pork belly, pea tartare and onions.
Going hand in hand with peas are the lesser favoured broad beans. As they need to be podded twice before eating, they are often left on the shelf. But don’t let this put you off; try Xavier Boyer’s Crispy poached egg with broad bean salad and smoked bacon or Nuno Mendes’ Charred broad beans with St Jorge cheese and brioche crumbs to see just how delicious they can be.
