SERVES 4 READY IN 15 mins

• potatoes 450g
• smoked haddock fillet 250g
• milk 150ml
• butter25g
• onion 1, finely chopped
• spinach 140g leaves without stalks, washed
• seasoned flour, for dusting
• egg, 1 beaten
• breadcrumbs from 4 thick slices of white bread, crusts removed
• sunflower or groundnut oil 4 tbsp
• steamed broccoli, to serve

FOR THE MUSTARD MAYO
• good-quality bought mayonnaise 175g
• grainy mustard 2-3 tsp
• double cream 2 tbsp

These are lovely, creamy, light fishcakes, but their lack of stodginess makes them tricky to handle, so persevere. Keep the fish in nice big flakes and do chill before cooking. They can be cooked from frozen for 5 mins each side.

1 Boil whole potatoes in their skins for 30-40 mins, or until tender (timing depends on their size). Meanwhile, put the haddock in a pan with the milk, bring to the boil then quickly turn the heat down. Cover with a lid and poach for 3 mins or until just cooked. Set the haddock aside (reserving 2tbsp of the milk), then remove the skin from the fish and fork the flesh into large flakes.

2 Once the potatoes are tender, drain and remove skins. Mash the flesh with two-thirds of the butter, plus the 2tbsp milk. Season if you like and let cool.

3 Fry the onion in the rest of the butter for 5 mins until soft, but not coloured. Put the spinach into a pan with 1 tbsp water, cover and cook for 11⁄2 mins on a very low heat. Drain, then squeeze all the water from the spinach and roughly chop.

4 Mix the mash with the onion and spinach, then carefully mix in the fish – try to keep the flakes large and not overwork the mixture. Flour your hands then shape the mixture into 8 cakes, each about 8cm across, and dust with seasoned flour. Chill the cakes for 30 mins. Meanwhile, make the mayo by mixing all the ingredients together.

5 Dip each cake in beaten egg, then breadcrumbs and fry in the hot oil for a couple of mins each side. (You can fry the cakes in 2 batches, using 2 tbsp of oil each time.) Serve with mayo and broccoli. If cooking from frozen, defrost the night before reheating.

SERVES 4 READY IN 1 hour

• beetroot 500g small, halved, with leaves if possible
• chilli flakes, to sprinkle
• cumin seeds 2 tsp
• feta 200g, broken into chunks
• olive oil, 2 tbsp

Buy fresh beetroot with its leaves still on and stir them through at the end

1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the beets in a baking dish flat-side up.

2 Heat 2 tbsp oil and the cumin in a frying pan, cook until it sizzles and then pour over the beets. Season and bake for 30 minutes.

3 Dot the feta between the beets, sprinkle some chilli flakes over and bake for another 20 minutes. Stir in any leaves.

SERVES 12 READY IN 1 hour 20 mins plus cooling

• bunch beetroot 250g
• extra virgin olive oil 5 tbsp
• zest 1 orange
• frozen soya beans 1kg
• thyme sprigs 3, leaves picked
• Sherry vinegar 1½ tbsp
• small shallot 1, finely chopped

Beetroot can be acidic, so try eating enamel-friendly foods like cheese afterwards to restore pH balance.

1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Using kitchen gloves, peel, trim and cut beets into 2cm wedges. Place on tin foil, and toss with 1 tbsp oil, half the zest and seasoning. Cook for 45 mins-1 hr until easily pierced. Cool.

2 Cook the soya beans for 3 mins in boiling water. Drain, cool under a cold tap, then drain again. Whisk the thyme leaves with the vinegar, remaining oil and shallot. To serve, mix altogether and scatter with orange zest.

SERVES 4 READY IN 40 mins

• lamb mince 400g
• red onion ½ grated or finely chopped
• garlic clove 1 crushed
• cumin 1 tsp
• bunch coriander, ½ chopped
• egg yolk 1
• ciabatta or other crusty buns 4, toasted
• iceberg lettuce, to serve
• soured cream, to serve

FOR THE BEETROOT RELISH
• cooked beetroot 100g diced
• gherkins 2 tbsp, finely diced
• small red onion 1, finely chopped
• small bunch coriander, chopped
• red wine vinegar 1 tbsp
• olive oil 2 tbsp

Vinegar adds bite but is acidic. Acid can soften tooth enamel, meaning it can be worn away more easily. Drink a glass of water after eating to help wash away any excess acid.

1 Mix the relish ingredients and set aside for 20 mins.

2 Put the lamb, onion, garlic, cumin, coriander and egg yolk in a bowl, season, then mix with your hands. Form into 4 burgers and grill for 5 mins on each side.

3 Serve the burgers in toasted buns with salad, topped with the relish and a dollop of soured cream.

SERVES 2 READY IN 30 minutes

• olive oil
• onion 1, sliced
• small carrots 4, sliced lengthways
• swede ½, cut into chunks
• lamb stock fresh, cube or concentrate, made up to 400ml
• frozen peas a handful
• lamb leg steaks 2 large, trimmed of fat
• flat-leaf parsley a small bunch, roughly chopped
• brown soda bread to serve

1 Heat a heavy pan, add a splash of oil and the onion, and cook for 5 minutes until it starts to caramelise.

2 Add the carrot, swede and stock and simmer until tender, then add the peas and cook for 2 minutes.

3 Griddle or grill the steaks 3-4 minutes each side, then rest, and slice. Stir the parsley through the stew and serve in shallow bowls with the lamb and brown soda bread.

SERVES 6 READY IN 1 hour

• small vine tomatoes 8-10, halved
• olive oil
• puff pastry 500g block
• parmesan or Grana Padano 50g, roughly grated
• Dijon mustard 1 tbsp
• mascarpone 2 tbsp
• garlic 2 cloves, sliced
• thyme 2 sprigs, leaves chopped
• egg 1, beaten to glaze

Roasting homegrown tomatoes intensifies their rich sweetness. You can add all sorts of sweet and savoury flavours to bought puff pastry.

1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Season the tomatoes, drizzle with oil then put cut-side down on a non-stick baking tray. Roast for 10 minutes. Cool and slip off the skins.

2 Roll out the pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin. Sprinkle with half the cheese, fold in half, then roll out to the same thickness. Sprinkle over the rest of the cheese and roll out again. Using a dinner plate as a guide, cut out a large circle (about 28cm). Score a border about 1 1/2 cm in from the edge.

3 Mix together the mustard and mascarpone and spread inside the border. Arrange the tomato halves cut-side up inside the border. Season and sprinkle with garlic, thyme and olive oil. Glaze the edges then bake for 30-40 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden.

MAKES 25 READY IN 30 minutes

• skinless chicken breasts 3
• Szechuan pepper 1 tsp
• salt flakes 1/2 tsp
• sesame oil 2 tbsp, plus extra for frying

TOMATO CHILLI JAM
• tomatoes 250g ripe, roughly chopped
• red chillies 2, seeded and roughly chopped
• garlic 2 cloves, peeled
• raisins 30g
• ginger 2cm-piece, peeled and roughly chopped
• soft brown sugar 150g
• fish sauce 1 tbsp
• red wine vinegar 50ml

Szechuan pepper can be hard to find, so order it from seasonedpioneers.co.uk.

1 For the jam, purée the tomatoes, chillies, garlic, raisins and ginger. Pour into a pan, add the sugar, fish sauce and vinegar. Simmer for 30 minutes until thick. Cool.

2 Cut the chicken into 3-4cm pieces. Grind the Szechuan and salt coarsely with a pestle and mortar. Add to the chicken with the sesame oil and mix.

3 Heat a pan with a little sesame oil until very hot. Fry the chicken until browned and cooked through. Push a skewer into each piece and serve with the chilli jam.

SERVES 4 READY IN 30 minutes

• cherry or small plum tomatoes 400g, use either one or a mixture of both
• basil leaves a handful, torn
• balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp
• garlic 2 cloves, finely chopped
• olive oil

The balsamic vinegar in this dish makes it quite acidic. Acid can damage your tooth enamel so have a glass of water after eating to help wash away any excess acid.

1 Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Cut baking parchment into squares and fold up the sides to make individual containers.

2 Score a cross in each of the tomatoes and divide them between the containers, along with 2 tbsp olive oil, the garlic and balsamic vinegar. Roast on a baking sheet for 20–25 minutes.

3 Scatter with basil and serve with crusty bread.

SERVES 4 READY IN 25 minutes

• marmalade 2 tbsp (the good stuff)
• orange 2, zested and juiced
• parsnips 6–8 quartered
• shallots 4, peeled and halved
• butter 25g

Young parsnips should be tender enough to leave intact but as the season progresses you may need to cut the cores out.

1 Put the marmalade, orange zest and juice into an ovenproof frying pan and bring to a bubble.

2 Add the parsnips and shallots and cook over a low heat, turning frequently until tender and glazed, about 15 minutes.

3 Dot with butter and season well, then grill under a high heat for a few minutes.

MAKES 4 READY IN 30 MINS

• butter 125g, plus extra for buttering
• caster sugar 125g
• eating apples 2, peeled and quartered
• egg 1 beaten
• self-raising flour 100g
• baking powder ½ tsp

Apples, like much fruit, is acidic, so either brush your teeth before you eat them or wait for as long as possible after eating, as tooth enamel can be softened by acidic ingredients and it’s then that tooth erosion can happen.

1 Put 4 tbsp butter and 4 tbsp sugar in a frying pan and heat together until the mixture starts to bubble. Add the apples and cook slowly until they start to caramelise.

2 Meanwhile, beat the remaining butter and sugar together until light and creamy. Add the egg and then stir in the flour and baking powder plus enough water to give a spoonable consistency (about 3 tbsp).

3 Put 1 or 2 quarters of apple into a buttered ramekin or plastic mini pudding basin, peeled side out, and spoon in some extra toffee. Add a quarter of the sponge mixture and repeat with another 3 ramekins. Keep any extraapple to serve with the pudding.

4 Sit the ramekins on a plate, put a few drops of water on the plate and cover the lot with clingfilm. Microwave for 4-6 minutes on medium, check after 4 minutes – if the sponge is firm, stop. Leave to rest for 2 minutes and then turn out. Serve with custard, cream or crème fraîche.