Seared scallops with flavoured greens

Cooking for friends? This sophisticated starter is a taste sensation with lemon, anchovies and garlic packing a punch

Frozen blackberry fool

Falling somewhere between an ice cream and a syllabub, this berry-rippled dessert is seasonal and spectacular

Sautéed asparagus, toasted almonds & manchego cheese

Drizzle asparagus with nutty brown butter, top with toasted whole almonds and shavings of salty manchego for a springtime starter that's so simple to make

Pan-fried sea bass with citrus-dressed broccoli

A restaurant-quality fish supper, ready in just half an hour

Griddled chicory with figs & bitter leaves

Also know as endives, chicory is the perfect leaf to spruce up a salad

Long amaretto sours

Add some glamour to an al fresco lunch by serving these cocktails to start

Carrot & sesame burgers

Burgers are always a barbecue staple, and these sesame-scented ones can be dressed up or down

Aubergine with spicy apricot tabbouleh

This aubergine parcel looks very dramatic, but is dead easy

Japanese salmon & avocado rice

This dish contains the goodness of sushi but
saves you the painstaking rolling and shaping

Squid, chickpea & chorizo salad

Contains pork – recipe is for non-Muslims only
Found in every ocean, squid is the most widely available seafood in the world and one of the cheapest. This works well on the barbecue, too

Kale tabbouleh

Use bulgur wheat as the base for this Middle Eastern salad of superhealthy greens, feta cheese and spices

Homemade hummus with pitta chips

A staple fave for all ages, this is great to keep in the fridge for a standby healthy snack