The humble cucumber is far more than just an ingredient in a salad. It can be jellied or pickled, turned into a soup or drink, and barbecued or stewed and served as a side dish for roast chicken or seafoodI used to feel ambivalent about ...

It takes a little effort to get to the meat of the matter with fresh broad beans, but it's worthwhile. Serve them with everything and make no apologiesAs with most things in cooking - and in life, if I'm being totally honest - when the ...

Vegetables tend to get a bit sidelined during barbecue season, possibly due to the undeniable appeal of a charred hunk of meat. Vegetarians and vegans likewise get a sense of being overlooked at this time of year - hot dog roll and ketchup, anyone?...

Whether you serve it raw or cooked, few things say summer quite like fennelThe return of fennel to market is a cause for celebration (I'm talking new season's bulbs here, not the stuff that's flown in from God knows where all year round). There are ...

One of the most wonderful things about strawberries is that they go with an awful lot of stuffIt's strawberry time. Perfumed, complex and delicious, strawberries are the superstars of the early-summer British garden, alongside asparagus, broad beans and...

Eight of our favourite cooks, including Rosie Sykes, Jane Baxter and Anissa Helou, show you how to make great-value meals - without taking a trip to the shopsLemon and roast garlic pearl barleyMary-Ellen McTague, chef-patron, Aumbry, ManchesterAs far...