Asparagus

This moreish pasta dish is ideal for a family lunch or quick mid-week dinner.

Shell pasta, or conchiglie, is available in 3 sizes. In addition to the medium shell we used here, there is a smaller shell called conchigliette, which makes a great addition to soups, and a larger shell, called conchiglioni, which is usually served stuffed and baked. Note

Hot smoked salmon is available from major supermarkets. Use a mixture of fresh herbs, such as dill, parsley, basil, chives, mint, oregano or marjoram. If you don’t have a frying pan with an ovenproof handle, wrap the handle in two layers of foil, this will prevent the handle from burning while under the grill. Note

An exquisite asparagus, gruyère & prosciutto tart for sharing with friends and family.

Celebrate summer with this beautiful, light asparagus tempura drizzled in a herby vinaigrette.

This tasty vegetarian omelette combines fresh asparagus, potato and mint to create a brilliant healthy breakfast for any day of the week.

There is nothing much more satisfying for breakfast or brunch (or lunch, or dinner!) than a colourful frittata served with hot buttered toast.

Swiss brown mushrooms, also known as roman or cremini, are light-to-darkbrown in colour with a full bodied flavour. Store on a tray in a single layer, covered with dampened absorbent paper, in a spot where cool air can circulate freely around them. Note

Celebrate spring with this beautiful salad of young asparagus, avocado and juicy grapefruit.

If you prefer a creamier risotto, you can add a knob of butter and a handful of parmesan to this chicken and asparagus risotto at the end of cooking, allow it to melt and stir it through.

Many varieties of already cooked white beans are available canned, among them cannellini, butter and haricot beans; any of these is suitable for this salad. Note

Tender lamb with a tangy Thai dipping sauce and green salad.

Choose a creamy-style feta for this dish. My favourite is Blue River sheep’s milk feta from Southland – it's also delicious with olives, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and crusty bread.

You can use feta cheese in place of goat’s cheese. Make pastry cases a week ahead; store in an airtight container. Prepare asparagus and tomatoes 8 hours ahead for asparagus mixture; cover, refrigerate separately. Assemble tarts just before serving. Note

lemony dressing Note

A barbecued chicken weighing about 800g (1½ pounds) should give you 2 cups of shredded chicken meat. Note

Prawns can be shelled several hours ahead. Keep, covered in the refrigerator. Toast rolls and add filling just before serving. Note

You need four bunches of asparagus for this recipe. Note

A smooth, savoury soup delicately seasoned with fresh chervil, cream of asparagus soup is silky and delicious.

Begin your day with this easy, fresh and nutritious meal.

Whip up a batch of these fluffy savoury muffins with crunchy cheese topping. They're great served warm with butter or packed in a lunchbox.

Antipasto literally translates to "before the meal" and is the catchall name for pre-dinner nibbles, usually including cured meats, and all sorts of delicious morsels. This one fits the bill, nicely.

Recipe is best prepared as required. Note

This is spring in a dish – asparagus, watercress, new potatoes and steamed fish – simply prepared and well-flavoured. If you have a stacking steamer (I use a bamboo steamer; they’re available at little cost from Asian stores) you can cook everything in it.

A light broth with slices of tender chicken, fresh peas and asparagus spears, this soup makes an excellent starter for a dinner party.

Onion jam can be made a day ahead; keep, covered, in the refrigerator. To serve warm, place in microwave-safe bowl, reheat in microwave on MEDIUM (50%) until warm. Note

The frittata can be made a day ahead, and kept, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

kipfler potatoes, small and finger-shaped, have a nutty flavour and are great baked or in salads. You will need two bunches of asparagus for this recipe. Note

The rich, earthy flavour of field mushrooms and the light, green taste of grilled asparagus are very different, but both pair beautifully with this anchovy dressing.

Fire up the barbecue and enjoy the summer weather with this tasty platter.

This recipe is good served warm or at room temperature. If not serving immediately, do not toss the ingredients together or the pasta will absorb the dressing. Note

Baked brie and asparagus tartines make a dish for a celebratory lunch. If you're looking for some variety, you can replace the asparagus with honey and thyme.

This colourful, veggie-packed frittata is delicious hot or cold at any time of the day.

You can use vegetable stock instead of the chicken consommé. Stir a little chopped preserved lemon rind and fresh tarragon into the rice, if you like. Note

Swiss brown mushrooms, also known as cremini or roman mushrooms, are similar in appearance to button mushrooms, but are slightly dark brown in colour. The large variety are often called portobello mushrooms. Note

Using a mixture of butter and oil stops the butter from burning. Don’t overbeat the eggs or the omelette will be tough. Note

Zuppa primavera is a hearty Italian soup with farfalle pasta and asparagus.

Nashi pears and fresh herbs help make this grilled asparagus, fennel and walnut salad a study in contrasting flavours and textures.

You can substitute well-drained canned asparagus for the fresh, if desired. Note

Asparagus and melted brie make a delicious pair in this easy dish.

You will need 450g of fresh peas in the pod or 2 cups (240g) frozen peas for this recipe. Note

Fresh spinach and ricotta agnolotti is found in most supermarkets’ refrigerated sections. You can substitute ravioli or tortellini for the agnolotti, but none should contain meat or poultry in their filling. Note

Serve slices of this moreish pizza at your next party and watch as they quickly disappear.

Panzanella is a Tuscan salad of traditional Italian flavours. Made with pieces char grilled bread, tomatoes and Italian herbs, it is fantastic to serve with T-bones for a hearty summer barbecue meal.

Crisp and golden, these vegetarian sausage rolls make an excellent snack.

Make ahead: Make garlic and herb butter a day ahead. Cover, then refrigerate. Note

Drizzled in balsamic glaze, these crisp tarts make an ideal summer lunch or light dinner.

This spiced warm salad is packed with vegetables and topped with walnuts and fresh ricotta. Delicious served with crusty bread.

Light, fluffy and perfect for brunch, lunch or a light dinner with salad.

Celebrate the warmer weather with colourful stacks of pasta, vegetables, passata and creamy ricotta.

Piquant tomato vinaigrette makes a wonderful dressing for tender steamed asparagus spears. Serve as a starter, or as a side dish for a meat, chicken or fish main.

Quick, tasty and packed full of goodness, this delicious Asian stir-fry combines chicken and oyster sauce to create a real flavour sensation.

The melt-in-the-mouth pastry is irresistible in this asparagus and gruyere tart and easier to work with than you might imagine.

No time to make lasagne? Try this fantastic and easy asparagus, bacon and parmesan tortiglioni.

This rocket, avocado and macadamia salad is a study in contrasting textures and tastes; peppery rocket leaves, creamy mild avocado and crunchy macadamia nuts. Divine.

Three fabulous greens in one dish, this buttery, herby dish of leeks, zucchini and asparagus is an ideal side dish for almost any meat-based main.

A quick, easy and exciting twist on asparagus that works as a side dish, a buffet dish or barbecue platter.

Asparagus and baby beans just dripping with garlic butter make a fabulous green side for just about any meal.

This is a super way to serve asparagus as finger food. It also makes a lovely starter, especially with some ripe figs on the side. If you want to take it up a notch, you can put a small slice of fontina cheese under the prosciutto, and quickly pan fry to melt the cheese before serving.

Recipe unsuitable to freeze.

The term palliard' means a quick-cooking, thinly sliced or pounded piece of meat, usually veal, beef or chicken. It may also be known as an escalope’. Remove the tenderloin from chicken breast; this is the thin strip of meat lying just under the breast. Using a large sharp knife, cut each chicken breast in half […]

Fontina is a smooth, firm Italian cow’s-milk cheese with a creamy, nutty taste and brown or red rind. It is an ideal melting or grilling cheese. You can use swiss, cheddar or gouda cheeses instead. Note

You can use one quantity of shortcrust pastry, page 4, instead of the store-bought sheets. Note

Gruyère is a hard-rind Swiss cheese with small holes and a nutty, slightly salty, flavour. It is a popular cheese for soufflés as it melts easily. Like a traditional soufflé, this soufflé omelette should be eaten straight away to prevent it sinking. Note

To blind bake, line pastry case with a sheet of baking paper, two-thirds fill with raw rice, bake at 200°C (180°C fan forced) for 10 minutes, then remove paper and rice and return pastry case to oven for a further 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Note

You may need a little more liquid in your final pasta dish. Just in case, reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid and add as required. Note

You can use frozen soya beans, available from Asian groceries, in this recipe if fresh are hard to find. You could also use the same quantity of fresh broad beans or 2 cups of frozen broad beans instead. Note

We used wahoo fish for this recipe, but you could use any white fish such as whiting, bream, sole, flounder, dory, perch, snapper or ling. Note

If white asparagus is unavailable, use all green asparagus or thin baby carrots instead. Note

Substitute watercress and tatsoi leaves for baby spinach and mizuna, if preferred. Note

An light and exquisite breakfast with a smoky and delicious crunch of pancetta.

A beautifully bright and colourful rainbow salad packed full of beetroot, asparagus, orange and avocado.

Recipe is best prepared as required. Note