Hi Reader
There’s a moment every spring when the supermarket shelves quietly shift — and suddenly, the good stuff is back.
I’m talking about the vegetables that don’t need much doing to them. The ones that taste like the season itself. May is genuinely one of my favourite times of year for food, and this week I wanted to share a few of the stars that are coming into their prime right now — because eating with the seasons isn’t just a nice idea. It genuinely changes how you feel.
🌱 ASPARAGUS Short season, big impact. British asparagus is only with us from late April through to June, so now is the moment. It’s rich in folate, vitamins K and C, and is one of the best natural sources of prebiotic fibre — meaning it actively feeds the good bacteria in your gut. It’s also a gentle diuretic, great for reducing bloating, and deeply satisfying to eat simply roasted or chargrilled with a little olive oil and flaky salt.
🌿 SPRING GREENS & CAVOLO NERO These dark, leafy greens are packed with calcium, iron, and vitamin C — and unlike kale at its toughest, spring greens are tender enough to wilt in minutes. They’re anti-inflammatory, support liver function, and are one of the most nutrient-dense foods you can put on a plate for very little cost or effort.
🫛 PEAS & BROAD BEANS Fresh or frozen (honestly, frozen peas are brilliant), these little legumes bring plant-based protein, B vitamins, and fibre in a package that feels light and bright. Broad beans in particular are high in L-dopa, a precursor to dopamine — so there’s a gentle mood-boosting quality to a proper spring plate.
🧅 SPRING ONIONS & WILD GARLIC If you’ve spotted wild garlic growing in shaded woodland lanes lately — that’s Cornwall doing its thing. Both wild garlic and spring onions are alliums, which support cardiovascular health, have antimicrobial properties, and add enormous flavour without needing much else alongside them.
As a chef, this is the time of year I find myself cooking most intuitively — the produce does the work, and you just have to show up for it. This week I’ve been making a spring tart that brings a lot of these ingredients together in one beautiful dish. It’s the kind of thing that looks impressive, tastes like proper cooking, and is entirely achievable on a Saturday morning.
SPRING ASPARAGUS & PEA TART WITH GOAT’S CHEESE & FRESH HERBS
You’ll need a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
For the pastry (or use a sheet of good ready-made shortcrust): • 200g plain flour (or substitute half for wholemeal or chickpea flour) • 100g cold unsalted butter, cubed • Pinch of salt • 2–3 tbsp ice-cold water
For the filling: • 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends snapped off • 150g fresh or frozen peas • 4 spring onions, finely sliced • 100g soft goat’s cheese • 3 large eggs • 200ml double cream (or crème fraîche for a lighter set) • Small handful of mint and tarragon, roughly chopped • Zest of 1 lemon • Salt, white pepper, olive oil
Method:
- Make the pastry: Rub the butter into the flour and salt until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add cold water a tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together. Wrap and rest in the fridge for 20 minutes. (Or skip this step entirely with ready-made — no judgement, it’s still delicious.)
- Blind bake: Preheat your oven to 180°C fan. Roll out the pastry and line your tart tin, leaving a little overhang. Prick the base, line with baking paper and baking beans, and blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the beans and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes until the base is lightly golden. Trim any excess pastry.
- Prepare the veg: While the pastry bakes, heat a little olive oil in a pan and gently soften the spring onions for 2 minutes. Add the peas and cook for another 2 minutes. Set aside. Blanch the asparagus in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and refresh in cold water.
- Make the custard: Whisk together the eggs, cream, lemon zest, and herbs. Season well with salt and white pepper.
- Assemble: Scatter the pea and spring onion mixture over the tart base. Pour over the custard. Crumble the goat’s cheese across the top, then arrange the asparagus spears over the surface — this is where it starts to look a bit special.
- Bake at 180°C fan for 20–25 minutes until the custard is just set with a very slight wobble in the centre. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin.
Serve warm or at room temperature with a simple green salad. It travels beautifully for a picnic, holds well in the fridge for two days, and tastes even better the next morning with a strong coffee.
I hope this inspires something good in your kitchen this weekend. Eating seasonally is one of the simplest, most genuinely nourishing things we can do — and right now, Cornwall’s offering up some of its best.
With warmth,
Rebecca
P.S. If you fancy letting someone else do the cooking for once — I’m hosting a seasonal lunch at Polgoon Vineyard in Penzance in June. Beautiful setting, beautiful wine, and a menu that makes the most of exactly this kind of produce. Details and booking coming very soon. 🍷
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