New Classics: Inspiring and delicious recipes to transform your home cooking

½ tsp table salt

100ml coconut milk

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE AVOCADO SALSA

1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

grated zest and juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp chopped coriander

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp black sesame seeds

1 ripe avocado, halved, peeled, stoned and diced

Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the cobs of corn and fry them for 5–7 minutes. When golden, add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Remove the cobs from the stock and add three-quarters of the sweetcorn kernels and the table salt. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the kernels are soft.

Remove from the heat, add the coconut milk and blitz the soup in a blender or using a stick blender, until smooth. Season to taste (if necessary) then chill.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium frying pan. When hot, add the remaining sweetcorn kernels and cook for 4–5 minutes until soft. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

Combine the chilli, lime zest and juice, coriander, sesame oil and sesame seeds in a bowl and season with sea salt. Gently fold through the diced avocado.

Divide the chilled soup between four bowls and garnish with the whole sweetcorn kernels and dressed avocado.

BURRATA WITH ROMESCO SAUCE AND GRILLED PADRON PEPPERS (#ulink_5d1962ff-43ef-541d-a4fc-42dfbfd4facf)

Burrata is one of my all-time favourite cheeses and makes a stunning starter. It is quite unlike any other cheese, with a mozzarella shell filled with creamy stracciatella. It used to be very difficult to get hold of, but it is now available from cheesemongers and some larger supermarkets (buy the best mozzarella you can find if not).

Serves: 4 as a starter

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes

12 fresh padron peppers (approx. 60g in total)

splash of vegetable oil

4 × 100g or 2 × 200g balls burrata

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

FOR THE ROMESCO SAUCE

100g roasted red peppers, deseeded and skin removed, or piquillo peppers (from a jar or tin), drained and roughly chopped

50g flaked toasted almonds

3 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp sweet smoked paprika

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tsp tomato purée

splash of dry sherry

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the romesco sauce, place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you have a chunky paste. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Divide between four plates.

Heat a dry grill pan over high heat until smoking. Drizzle the padron peppers with a little oil and seasoning, then grill for about 5 minutes until lightly blackened.

If using small burrata balls, tear them over the romesco. If you’re using larger burrata, cut them almost all the way through then peel open and add half a burrata per portion, cut side facing up, to the romesco. Drizzle with olive oil and season well. Garnish with the grilled padron peppers and serve immediately.

HONEY-BAKED FETA WITH LAVENDER, THYME AND RYE CRISPS (#ulink_c9afb780-7b94-5506-9cdd-7729b71bedb5)

A great alternative to a traditional cheese board, this baked feta combines salty cheese with fragrant, lightly caramelised honey. Serve with these crisp rye bread crackers, crusty bread or your favourite cheese biscuits. I love the fragrant lavender in this dish – it really adds a point of difference.

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour draining

Cooking time: 12–20 minutes

1 × 200g block feta cheese

½ loaf rye bread

4 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, halved

3–4 tbsp runny honey

4 sprigs of thyme

2 sprigs of fresh lavender or ½ tsp dried lavender

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper