A spring in our step

 There is a strange kind of calm in the house. Just the gentle hum of the washing machine in the background. I hear a car pass by and the clock ticking on the wall. It's a special kind of silence now the children are back in school. I've even turned off the radio that I normally keep on for a kind of company so I can hear the quiet clearly.The early morning sun on the walk to school this morning shone on one half of the road. Maya asked to not walk in the shade so she could feel it on her face. Our hands were a little chilly, the day still warming up. It is after all, only April.All the trees round here are now full of leaves. Most of the blossom has fallen and some still carpets the pavements like the confetti in the aftermath of a wedding, fluttering around every so often in the light wind.Last night we sat down as a family and ate a cottage pie with garlic green beans. A hearty meal eaten in the early evening still-light as the days lengthen toward summer. We can move on from these winter dishes now, so yesterday was a kind of farewell.And as the wild garlic appears everywhere, like a surreptitious Frenchman in the hedges, other greens and shoots and tender vegetables fill the stalls at the market, colours taking over from the drab dullness that paint companies may call 'dried turnip'. I bought a large bag of sorrel there this weekend. Usually I raid my mother-in-law's plentiful supply from her garden, along with the garlic leaves and flowers, but as I was there, I though a few pounds for a plentiful bag was worth it.This recipe comes, originally from my mother-in-law Sue. She is to take all credit for it and it is so delicious, zest, clean and fresh tasting that I'm sharing it here. It's almost effortless to make and is everything good cooking should be. Simple, good ingredients, full of flavour all coming together to give you something more than the sum of its parts. No doubt, you could try it too with a bit of wild garlic added, or if you're unable to get sorrel, spinach, a splash of lemon and some nutmeg would be equally tasty, but I urge you to try as hard as you can to find this lemony, fresh leaf.Ingredients for twoA handful or two of sorrel leaves, any tough stems removed250ml double cream2 eggs. Duck eggs would be great as wellSalt and pepper to seasonThat really is all you need.MethodI have a steamer pan which is perfect for this, mine fits two steel ramekins on the steamer basket, but a tray on the hob filled with water and the eggs in ramekins on a trivet bain marie style works well too over a gentle heat. You could even poach them and transfer them to a ramekin if you fancy.However you choose to cook the eggs, they should be just past the point of runny-yolked, and not quite at the set point, so keep an eye on them.While they are gently cooking, Heat the cream to just below boiling in a saucepan and season it well. Put the sorrel in a blender and pour in the hot cream before blitzing to a vivid green sauce. Doing it this way keeps the colour bright. Taste and adjust the seasoning then pour over the eggs and just cook for a minute further to take away the rawness of the sorrel.Serve immediately with some sourdough toast and salad. I drizzled a little green chilli sauce on mine with a dash of rapeseed oil. Not enough to change the flavour, but just enough to tickle the tongue.

Souper Minestrone

With spring barking at the door like an excitable, just woken puppy it's time for fresh flavours. We've not been eating gruel all winter, but we have relied somewhat on spices and aromatic herbs to get us through. Now it's time for green vegetables.This soup is a nice mix between the more substantial dishes we eat in the cold weather and the lighter ones we are starting to have as the blossom appears on the trees. You can use whatever veg you fancy, but I'd advise sticking to ones with crunch rather than starch. I'd also advise you make your own pesto, but if you can't be bothered, there are pretty good 'fresh' ones available.Ingredients6 rashers of smoked streaky bacon or pancetta1 medium brown onionA selection of vegetables such as cauliflower, courgette, carrots and a little sweet potatoA handful of cherry tomatoes3l chicken or vegetable stock (preferably homemade, this soup relies on a good base)8tbsp basil pestoA huge grating of ParmesanMethodStart by chopping the bacon into small pieces and do the same with an onion.Cube your veg and set aside. I also found a couple of shallots and some green beans at the back of the drawer which went in.Heat some olive oil in a large, deep pan and gently fry the bacon until it starts to crisp. You can then add the sweet potato cubes and the rest of the vegetables, apart from the courgette, if you’re using it. Courgette is a little flavour and crunch held together by water, you pretty much only want to cook this for seconds, so add it just before serving. Pour in three litres of hot chicken or vegetable stock, bring to the boil then simmer for four to five minutes. Add the courgette, turn the heat off and stir in the pesto and grate over much more Parmesan than you think you need. A good fifteen twists of black pepper and you can serve with more pesto and Parmesan on the side.

Wild garlic risotto

Wild garlic is in full flower in late April and May, so now is the time to get it. Mine grows in the garden, but it’s easy to find in churchyards, woods and fields. The flowers are edible and tasty, as well as looking really pretty on the plate. Its uses range from pesto to soups and, in this recipe, risotto. I like to use Carnaroli rice for its creaminess, but feel free to use other types. You could even substitute spelt for the rice, adjusting the liquid and cooking time as required.Serves: 4Preparation time: 10 minutesCooking time: 25 minutesIngredients1l vegetable stock, preferably homemadeOlive oil2 garlic cloves, finely chopped4 small shallots, finely slicedHalf a glass of white wine, better still, vermouth (optional)A large handful of wild garlic leaves and a good sprinkle of the flowers2 tbsp butter2 tbsp grated parmesanA dash of truffle oil if you’re feeling luxuriousSalt to season Method

1. Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep it warm on the stove.
2. In a deep, heavy bottomed pan sauté the garlic and shallots in a little olive oil until soft, then add the rice and a pinch of salt. Stir well and toast the rice for a minute.
3. Add the vermouth if using and let it reduce right down. Add the stock a ladleful at a time, only adding another when the previous ladleful has been absorbed. Make sure you keep stirring the rice to release the starch for a creamy risotto.
4. Halfway through, add half of the finely sliced wild garlic leaves and stir well.
5. Finish adding the stock, then vigorously stir in the butter and Parmesan while shaking the pan.
6. Stir in the remaining leaves, cover and rest for five minutes. Check the seasoning; add the garlic flowers and serve.

Meatballs with spiced tomato sauce and courgette 'spaghetti'

I love meatballs more than almost anything in the world. It's hard to beat a bowl of them served with spaghetti, but for this version I thought I'd make a healthier dish (with lower carbs) by substituting spaghetti for ribbons of courgette.This dish works really well - in fact, these are the best meatballs I've made - and we'll certainly be having it again soon.Makes more meatballs than you need for 2, or freeze the remainder once cooked.For the meatballs:1 pack of beef mince1 egg1 small jar of 'Sofrito' (or make your own by sweating a chopped carrot with chopped celery, chopped onion and salt)Large handful of dried breadcrumbs2 sprigs of chopped rosemarySeason well, mix well, form into balls and refrigerate for 30 mins.Fry in batches and set aside.For the sauce:Sauté an onion with some garlic in olive oil and as many hot chillies as you fancy. (I used four). Season, then add a tin of tomatoes and some oregano. Add a pinch of sugar and simmer for 20 mins or until thickened.Add the meatballs and heat through.For the courgette:Thinly slice the courgette lengthwise into spaghetti strips. Blanch for 20 secs in boiling water, then briefly sauté in chopped garlic.Season well and serve with meatballs and sauce, sprinkled with parmesan to taste.

Rabbit terrine with asparagus, pancetta and peas

This dish is so pretty, but essentially my rabbit terrine is a big slab of meat, freshened by the addition of peas and asparagus. Served with a pickled salad and a few truffle shavings, it made a delicious lunch on a recent shoot.  Serves:             6-8 peoplePrep time:       15 minutes Cooking time: 90 minutesIngredients1 rabbit, skinned and cleaned. Reserve the kidneys and liver150g pork belly, meat and fat separated500ml warm vegetable stock2 sheets of gelatine8 asparagus spears, blanched20 slices of pancetta200g of petit pois1 tbsp saltPepper to seasonMethod

1. Heat the oven to 150°C.
2. Mince the rabbit and pork belly meat, and finely slice the fat (or get your butcher to do it for you). Add the rabbit, pork, fat, salt, and a good twist of pepper to a bowl and mix well.
3. Soften the gelatine in a little water for ten minutes, then drain and squeeze out, then set aside.
4. Line a terrine dish with the pancetta, hanging the edges over, so that you can fold them back and cover the top.
5. Spoon a layer of the rabbit and pork into the bottom and spread well. Cover with a layer of peas. Add another layer of rabbit and pork mix. Add a layer of asparagus. Cover with the remaining meat.
6. Pour in the gelatine and stock, then press down. Fold over the pancetta. Place the terrine in a baking tray half-filled with hot water and cook for one and a half hours.
7. Remove from the oven, take the lid off and weight down with a piece of cardboard and some tin cans, then leave it in the fridge overnight.
8. Remove from the fridge half an hour before serving, turn upside down onto a board and slice. Serve with a pickled salad.

Fig and goat’s cheese tart with onions, tomatoes and honey

When I was at my parents’ last weekend for my dad’s birthday, I wanted to contribute something to the lunch, and brought in the figs I happened to have left over from the day before. I started first thing in the morning by caramelising some onions over a very low heat, until they turned a sweet golden brown. Nearer to lunchtime, a quick assembly of the onion, figs, goat’s cheese and tomato created a simple and pretty puff pastry tart. I didn’t, but you could add some crisped parma ham at the end to give it a little extra texture and saltiness.Serves: 6-8 as a starterPrep time: 25 minsCooking time: 1 hour for the onions, plus 25 mins for the restIngredients1 sheet of ready-rolled puff pastry4 white onions, thinly sliced, though red would work well too1 tsp sugar1 thyme sprig8 figs, quartered150g crumbly goat’s cheese8 cherry tomatoes1 tbsp poppy seeds1 tbsp sesame seeds1 tbsp honeyOlive oilLemon zest2 tsp balsamic vinegar, thickened slightly in a hot pan and left to coolA handful of lamb’s lettuce to garnishSalt and pepper to seasonMethod

1. Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and add some olive oil, the onions, thyme and a little salt and sugar. Stir occasionally and cook until they start to become translucent. Turn the heat down and cover with a lid. Check occasionally, stirring to make sure they don’t stick or burn. Cook for 45-50 minutes or until they are golden brown, sweet and rich.
2. Nearer to lunchtime, heat the oven to 180°C and roll the pastry onto a baking sheet. Prick the middle with a fork so it doesn’t rise too much, and score a 1cm border all the way around. Cook for 15-20 minutes then remove from the oven and spread the onions over it. Arrange the figs, goat’s cheese and tomatoes on top, sprinkle with the seeds, and drizzle with the oil, honey, balsamic and lemon zest.
3. Season well and when cooled a little, top with the lamb’s lettuce.

How to food style it

1. The pastry sheet really is a blank canvas, and with this tart the ingredients do all the work for you. Purple figs against pure whites, golden olive oil and green leaves are going to work, almost however you throw them down. Do try to build in balanced layers, making sure that every section of the tart has a good mix of the ingredients.
2. Finally, drizzle with oil and seeds to unify the surface and scatter leaves gently across, taking care to not hide the rest of the ingredients.

Welcome to The Modern Husband

Welcome to The Modern Husband, where I post a wide range of recipes and writing about food I love to make – from quick family suppers to Michelin-style cooking for special occasions.I work as a freelance food stylist and writer for some of the country’s leading magazines, food suppliers and retailers. I am also head chef in my household, which includes two young children and a food-loving wife. This means that most of my time is based around creating recipes and feeding people of all ages.Nico