Spring into Summer
May is a month full of promise, with the excitement of summer just around the corner, but the month is still very much a part of spring. With it comes the arrival of spring lamb, fresh green vegetables, and towards the end of the month the season of summer fruits begins. Our food now becomes lighter and more colourful and we can start planning our spring to summer menus, starting with mouth-watering melons, spring lamb, baby carrots and turnips, and rounded off with a delicious creamy apricot flan, made with apricots freshly arrived from Spain, which are superb eaten raw or cooked.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH ORANGE & ROSEMARY
Roast lamb is one of our traditional Easter dishes, and English lamb is particularly good in late spring and early summer when the joints are larger than the imported ones. Thee combined flavours of orange and rosemary make this dish a truly memorable one, but don't overdo the rosemary! Ingredients: 2kg leg of lamb, boned, try not to cut the outer skin, so that there is a pocket all the way through. Prepare stuffing by mixing: 450g sausage meat 125g white breadcrumbs 50g suet 2 tbsp fresh mint (or 1 tbsp dried) 1-2 tsp chopped rosemary (no more!) 1 tsp chopped sage Rind and juice of 1 orange Salt and black pepper 1 egg 2 tbsp vegetable oil Stuff lamb joint with this mix-ture and tie carefully to keep its shape. Rub meat with salt and pepper, pour over the oil and roast for approximately 1.5 - 2 hours at 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4. Baste occasionally with oil and juices and test with skewer; if juices run clear then the meat is cooked. Make a sauce with juices from meat, red currant jelly to taste, a little cornflour blended to thick-en with a little more orange juice. Garnish with orange slices and watercress. Serve with red currant jelly, baby carrots and turnips, and roast potatoes. Serves approximately 6.

Make the most of the young spring vegetables now appearing in our supermarkets and greengrocers. Baby turnips with their waxy white roots and flushed pinky mauve colour go well with the slender new baby carrots. Do treat them gently when cooking, by steaming instead of boiling, as many young vegetables are expensive this time of the year, and by cooking them properly these delicate vegetables will reward you with more flavour. Here are two simple recipes using baby carrots and turnips, to accompany your roast lamb.

BABY TURNIPS Ingredients: 12-14 baby turnips 3 tbsp butter 1/2 tsp sugar Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Peel turnips, leaving 1-2 inches of green tops. Put turnips into a small saucepan with butter and sugar. Add enough water to just cover and cook for 8-12 minutes, until tender. Drain and season. Serves 4-6.