The Joys of June

Make the most of summer’s bounty with Rosie Birkett’s stunning new recipes

photographs EMMA BOYNS

Crispy, nutty spelt flatbreads spread with fresh cheese and covered with tender asparagus and sweet peas; Jerseys smashed together with broad beans, crisped up in a frying pan to eat with juicy pork chops; crab folded with soft herbs and made into patties to eat with salad, and sweet apricots baked into blondies flecked with buttery pistachio frangipane. My recipes for June are a celebration of some of my favourite spring-summer ingredients, combined with low-effort cooking techniques to maximum effect.

Apricot & pistachio frangipane blondies

Sweet, golden apricots are such a treasure when summer comes, and I love eating them straight from the fruit bowl, but here they are baked to bring out their juiciness. The fruit can make the blondies a bit more fragile, so take care when dishing them out.

MAKES 12 | PREP 20 mins | COOK 30 mins | EASY | V

• 100g unsalted butter, melted, plus a little extra for the tin

• 200g light muscovado sugar

• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

• 1 large egg

• 120g plain flour

• 50g pistachios, roughly chopped

• 1-2 tbsp milk

• 6 large ripe apricots, halved and stoned

For the frangipane

• 65g golden caster sugar

• 80g unsalted butter, softened

• 1 egg

• 100g pistachios, ground to crumbs

1) Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and butter and line a rectangular baking tin, approx 20 x 25cm. To make the frangipane, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, then add the egg and pistachios.

2) In a bowl, stir together the muscovado sugar, fennel seeds and melted butter with a pinch of salt. Add the egg and stir vigorously, then tip in the flour and half the pistachios and fold until well combined and no streaks remain. Add the milk to loosen.

3) Spoon two-thirds of the batter into the tin and smooth with the back of a metal spoon or spatula, then arrange the apricot halves on top and press into the batter. Dot the frangipane around the batter too, then top with the remaining spoonfuls of batter so that it’s part covering the frangipane and apricots. Scatter over the rest of the pistachios. Bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer comes out with some crumbs that are a little moist, but not raw. Cool completely in the tin, then cut into 12 squares.

PER SERVING 330 kcals • fat 19g • saturates 9g • carbs 33g • sugars 24g • fibre 2g • protein 5g • salt none

Herbed Jersey Royal crab cakes

Crab and Jersey Royals are natural bedfellows, and these perky little crab cakes make the best summer lunch or dinner for friends. Try using dill in the mix if you can, I love the gentle anise flavour it adds to the cakes.

SERVES 4 | PREP 30 mins plus chilling | COOK 8 mins | EASY |❄

• 400g Jersey Royal potatoes, scrubbed not peeled

• 2 tbsp olive oil pinch of fennel seeds

• 1/4 bulb of fennel, finely chopped

• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 4 spring onions, sliced

• handful of samphire (optional)

• 200g cooked crabmeat, a mix of white and brown

• 3 tbsp finely chopped soft herbs (I like a mixture of dill, parsley and tarragon), plus extra to serve

• 1 tbsp capers pinch of cayenne pepper

• 1 lemon, 1 /2 zested and juiced, 1 /2 cut into wedges for serving

• 1 tbsp mayonnaise, plus extra to serve

• flour, for dusting

• watercress, to serve

1) Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with water, add 1 tsp salt and bring to the boil. Cook for 12-15 mins or until tender enough to smash. Leave to cool.

2) Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan and add the fennel seeds, fennel, chilli and garlic followed by the spring onions. Gently cook for 3-5 mins until fragrant but not coloured. During the last minute, add the samphire.

3) In a bowl, mash the potatoes until well broken down, then combine with the crabmeat, herbs, spring onion mix, cayenne, lemon zest and mayo. Season and mix until well combined, then chill for 30 mins.

4) Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Oil your hands and shape the mixture into eight palm-sized patties and dip in plenty of flour – be careful as they are quite fragile and sticky – I do this on a tray lined with baking parchment. If you have time, put in the fridge to set for 30 mins before cooking. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry for 2-3 mins on each side until crisp and golden. Transfer to an oiled baking tray and finish in the oven for 5 mins. Serve with mayo, some watercress tossed with the remaining herbs, and the lemon juice with the lemon wedges on the side.

PER SERVING 264 kcals • fat 14g • saturates 2g • carbs 20g • sugars 2g • fibre 3g • protein 13g • salt 0.7g

Pork chops with broad bean & minted Jersey smash

SERVES 2 | PREP 20 mins | COOK 40 mins | EASY | P

• 2 pork chops

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, skin-on and bashed

• 1/2 lemon, cut into wedges

• 30g butter

• 2 thyme sprigs

For the Jersey Royal & broad bean smash

• 300g Jersey Royal potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled

• 1 mint sprig

• 250g podded broad beans

• 4 spring onions, finely sliced

• pinch dried chilli flakes

• handful fresh mint leaves

• 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1) Take the pork chops out of the fridge 1 hr before cooking. Put the potatoes in a pan, cover with cold water and 2 tsp of salt. Throw in the mint, cover and cook for 12-15 mins until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Cook the beans in the same water for 4-8 mins, depending on size, then drain and rinse under cold water and peel. Crush half with the potatoes, season and set aside.

2) Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Pat the chops dry with a kitchen towel and season with sea salt on both sides, then place in the pan and do not move until they are caramelised and come away from the pan – around 3-4 mins. Turn the chops, then add the garlic and lemon, cut-side down. Cook for another 2-3 mins. 3 Remove the lemon and set aside. Add the butter to the pan, shaking to distribute it, then toss in the thyme. Baste the chops continuously with the butter, garlic and thyme for a couple of mins more, turning to coat both sides. Remove from the pan to rest.

4) Add the spring onions and chilli flakes and cook for 5-8 mins until tender. Tip in the potato mix, tossing with the spring onions, and cook for a few mins, allowing crusty bits to form on the Jerseys. Turn off the heat, toss in the herbs, then divide between plates and top with the remaining beans. Serve with the chops, and squeeze over the caramelised lemon.

GOOD TO KNOW fibre • vit c • 1 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 750 kcals • fat 44g • saturates 16g • carbs 30g • sugars 4g • fibre 13g • protein 52g • salt 0.9g

Asparagus, pea & ricotta flatbreads

These flatbreads are the perfect vehicle for all the clean, bright flavours of spring. I’m a huge fan of ricotta and love how its mild, fresh creaminess works with the vivid green asparagus and sweet peas.

MAKES 2 (with enough dough for 4) | PREP 15 mins plus resting | COOK 30 mins | MORE EFFORT | V | ❄ dough only

For the flatbreads

• 7g sachet fast-action dried yeast

• 1/2 tsp sugar

• 200g spelt flour

• 150g strong bread flour

• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the toppings (for 2 flatbreads)

• 200g asparagus

• 100g podded peas

• 1/2 small bunch mint, leaves picked

• 200g ricotta

• 10g grated parmesan or vegetarian alternative, plus extra to serve

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• a little grated nutmeg

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1) To make the flatbreads, put the yeast, sugar and 220ml lukewarm water in a jug and stir thoroughly. Leave to sit for a few mins while you measure out your ingredients.

2) Sift the flours and 1 tsp salt into a bowl, then slowly incorporate the yeast mix, stirring with a wooden spoon. Stir in the oil and turn the dough out onto a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. Return to the bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave to sit for 30 mins-1 hr until doubled in size.

3) Return the dough to your work surface, adding more flour if needed, and knead for a few more mins to knock it back, then divide into four and roll each piece into a ball. Wrap two in cling film and freeze for another time.

4) Heat oven to 230C/210 fan/gas 8. Flatten one of the balls with the palm of your hand and, using a floured rolling pin, roll out into a wide, flat base about 10-12 inches long. Place on an oiled baking sheet, then brush with oil and bake for 5-8 mins, turning halfway, until the bread is puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and repeat with the other dough ball.

5) Snap the woody bases off the asparagus. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and gently blanch the asparagus for 2-3 mins until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate to cool. Blanch the peas in the same water for a couple of mins or until tender, and drain.

6) Chop 4 mint leaves and put in a bowl with the cheeses, 1 tbsp olive oil, the garlic, lemon zest, a pinch of salt and good grating of nutmeg and black pepper and stir to combine. Cut the tips from the asparagus – about 4cm – then finely slice the stalks. Put all the asparagus in a bowl with the peas, remaining mint leaves, lemon juice and a good drizzle of olive oil. Season well and toss to combine.

7) Spread the flatbread with the ricotta mix, then top with the asparagus and pea mix. Garnish with extra parmesan, olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.

GOOD TO KNOW calcium • folate • fibre • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day PER FLATBREAD 599 kcals • fat 20g • saturates 9g • carbs 70g • sugars 5g • fibre 8g • protein 31g • salt 1.6g

Good Food contributing editor Rosie Birkett is a food writer and stylist. Her cookbook, A Lot on Her Plate, is out now (Dhs115, Hardie Grant). Twitter/ Instagram: @RosieFoodie