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Green shoots and honey cake

Spring is nearly here with wild garlic shoots appearing in With JUNE MACFARLANE the hedgerows soon; use them in this seasonal pesto. Transport yourself to Venice with a delicious pork dish. And don’t forget your mum on Mother’s Day, Sunday, March 14th, with a sweet fragrant honey cake.

WILD GARLIC PESTO

INGREDIENTS

(for four) 150g wild garlic leaves 50g parmesan, grated 1 clove garlic, finely chopped ½ lemon, zested and juiced 50g pine nuts, toasted 150ml light olive oil

This cake is best with Somerset honey

HONEY CAKE

INGREDIENTS

Use the best Somerset honey you can find – it will be worth it!

METHOD Grease and line a 20cm round tin. Preheat oven to 175°C/160°C fan. Gently melt together the butter, sugar and honey in a large pan. Set aside to cool slightly. Beat in the eggs, water and flour to make a smooth batter. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 40 minutes until well risen and cooked through.

Allow to cool in the tin. Turn out and finish by brushing the surface with a little warmed honey. Scatter over 1tbsp sugar and serve with crème fraiche.

125g butter 150g clear honey 100g golden caster sugar 2 large eggs, beaten 1 tbsp water 200g self-raising flour Crème fraiche to serve

March is the time to look out for wild garlic

Pick the leaves young, before the flowers develop. Forage sparingly away from busy roads and, if necessary, ask permission.

METHOD Rinse, dry and roughly chop the garlic leaves. Whizz together the leaves, parmesan, garlic, lemon zest and pine nuts, then add the oil, little by little. You may not need it all. Taste, season and add a little lemon juice to finish.

Serve with your favourite pasta – I like the thicker strands of bucatini, but spaghetti is good too.

PORK CHOP WITH LEMON, SAGE AND BUTTER

No holidays abroad? This dish will transport you to Italy

INGREDIENTS

(for four) Olive oil 4 thick cut pork chops on the bone, trimmed Plain flour Small handful fresh sage leaves Salt & black pepper 1 lemon Small glass white wine 80g unsalted butter

A lovely simple dish to remind you of Italy in the spring.

METHOD Heat a big splash of oil in a heavy frying pan. Dust the chops with flour and settle them in the pan with the sage leaves. Allow to brown evenly on both sides, seasoning as you go, until cooked through. Remove and keep warm.

Cut the lemon in half lengthways and squeeze one half into the pan, followed by the white wine. Bubble up and scrape the pan residue into the sauce. When it has reduced a bit add the butter, swirl vigorously for 30 seconds and turn off heat. Serve chops with sage and lemon sauce and a wedge of lemon.