Rhubarb

April is often the month (weather depending) when the rhubarb that is available in the shops changes from that grown indoors to outdoor-grown, which can vary in colour, texture and flavour. Some varieties are much redder, others are green much further down the stalk. Make the most of this vegetable in our rhubarb recipes.

White chocolate panna cotta with stewed rhubarb

This classic, creamy dessert is enriched with white chocolate, which provides a perfect contrast to the sharpness of the rhubarb.

Peas

If you’re serving peas as a side, it’s best not to boil them in a pan of water. Though quick to cook, the more water you use, the more nutrients are lost. Opt for steaming instead to make the most of those sweet little spheres. Make the most of your bag of frozen peas with our best pea recipes.

Pea, coconut and lime ice cream

Fresh garden peas are the star ingredient in this spring-hued ice cream flavoured with coconut milk and a splash of vodka.

Pea and halloumi fritters with charred lemon dip

Use fresh or frozen peas to make these quick and easy halloumi fritters, flavoured with mint and chilli flakes for a little kick.

Stack of pea and halloumi fritters next to a salad

Radishes

This root vegetable is a member of the mustard family, which explains its peppery bite. It comes in red, white, green, purple and black, and a surprising variety of shapes and sizes. You may be used to seeing the round, cherry-like version but you can also get French Breakfast, which has an elongated shape, Watermelon radish, with its nubbly green exterior and a bright pink interior, and daikon, which is shaped similarly to a carrot, large, white and used mostly in East Asian cooking.

When buying, look for leaves in good condition – the radish beneath will be equally as fresh. Find more radish recipes here.

Roast radish and peanut salad

A vibrant combination of radishes and cucumber is tossed in a soy, peanut and honey glaze to create this refreshing seasonal salad.

Large plate of radishes, peanuts, cucumber, tomato and spring onions

Pork fried rice

With garlic, chilli, soy and hoisin sauce, this easy pork dish is a flavour-packed dinner that can be ready in 30 minutes and use left-over cooked rice.

A metal pan full of fried rice with a wooden spoon, next to a bowl of sliced spring onions

Lamb

Lamb doesn’t have to be an expensive purchase. Buying lesser-used, cheaper cuts means you’ll get the most from your meat and even more flavour. Shoulder is a great alternative to leg, either whole or chopped up for a stew. The scrag, cut from the neck, is also a great cost-cutting option, best used in casseroles and soups. Discover more of our best lamb recipes.

Lamb cutlets with mustard and shallot sauce

Try our take on dibi, a Senegalese street food of roast lamb served with a piquant mustard dipping sauce on the side. It's perfect for sharing

Plate of lamb cutlets with a dipping sauce in a bowl

Crab

Any crab you eat in the UK will likely be brown crab, which is abundant on our coastlines. They have plenty of white and brown meat, and can weigh as much as 3kg. Check out more crab recipes here.

Crab mac ’n’ cheese

This comforting crab mac 'n' cheese uses crème fraîche in the béchamel to make it lighter while also accentuating the mild, sweet flavour of crab.

A white oven dish willed with golden mac and cheese on a blue cloth with a silver fork

New potatoes

New potatoes are precisely that – younger spuds with a thinner skin, waxy texture and a sweeter flavour as the sugars haven’t yet converted to starch. They are sometimes sold as young or baby potatoes, and Jersey Royals are a particularly prized variety. Unlike their older siblings, they hold their shape much better once cooked, making them perfect in salads. We have more new potato recipes here.

Patatas bravas and chorizo salad

Bring sunny Spanish flavours to the table with our patatas bravas and chorizo salad, served with plenty of homemade aïoli.

Plate of new potatoes covered in sauce with red peppers and chorizo

New potato fries

Home fries are an American brunch staple consisting of crispy cubes of potato, onion, pepper and spices. Crispy and comforting, and great with bacon and eggs.

Two plates of crispy potato, bacon and fried egg on a pale linen table cloth with a small pot of red sauce

Spinach

A leafy green veg that comes either in large bunches with a crunchy stem or as lots of small, baby leaves. When buying spinach it’s important to remember that its bought weight reduces hugely when cooked – so it may seem like a lot in the recipe but it will wilt down. Check out more spinach recipes here.

Florentine spinach poached eggs

Soft baby spinach in a creamy, nutmeg-infused sauce makes the perfect bed for crispy parma ham and runny-yolked eggs – dunk slices of toasted ciabatta in for brunch.

Metal Pan Filled with Creamy Spinach and Eggs Next to Slices of Ciabatta on a Blue Background

Saag paneer

This easy side dish, featuring spinach, crisp golden cubes of paneer and spiced with cumin and chilli, will go down a treat on curry night and only takes 30 minutes to prepare.

Two white bowls of golden cubes of paneer and wilted spinach on a blue background with a naan

Sausage, spinach and chilli pasta

Have this speedy meal, made with spinach and crispy sausage, on the table in less than half an hour – with chilli, garlic and dijon mustard, it packs a punch in terms of flavour.

A bowl of rigatoni pasta with spinach and meat, with a plate of parmesan in the background on a white cloth

Asparagus

Thin, young asparagus shoots are packed with nutrients and are prized for their deep savoury flavour and tender texture once cooked. Not to be confused with white asparagus – which are cut before they breach the surface and become green – they have a short season in the UK, from spring to early summer. Here’s how with our best asparagus recipes.

Asparagus and anchovy pasta with fennel seed pangrattato

It’s the crunchy fennel seed pangrattato topper that really makes this dish sing. A simple yet delicious asparagus spaghetti recipe, it's ready and on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Chives

Chives, part of the allium family, have a bright, fresh oniony flavour, a little like baby leeks or baby spring onions. They’re best very finely chopped and stirred through dishes at the end, sprinkled into dressings or used as a garnish just before serving.