Cold pea and mint soup, broad bean salad

Serves 4

900ml vegetable stock
1 clove garlic, crushed with a little salt
4 spring onions, sliced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
450g shelled fresh peas (frozen if necessary)
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
salt and ground white pepper
300 ml single cream
175g broad beans weighed after podding and skinning
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
3 tbsp grated Parmesan

Heat the vegetable stock. In another saucepan cook the garlic and spring onions in the vegetable oil until the onion is soft but not brown. Add the peas, and sugar and pour over the boiling stock. Cook for 12 minutes if you are using fresh peas, 4 minutes if frozen. In a liquidiser blend the soup with the mint. Season to taste and cool. When sufficiently chilled add the cream. Just before serving combine the broad beans with the oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and plenty of ground black pepper. Fold in the Parmesan.

Make a small pile of the salad in the centre of four soup plates, pour the soup around and serve immediately.

Crabcakes with poached eggs and tomato salsa

Serves 4

1 large egg, beaten
375g white crabmeat
250g diced cooked peeled potatoes
2 roasted red peppers, peeled, seeded, diced
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp celery salt
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp soured cream
2 tbsp lime juice
3-4 drops Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp Colman's dry English mustard powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
fresh white bread crumbs
150ml groundnut oil
For the tomato salsa
450g plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
2 shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 red chillies, seeded and finely diced
3 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp caster sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients down to and including the salt. Add enough breadcrumbs to bind. Shape the mixture into four large or eight small patties and place on greaseproof paper in a refrigerator for three hours or preferably overnight. To make the salsa mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl, cover with cling film and set aside. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the crabcakes. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side depending on the size or until golden and heated through. Keep warm. Serve with a poached egg on top and a little pot of tomato salsa.