WATERCRESS SEASON RECIPES

1. If you can, prepare your lamb the day before you want to cook it. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut down the lamb leg to expose the bone.
2. Keeping your knife as close to the bone as possible, cut along one edge to completely reveal it.
3. Cut right around the bone, then remove it.
4. Lay the lamb flat on a chopping board, skin-side down. With your knife, make an incision halfway into the flesh on each side, where the meat is thicker, then open it out like a book.
5. You should now have a flat piece of lamb of more or less even thickness.
6. Soak your dried chillies in a bowl of hot water for 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan over a medium heat, dry-toast the black and pink peppercorns, fennel and coriander seeds for 30 seconds, until they begin to pop and smell delicious.
8. Remove the softened chillies from the soaking water and transfer to a spice grinder or small food processor. Add the toasted spices and a splash of the soaking water, then blitz to a fine paste.
9. In a large bowl, mix the spice paste with the lemon zest, paprika, oil, vinegar and a pinch of sea salt. Pick in the oregano leaves, peel and crush in the garlic, then finely slice and stir through the chilli until combined. Add the butterflied lamb to the bowl and rub the marinade all over the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 to 6 hours, but ideally overnight.
10. Remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes before you're ready to cook, so the lamb comes up to room temperature. Fire up your barbecue, then once hot, cook the meat for 40 to 45 minutes, or until medium-rare, turning it every 10 minutes or so.
11. Transfer the lamb to a board and allow to rest for 15 minutes while you make your salad.
12. Click off and combine the chicory leaves with the watercress and pomegranate seeds in a serving bowl.
13. In a small bowl, stir the harissa through the yoghurt and season to taste.
14. Slice the lamb on the board and halve the zested lemon. Serve the lamb on the board with the salad, yoghurt dressing and lemon halves on the side.

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
2. Peel and halve the potatoes, then cook in boiling salted water for 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain, return to the pan and cover.
3. Meanwhile, trim the strip of skin from each chop in 1 piece and set aside.
4. Rub the chops with a little oil, then pick and press a couple of sage leaves on to each side, and season well with sea salt and black pepper.
5. Place a wide ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat, add the strips of skin, skin-side down, place a heavy pan on top to keep them flat, then fry for a couple of minutes, or until crisp – just like crackling.
6. Push the crackling strips to the side of the pan, add the pork chops, and fry for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the pan to the oven (if you don't have an ovenproof pan, transfer the chops to a preheated baking tray instead). Roast for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chops), or until cooked through.
7. Meanwhile, chop half the watercress, pick and finely chop the parsley and trim and finely chop the spring onions.
8. Heat the milk with the bay leaves until almost boiling, then add the parsley, spring onions and the chopped watercress. Switch off the heat and leave the bay leaves to infuse in the milk for a few minutes, then fish out the bay leaves and discard.
9. Add the warm potatoes to the milk and mash until smooth. Season well with sea salt and black pepper. Cover with a lid and keep warm, until needed.
10. Put a little butter on top of the champ, and serve with the pork chops, crackling and remaining watercress.

Using a sharp knife, carefully cut the scallops away from their shells.

Fry the bacon and garlic in the oil for a few minutes until golden and cooked. Add the scallops and fry over a high heat for 2-3 minutes without touching them. Turn the scallops over and fry for another 2-3 minutes or until cooked through.

Add the cream and season with freshly ground black pepper. Carefully stir everything together to heat through the cream, take out the garlic clove and serve with the parsley, watercress or rocket.