Mint
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Mint comes in a whole range of varieties that can be used for cooking, and when I first started a herb garden I found myself the proud owner of several kinds.
However, I gradually came to realise that spearmint was the one I used most, and I now grow only that. This is the one used for mint sauce and for cooking new potatoes. When it’s being chopped the kitchen is filled with the most fragrant aroma; and a couple of sprigs added to boiling new potatoes will permeate the room with an appetising smell too.
In the summer it is, like chives, a herb I use frequently. One unusual application I discovered in the Amalfi area of Italy is to place fresh mint leaves in the belly of fish before baking, grilling or frying them.
One word of warning about mint: never use it dried – it loses all its flavour and becomes very musty and lifeless.
Serves 3-4 (makes 16)Lamb Koftas in Chilli Pepper Sauce
Meatballs to you! Koftas are a brilliant way of using minced lamb, spiced up with other ingredients. The joy of this particular recipe is that you cook them in the oven without browning - which saves a lot of time and hassle.
Serves 2-3A Very Quick Moussaka
This brilliant moussaka will give your guests the impression that you've been cooking for hours, when in fact - thanks to a raft of ready-made ingredients - all you've done is a quick assembly job.
Serves 6-8Baby Summer Vegetables with Lemon Vinaigrette
Make the most of summer beans and other vegetables in this gorgeous vegetarian recipe which can be eaten on its own or as an accompaniment. And if the weather is less than kind, you can serve it warm instead of cold as a salad.
Serves 4-6Aubergines Stuffed with Moussaka
As Delia says, this recipe has plenty of imitators but all too often it's disappointing. Not here: rich, meaty, packed with Italian flavour, it does take a long time to cook, but that's the secret of a perfect Bolognese.
Serves 4Lemon Pasta with Herbs and Cracked Pepper
Light and fresh with zingy citrus and herbs: what more could you want from a veggie pasta dish when you're hungry but don't have much time to cook?
