Only Recipes, by Alessandra Zecchini ©

   For the mousse you just need to beat and egg yolk with a tbsp of soft dark sugar until it is very very fluffy and pale. You can use white sugar, but brown or moscovado will give the mousse a little 'caramelly' flavour. Then fold in 100 ml of whipped cream (very whipped, a step beyond fluffy but before 'clotting') and, finally, the remaining egg white, beaten to stiff peaks. Divide into two or three glasses (you only need a little) and refrigerate overnight, or for at least six hours. Wash and cut a punnet of strawberries then add some clean rose petals (organic), add one tsp of sugar and one of lemon juice. Stir and let it sit in the fridge for one hour. Stir well and add to the chilled mousses and decorate with a fresh strawberry and roses petals.  Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

  My family love paneer, most of our curries have it, and if they don't I often fry some on the side to add to warm roti or chapati breads. For this recipe I added some spices, including a little turmeric, so the blue cornflower petals looked stunning! Cut the paneer in slices. Heat some vegetable oil in a skillet or frying pan, add a few coriander seeds and a few cumin seeds and then, when the oil is hot, the paneer slices. Fry for 2-3 minutes on one side, then turn, add a pinch of salt and a little turmeric powder and fry on the other side for 1-2 minutes. Turn one last time so the paneer slices are completely coated with turmeric and then turn the element off.  Sprinkle with cornflower petals and serve immediately. Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

  When preserving nasturtiums don’t just use the seed pods, the best part are the tiny green buds, the smaller the better although I also add some buds with the orange petals showing (mostly for colour) and also some tiny leaves, which are delicious! The seeds are crunchy so I add some too. Cover with white wine vinegar and keep in a dark place. When you open the jar they really smell like capers!    Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

I have been cleaning the garden for planting and picked a few onion weeds with some nice juicy bulbs, plus some little potatoes and cavolo nero, so I put everything into a soup, with the addition of some asparagus, and vegetable stock. I blended everything (but left our a few whole steamed asparagus tips to add later) and used some onion weed and pansy flowers for decoration. Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©

I find frozen peas a bit boring, but I love the colour, plus the frozen ones are so cheap, and if you add some  onion weeds , which are free, and a little butter and salt, you have a quick and delicious side veggie. Plus you can use the leftovers to make a low cost dip just by adding a little feta.  For the peas, just clean and chop the onion weed (bulbs, stem and leaves, leave the flowers aside for decorations, they can be eaten too!). Melt a dollop of butter and add the chopped  onion weeds , then add the frozen peas (don't boil the first, it is not necessary) and a little salt. Stir, cover and simmer (add a tiny bit of water when needed, but never too much). Enjoy!!  With the leftover peas, just blend them with some feta and some of the brine from the feta (if you feta has no brine use a little water). Add more raw onion weed if you like a stronger taste. Super yummy on bread and crostini, with chips, eggs, salads or as a spread. Photos and Recip...

Pick as many cowslip flowers as you can from a field and clean them gently, removing the green parts. Keep the best for topping and chop the remaining, adding them to eggs whisked with grated Parmigiano and a little water. Pan fry the frittata (I make several thin 'frittatine' if I have time) with a little olive oil. Cut the frittata into pieces and lay over a base of mixed salad. Top with the remaining flowers. You can add some Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena on top if you like. Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini  ©