An easy chicken taco.

The usual Spanish croqueta is made with jamon. These versions are made with smoked salmon. They work really well and would not go amiss on any tapas menu.

A Sicilian specialty made with chickpea flour. I’ve made my variety using lemon-scented basil flowers from Casanova and Daughters of Covent Garden.

This is a staple of the Basque region of Spain. It seems in every way a bit foreign or difficult. But it’s basically fish in a parsley flavoured sauce. It’s a good recipe to learn as you can swap around the ingredients endlessly to suit your taste and budget.

A simple 30 minute Italian Classic.

This is a clever way with meat balls. As small individual portions it makes an elegant Italian starter. The smaller-sized meatballs and thin spaghetti also make a fun and wholesome dish for children. Or piled high on a big platter it makes a great family dish to share around the table.

This is one of the best ways to enjoy artichokes. I got these artichokes from Kingston Market – they’re fresh in from Italy.

‘I tend to get home late from work and this little beauty is simple, warming and very quick to make.’