The fragrances of summer

GREEN GODDESS: Lemon balm.

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Clever combos The vegetarian lunchbox Cafe Chat: February 1 'ave an avocado The vegetarian: Herby lentil pancakes Cheese-stuffed courgette flowers Eating out: Meshino Here's to an ice-cold summer Cafe Chat: December 21 Taking tea with a Twining

Familiar dishes can be given a different flavour by adding handfuls of fresh herbs.

Green goddess pesto

A refinement on a parsley pesto that has appeared in this section previously, Green Goddess is useful when the herb patch has luxuriant plants, and struggling plants.

A bit of this and lot of that means it is more of suggestion than a recipe. As ever, taste as you make. It is very good stirred into seafood pasta dishes.

Good too mixed through fresh breadcrumbs and scattered over poached or roasted fish or chicken.

100g blanched almonds

2- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

About 3/4 cup of freshly cut soft-leaf herbs - plenty of parsley, some basil, a few chives, maybe a sprig or two of lemon balm

1 large lemon, zested

3-4 Tbsp lemon juice About 1/2 cup quality olive oil

Heat a small frying pan over medium heat, add the almonds and cook, stirring vigorously until the almonds colour. Place in the bowl of food processor with the chopped garlic, herbs and lemon zest and whizz to a chunky paste. Keep the motor running and add the lemon juice and olive oil in a stream. Keep covered in the refrigerator. Before using, put the desired amount in a cup and loosen with a little hot water, then stir or scatter as needed. KATE FRASER

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