Pop these delicious meals in the middle of the table so everyone can serve themselves. What’s not to love?

This take on pasta e ceci is like a hug in a bowl. It should be brothy, so add more water as it cooks if you need to. As it uses such humble ingredients, seasoning is key. A drizzle of good olive oil

Purple sprouting broccoli always feels like a small seasonal celebration, the first signs of green after months of root veg and stews. This recipe works beautifully as a starter or as a snack with a c

■ TO PREP 10 mins ■ TO COOK 10 mins ■ SERVES 1 YOU WILL NEED ✔ 150g British asparagus spears ✔ radishes, small handful ✔ ½ lemon, juiced, plus wedge to serve ✔ ½ tsp honey ✔ extra virgin olive oil ✔ ½

These make a nice canapé – simply serve with cocktail sticks. Equally, they make a great dinner with some rice noodles and crunchy veg. SERVES 4 (MAKES 20 MEATBALLS) | PREP 20 MINS COOK 25 MINS | EASY

Fry 1 sliced garlic clove for a few seconds in 1 tbsp olive oil. Add 500g courgettes, quartered and chopped, and cook until starting to soften. Stir in 200g frozen peas, a 400g can drained cannellini