And the month of June heralds in all the other summer produce too – ideal for hot weather when you don't want to be slaving over a hot stove.

Fresh salmon and home-grown strawberries are at the expensive end of the scale, with haddock and mackerel, fresh green peas and cool home-made sorbets and ice cream at the other.

June also conjures up the delights of strawberry and cream teas, and although the combination of strawberries and cream is simple and hard to beat, this month we have some easy alternatives for you to make, which can be used for a summer dinner party or a family get-together in your garden.


STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM

This recipe makes a little fruit go a long way – best made the day before.

Ingredients: 225g strawberries. 75g icing sugar. Squeeze lemon juice. 150ml double cream. 150ml single cream. Garnish 6-8 large strawberries. Method: Hull and lightly wash strawberries in a colander, drain them thoroughly and cut them into small pieces. Put them in a liquidiser with the sieved sugar and lemon juice (alternatively, rub the strawberries through a fine sieve and add the sugar and lemon juice to the puree). Whisk the two creams until thick, but not stiff, blend this well into the strawberry puree. Spoon the strawberry mixture into a plastic freezer container, cover with a lid and leave to freeze for 12 hours. One or two hours before serving remove the ice cream from the freezing compartment and thaw slightly in the refrigerator. Scoop the ice cream into individual glasses and decorate with slices of fresh strawberries. Will freeze for up to 3 months.


STRAWBERRY SPONGE CAKE

Ingredients and method: Whisk 4 large eggs and 170g caster sugar until thick and creamy, leaving a trail when beaters are lifted. Gently pour, a little at a time, 70ml of oil down the sides of the bowl. Fold in 110g self-raising flour sieved twice and 30g cornflour and add ¼ teaspoon vanilla essence. Pour into a 9" deep sided greased sponge tin, lined with greaseproof paper on bottom. Sprinkle top of cake with more caster sugar to give a lovely crisp surface. Bake for 30-40 minutes at 350F, 180C, Gas Mark 4. When cool, split sponge, fill with fresh home-made strawberry jam (recipe below) and cream. Can also be served slightly warm as a pudding with a dollop of crème fraîche. Freezes well unfilled.


STRAWBERRY JAM

Ingredients: 1.5kg hulled strawberries. Juice of 1½ lemons. 1.37kg preserving sugar.
Method: Heat the strawberries and lemon juice gently in a pan, stirring constantly to reduce the volume. Add sugar. Stir until dissolved and boil until setting point is reached (about 20 minutes). Test a spoonful on a cold saucer – the surface should begin to wrinkle when it is pushed with a finger. Remove scum from jam – a knob of butter will help disperse the scum and make the jam glossy. Leave jam undisturbed to cool until a skin forms on the surface and the fruit sinks (about 20 minutes). Pour into warm, dry jars and cover immediately with waxed discs. Tie down when cold. Yields about 5lb.


Fresh salmon is at its best in June and July, and no buffet is complete without a whole dressed salmon to impress your guests. However, cheaper cuts of salmon are to be had, and I often buy tail off cuts from my local supermarket or fishmonger. These two recipes can be made using cheaper cuts of salmon, or even tinned, and they are easy to prepare.

CHILLED SALMON IN A MILD
CURRY SAUCE

Serves 8 as a starter or 4 as a main course accompanied with new potatoes, or French bread and a green salad.

Ingredients: 225g fresh salmon fillets or off-cuts. 350g white fish fillet. Chicken stock. 150ml mayonnaise. 300ml natural yoghurt. 2 teaspoons curry powder (leave out if you positively dislike it). Juice and grated rind of ½ lemon. 110g peeled prawns. Paprika. Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Method: Place salmon and white fish in a shallow oven-proof dish and add just enough stock to cover. Season and cook at 350F, 180C, Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes until fish is just cooked. Remove fish carefully from the cooking liquid and allow to cool. Discard the liquid. In a large bowl mix together the mayonnaise and yoghurt. Blend in the curry powder, lemon juice and rind. Flake the fish carefully (making sure not to mash it) and remove any bones and skin. Add fish and prawns to the curry sauce. Sprinkle over the top with paprika.

SALMON AND COURGETTES WITH CREAMY PASTA

Ingredients: 285g salmon tail off-cuts. 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter, 1 small onion, finely chopped. 2 courgettes, washed and cut into bite-sized chunks. 110g pasta shapes. 1 x 200g crème fraîche. Salt and freshly ground black pepper. Method: Lightly poach or steam salmon pieces for 5 minutes. Leave to cool, remove any bones and keep fish in bite-sized
pieces. Cook pasta according to directions on packet. Drain. Heat oil or butter in a large pan, and cook onion until softened. Add courgette pieces and continue to cook for about 5 minutes. Add cooked salmon and pasta, stir, add crème fraîche, season well with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste. Serves 4.

WHAT'S IN SEASON IN JUNE

Meat:
Lamb (Welsh lamb for sweetness if you can get it).
Wood pigeon and venison.

Fruit:
British fruit starts to come fully into season this month with strawberries the top of the list, followed by cherries. Sadly, the season is very short and runs for only a few weeks.

Early gooseberries are bursting with flavour and will last for a few months.

Fish:
The list is long, but here are a few favourites for this month.
Cod, crab, crayfish, haddock, halibut, herrings, mackerel and sardines.

Vegetables:
Homegrown asparagus is still with us. Now coming well into season we have broad beans, broccoli, carrots, courgettes, Jersey Royal new potatoes and runner beans; spring onions and tomatoes, baby turnips and watercress.

Enjoy June when the cornucopia of British produce pours into the shops this month – no need to look abroad when we have it all homegrown on our tiny island.