SHOPPING LIST: Cooking Skills: Vegetables 2, Chapter 8 (Awkward Vegetables)

A small, slightly unusual shop. Asparagus is seasonal and expensive, so buy it in season. Gloves and an apron for the beetroot, and plenty of lemons.

Asparagus with lemon (2 portions)
[ ] 250 g asparagus spears
[ ] 1 tbsp olive oil or butter
[ ] ½ lemon, zest and juice
[ ] 1 tbsp grated hard cheese (optional)
[ ] 1 pinch salt and pepper

Roast fennel (2 portions)
[ ] 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and cut into 1 cm wedges
[ ] 1 tbsp olive oil
[ ] 1 tsp fennel seeds (optional)
[ ] ½ lemon, juice
[ ] 1 pinch salt and pepper

Celeriac steaks (3 portions)
[ ] 1 celeriac (about 600 g)
[ ] 2 tbsp olive oil
[ ] 1 lemon, cut in half
[ ] 1 tsp thyme leaves or dried thyme
[ ] 1 tbsp grated cheese or toasted seeds (optional)
[ ] 1 pinch salt and pepper

Beetroot three ways (3 portions)
[ ] 3 beetroots, scrubbed (about 500 g)
[ ] 1 tbsp olive oil
[ ] 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice
[ ] 1 tbsp orange juice
[ ] 1 tbsp plain yoghurt
[ ] 1 tbsp chopped dill or mint
[ ] 1 tbsp walnuts, chopped (optional)
[ ] 1 pinch salt and pepper

A whole artichoke (2 portions)
[ ] 2 globe artichokes
[ ] 1 lemon, cut in half
[ ] 1 tbsp salt for the water
[ ] 3 tbsp melted butter or a vinaigrette, to dip

For the experiments
[ ] 2 extra beetroots
[ ] 1 extra bunch of asparagus
[ ] 2 extra lemons