Asparagus has a short growing season in Scotland and appears for 4-6 weeks from May. It offers various health benefits, including being a good source of fiber, vitamins (A, C, K), and minerals like potassium, which supports digestion, immune function, bone health, and may help regulate blood pressure. This simply prepared roast asparagus recipe showcases the vegetable perfectly and it is a great accompaniment to any dinner.

Other vegetables in season in May include; cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chard, kohlrabi, lettuce, new potatoes, pak choi, radish, rocket, spring onions and spring greens. This recipe for a potato, radish and cannellini bean salad showcases some of the best of what May has to offer. The Zero Waste Cafe has a wide variety of tinned beans on offer as well as dried chickpeas which can all be used as substitutes in the preparation of this salad.

Rhubarb is peaking in May and with some luck, and warmer temperatures, strawberries begin to make their appearance towards the end of the month. Scottish strawberries are known for their incredible sweetness and this adapted cranachan recipe from the Arran Home Recipe book pairs them beautifully with Arran whisky.  

In the garden

It is exciting to see fresh green growth, fruit blossom and lots of seedlings emerging from the soil in May. It is a busy time of year and there are many tasks to do such as watering, weeding and sowing. Most hardy crops can be sown outdoors now including beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflowers, kale, peas, turnips, lettuce, rocket, radish, spinach, spring onion. Radishes and salad leaves grow very quickly so to ensure a consistent supply throughout the season it is a good idea to sow small batches of seed every few weeks. 

Tender crops such as French beans, runner beans and courgettes can be started from seed in pots in the greenhouse, polytunnel, or on windowsills at the beginning of the month. They will need to be hardened off (gradually acclimated to outdoor conditions) before being transplanted into the garden after the risk of late frosts has passed. It is important to protect young potato shoots from frost damage by ‘earthing up’ the soil around the stems.

Seasonal Recipes

Roast Asparagus

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed

Rapeseed oil for drizzling

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon wedges, for squeezing

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
2. Toss the asparagus spears with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and spread them onto the baking sheet. 
3. Bake for 12 minutes, or until the spears are lightly crisp and tender. 
4. Squeeze with lemon and serve.

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Mustardy Potato Salad With Rocket And Radish

Ingredients

50 g Rocket

100 g Purple Sprouting Broccoli

75 g Radish

400 g New Potatoes

1 Red Chilli

2 Spring Onions

1 (400g) Can Chickpeas Or Cannellini Beans

15 g Fresh Parsley

Mustard Dressing

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons Wholegrain Mustard

A Teaspoon Sugar

1 Clove Garlic

1 Lemon (juiced)

Method

1. Quarter the new potatoes and place into a small saucepan. Cover with water and season heavily with salt and cook for 15 – 18 minutes until fork tender. Drain and allow to cool
2. Whilst the potatoes are cooking, slice the radish and chillies into thin circles. Then chop the spring onions into diagonal slices. Finally chop and break the broccoli into individual florets
3. Steam the broccoli florets over the boiling potatoes, or another pan of boiling water, until just wilted and tender. This should take no more than 3 minutes. Once cooked remove and allow the broccoli to cool
4. Mince the garlic clove into a fine paste. Then mix together all the dressing ingredients in a small jug, season the dressing to taste, I normally add half a teaspoon of salt.
5. Toss all the salad ingredients together in a large mixing bowl – the potatoes, radish, broccoli, rocket, red chilli, spring onions and chickpeas. Pour over the dressing and combine well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and garnish with a generous helping of chopped parsley.

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Cranachan with strawberries

Ingredients

150g porridge oats

15g butter

250g strawberries

1 pinch sugar

3 tbsp honey/ maple syrup

300ml double cream or plant based alternative

2tbsp malt whiskey

Method

1. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat and add the porridge oats. Lightly toast the oats tossing in the butter until golden. Pour the oats onto a parchment lined baking tray and allow to cool.
2. Rinse the strawberries and halve them. Divide into two portions sprinkling one with a little sugar and mashing to a chunky puree.
3. Whisk the cream in a large bowl until thickened and stiff and then fold in the honey/ maple syrup and the whiskey taking care not to over whip the cream but ensuring the honey/ maple syrup and whiskey have been evenly mixed
4. Add two thirds of the toasted oats to the cream and fold through carefully
5. Assemble by layering the strawberry puree and cream in glasses or bowls scattering over the remaining oats, halved strawberries and a drizzle of honey/ maple syrup to finish.
6. Chill for a few hours or overnight before serving.