NETTLE

Something that comes with the word ‘stinging’ or ‘burning’ at the front of it makes putting it in your mouth sound like a dumb idea, but we eat all sorts of stupid things if you think about it: milk that’s been transformed by bacteria and mould (hi, cheese), or rotted soy beans (hello, miso). It’s just a matter of knowing how to control it. Stinging nettle will inject you with histamines if handled without protection (tip: wear thick rubber gloves), but when cooked becomes harmless, and delicious with a bright greenness and some zing. Young shoots and small leaves are best, and will go well in place of spinach, or in soups, pesto, or pureed and stirred through risottos and pastas.

BEEF RUMP

One of the most versatile and flavourful cuts of beef, rump can
be broken down into smaller cuts for steaks, roasting, stir-fries or slow-cooking. Coming from the hindquarter (it’s a rump) and covering the hip bone, the rump does a decent amount of work, meaning it’s somewhere between tender and tough, and generally lean. Steaks are good medium-rare, while rump works well in tartare as it has more flavour than tender eye fillet. Any concerns over texture are overcome by chopping, which acts to tenderise it.

ASPARAGUS