Tomos Parry’s mussels with leeks, cider and sobrasada butter

March has always held a very special place in my heart, born and raised in Wales as I was. This month has a particular rhythm, beginning with Saint David’s Day on the first, when the fields begin to wake from winter and daffodils bloom. It’s not quite the season of wild garlic yet, but you can feel it approaching – the green shoots are waiting under the soil, soon to bring that punchy freshness to our kitchens.

Over the past few months my recipes have been focused on root vegetables: carrots, parsnips and beetroots, paired occasionally with vibrant citrus from Italy and Spain or the sharp rhubarb from Yorkshire. Now, vegetables are pushing above ground again. Purple sprouting broccoli, kale, early leeks and tender spring shoots are beginning to appear, and all are welcome on my menus. The seas are still cold, producing incredible shellfish. Mussels, oysters and early season fish are at their peak – firm, briny and full of flavour.

Cook all these ingredients simply, to let the natural taste shine. The dishes here – one celebrating purple sprouting broccoli with a rich yoghurt sauce, and another showcasing mussels with Mallorcan sobrasada butter, a combination we serve at Mountain – both highlight the beauty of seasonal produce and the subtle depth that fire, fat and seasoning can bring.

Chefs know that cooking in March is about balance, using the last of winter’s hearty ingredients while welcoming the first hints of spring’s brightness. The dishes that I’ve put together here hopefully reflect that balance. They work beautifully over fire, as we cook at Mountain and Brat, but are also entirely achievable in a home kitchen. It’s all about celebrating the good things we have now, with a nod to the exciting flavours yet to come.