Lemon grass

The British have always taken quickly to the flavours of the Orient.

Thai cooking, in particular, has grown enormously in popularity and thus introduced us to the fragrant stalks of lemon grass. It's not exactly a lemon flavour, but the strong scent is noticeably citrus. When you buy lemon grass it looks uninviting but the flavour is sublime. Added to a very English summer fruit compote, it gives a marvellously new dimension and I've also used it to create a very different Vichyssoise.