8 best side dishes for warm weather.A collection of delicious and less obvious side dishes originally created for specific recipes. But, they all share being able to work with a far wider range of dishes. Some are classics, others a little more leftfield and many are a good way to stop leftovers from going to waste. Issue no.1 of what I hope to be an occasional series and focuses on side dishes that work well in warmer weather. So, ideal for those who live in hot places or a

This recipe for pasta with kale and pancetta sauce comes from Castelfranco Emelia in Italy's Modena Province. It's a combination of the deeper flavours of onions cooked in white wine, pancetta and cream and the green flavours of kale and basil. Given its particular cooking method, it can be turned into a lactovegetarian dish with no effort at all.

Bacon and seafood pie is a dish that's perfect for spring, unexpectedly inspired by Kylie Minogue Signature Rosé. Easy, filling and refreshing, my annual riff on the supposedly British institution of fish pie. This year's version includes Italian and Asian Flavours. Spring remains its guiding palate.

An Italian chicken dish for spring based on a Renaissance recipe. Flavours of fresh vegetables, a creamy mushroom sauce and lasagne side.

A vegetarian recipe for bhuna, a delicious dish from Bengal and other northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent

A novel, possibly healthier, take on fish pie, the English comfort food that is supposedly traditional

My take on shepherd’s pie sticks pretty closely to the classic versions with a few tricks for enhancing flavours and is easy to make. On...