Serves: 6

The sun has got his hat on at last... Time to banish those comforting casseroles, roasts and puds and get cooking some lighter spring-like dishes. We're going to start with this midweek winner.

Ingredients

• 1 head of fennel, trimmed
• 25g butter
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 3 tbsp Pernod (optional)
• 450g gigli or similar dried pasta
• 1 x 300ml pot crème fraîche
• 3 x 225g bags frozen raw peeled king prawns, defrosted
• 1 x 75g bag baby-leaf watercress
• 2 tbsp chopped dill

Method

1. Finely chop the fennel. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Add the fennel and seeds; soften, covered, for 6-8 minutes.
2. Heat a pan of water for the pasta. Add the Pernod, if using, to the fennel, and bubble, uncovered, for 1 minute. Cook the pasta according to pack instructions.
3. Add the crème fraîche and prawns to the fennel and stir over the heat for 3-4 minutes; season.
4. Roughly chop the watercress; toss with the hot, drained pasta, sauce and dill.

Tip

Keep herbs fresh in the fridge by wrapping them in damp kitchen paper.