By Lucy Young

Aga  Love

I love my Aga and everyone I meet when I do my demonstrations certainly loves theirs. Every home should be full of love and with an Aga snuggled in the centre of any kitchen it's sure to be so, as friends and family tend to gather round.

My  ideal  meal

Traditional: Lucy, however, would choose perfectly in-season asparagus

So for me it would be perfectly in-season asparagus.

Firm, sturdy stems, the woody end removed, and pared down at the end then blanched in boiling salted water for about three minutes.

Refreshed in cold water to stop the cooking process and to help keep the colour, then popped in the roasting oven with shavings of parmesan before being served with a tarragon-based Béarnaise sauce.

Main course
My main course would be Beef Wellington.

Pan-fry a middle cut fillet of beef on the boiling plate until nicely browned all over and then roast in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Set it aside to become stone cold and, traditionally, you should cover it in paté, but I prefer to spread it with creamed horseradish sauce and lots of fresh thyme leaves, salt and pepper.

Wrap in a real butter puff pastry and roast again on a flat baking sheet on the floor of the roasting oven for about 25 minutes until golden brown all over.

Rest and carve in thick slices and it will be perfectly pink.

I would serve this with a mushroom, brandy and horseradish sauce.

Fry sliced oyster mushrooms on the boiling plate in a knob of butter for a minute or two, add a good glass of brandy and reduce by half.

Add about 150ml pouring double cream, then boil for a few minutes then stir in a heaped tablespoon of horseradish cream.

Add any juices from the rested beef and, just before serving, stir in a scattering of fresh thyme leaves.

Pudding
For pudding I would be tempted to serve a lemon meringue pie, but as it's the dinner of love I think a rich chocolate mousse served in cute shot glasses with tiny spoons would be perfect.

A cup of coffee or iced Baileys would be shared leaning against the Aga with Jack Savoretti playing on the iPod.

Secrets of Aga Cakes, by Lucy Young, is available now, published by Ebury Press at £18. Lucy is also the author of Aga Easy (Absolute Press, £20) and Secrets from a Country Kitchen (Ebury Press, £18)

You can also read more from Lucy by visiting Lucy Young online.