Chef comment provided by Stuart Gillies, chef-owner for Number Eight, Sevenoaks and Bank House, Chislehurst, and Luca Meola, chef-owner of Rossella, Italian restaurant and deli in Kentish Town.

Recently, HuffPost UK asked chefs to share the very best meals they could think to make with rhubarb and leeks.

The seasonal staples are especially delicious in spring and early summer. But what about a good ol’ tin of butter beans, which lasts year-round?

Here, we asked chefs Stuart Gillies and Luca Meola to share their favourite meals to make with this “fibremaxxer’s” fave:

Usually, the classic French salad contains potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, olives, lettuce, tomato, and tuna.

On top lies a tangy garlic, anchovy, mustard, vinegar, and olive oil dressing.

But for a “creamier” version, chef Gillies said you can’t go wrong with a can of butter beans in place of the usual spuds.

“I love adding them into a Niçoise-style salad ― they bring a natural creaminess and make the dish feel more substantial, while still keeping it fresh and balanced,” he told us.

“Tossed with green beans, tomatoes, olives and a sharp vinaigrette, it’s a really satisfying, protein-rich plate that works perfectly for warmer days.”

One of my favourite lunches of all time is a leek and butter bean dish that takes less than 15 minutes to whip up. Another beloved version is “marry me” butterbeans, which basically just means cooking them in tomato sauce and adding something creamy and/or cheesy at the end.

Chef Meola takes a similarly minimalist approach.

“Butter beans are great cooked slowly with garlic, olive oil and a bit of rosemary until they go really soft and creamy,” he told us.

“Finish with good olive oil, and that’s pretty much it.”

He didn’t explicitly mention eating that with a hunk of crusty bread, but we’ll be trying it that way anyway.

I love a good TikTok-viral recipe. I’ve tried “frambled” eggs and Italian wedding soup, and have even given a version of “swamp potatoes” a go.

And recently, I’ve been seeing a lot of “dumpling lasagnes”, too.

Popularised by food influencer @april_eatz, it offers “all the flavour and texture of soup dumplings – no folding, no sealing, no stress”.

It’s a layered version of dumplings with ground meat. Its structure goes seasoned mince, then dumpling wrapper, then mince, etc., (you can see how it got its name).

It’s a lot easier than maki traditional dumplings, which require careful folding to prevent leaks.

And it doesn’t require the hours of cooking involved in a classic Italian lasagne, either. You just mix your mince, place it between some dumpling skin layers, add sauce, and cook.

There’s no set single recipe; like swamp potatoes, it’s more of a general set of rules than one exact formula.

Start with mince; this can be chicken mince or pork mince.

Add whatever combination of grated ginger, grated garlic, chopped spring onion, soy sauce, chilli crisp, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and/or pepper to the mix that you like.

Then, take your wonton wrappers and a bowl of water. Dip them briefly in the liquid before placing a layer at the bottom of your tray (unlike Italian lasagne, where mince goes in the pan first).

Next, add mince; then a dumpling skin layer – as food creator @heresyourbite puts it, “wrappers, pork, wrappers, pork, until you run out of space or ingredients”.

Make sure the top layer is a dumpling wrapper.

Once it’s assembled, add chicken stock or water to the dish to ensure it steams as it cooks.

Steam the dish, either over a large pot of water or, if you have one big enough to hold your tray, a steamer, until the mince is cooked.

Some TikTokers use a small inverted saucer in a lidded frying pan as a makeshift steamer.

The amount of time that it takes will depend on the amount of “dumpling lasagne” you’re making. The mince should be cooked thoroughly once it’s done.

After it’s cooked, add soy sauce, chilli oil, sesame seeds, or whatever other toppings you like to the dish, and you’re done.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Pancake Day (which falls on 17 Feb) is the best holiday of the year.

It involves no fiddly etiquette, no obscure hints as to what your loved ones really want, and no £50+ pressies: the rules are to make pancakes, eat them, and then, maybe, make more.

But for all the welcome simplicity of the holiday, the actual food can be hard to perfect. Mine all too often end up a little rubbery (though I have learned some tricks for fluffier, crispier American kinds).

Still, it’s a good thing chef Paul Foster of Michelin-starred restaurant Salt has shared some tips for pro-level pancakes.

The culinary legend, who’s paired with British Lion eggs, said: “By following some simple guidelines, anyone can make perfect pancakes.”

Here are his top 10 tips:

This makes gluten build up, which creates “tough, chewy pancakes”.

This makes the batter runnier, which allows it to “spread further and thinner” in the pan, Foster said. “The extra protein will help the pancake to set, so it is a better option than adding more milk.”

This helps to “achieve a smoother batter when hand mixing”.

Once you’ve mixed the batter, leave it to rest for 20-30 minutes, “as this will allow the flour to absorb the moisture from the egg and milk, so you achieve the desired consistency”.

It can also help your pancakes to cook more evenly, as the ingredients are better incorporated.

Usually, the more fat, the better when it comes to flavour. But for pancakes, Foster noted if you use too much oil “the batter will fry, and not brown properly”.

“It should be almost like a dry bake in the pan.”

It might sound obvious, but this “will help you achieve evenly cooked pancakes, as well as it not sticking”.

A high heat will “give a darker colour and bitter flavour”, while medium heat ensures an even cook, advised the chef.

A pinch of salt in your batter can transform its flavour, said the pro. “It won’t make it savoury, but will help to balance the flavour.”

One of the main reasons many people find flipping so tricky, Foster said, is that they don’t wait long enough to allow one side to set.

“Wait until there is no more liquid on top before flipping – or just turn them with a spatula for a safer option!”

Even chefs face the first pancake curse, apparently.

But this doesn’t have to be a bad thing: Foster said you should see it as a tester.

“This is the best way to gauge the correct temperature of the pan. It also means that the cook gets the first taste for doing all the hard work!”