I think the humble egg is truly ‘eggstra’-ordinary. That small shell is packed with protein and vitamins, is cheap to buy, versatile and quick to cook – and it’s a cook’s friend in the kitchen.

It’s a pity eggs have received such a bad press over the years, but fortunately we now understand the difference between dietary cholesterol and blood cholesterol. It means that eggs are no longer the villain of the piece that was once thought. As Easter is the time we think about eggs – chocolate or otherwise – here are some non-chocolate egg recipes.

Soufflés are easy make, but they can be scary things to cook. I was always told not to open the oven door while they are cooking, but some say that’s a myth. When we were living in Spain, our favourite restaurant’s signature dessert was a Grand Marnier soufflé. Once, when talking to the English lady maitre d’, she told me the soufflés were cooked in an old, dilapidated gas oven with a broken door catch which the chef kept closed by wedging an empty champagne bottle against it. When I looked dubious, she took me into the kitchen to show me.

However, myth or not, I still don’t open the oven door while a soufflé is cooking. It’s the serving of them that I find the biggest problem.

A hot soufflé waits for no one and has to be served the moment it comes out of the oven – invariably at the same moment the phone rings or somebody wants the loo!

So, whoever it was who discovered individual twice-baked soufflés deserves a medal. They can be made up to 24 hours in advance and reheated, and although they don’t have quite the same dramatic rise that freshly baked ones have, they do puff up again quite nicely and don’t sink nearly as quickly after reheating. I’ve made them with cheese, broccoli, ham and smoked salmon – and Grand Marnier – and they all behaved beautifully to make a very nice starter (or dessert).

Another impressive summer starter or buffet dish is a savoury roulade. Like a soufflé, it’s based on a thick sauce lightened with egg whites and then baked in a Swiss roll tin. I like to fill mine with Mediterranean flavours like Parma ham, peppers, olives and Parmesan cheese, but you can fill them with whatever you fancy. Salmon, crab or small prawns are nice, or if you are feeling particularly rich, so too are lobster tails, cut into chunks and mixed with mayonnaise.

I think a cold roulade is best served at room temperature, so I keep mine in the fridge and then bring it out about half an hour before serving.

A favourite summer dessert of ours is lemon snow. It’s really just like a lemon meringue pie, only the lemon and meringue are folded together and then served in glasses instead of a pastry case. It’s light, tangy and delicious, particularly after a heavy meal, and it will keep for a day or two in the fridge.

Another perennial favourite is crème caramel, so easy to make and loved by almost everyone from babies to nonagenarians. Dress it up with some spiced orange slices and just see how fast it disappears!