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2 oranges
2 avocado
lettuce
1 tbsp chopped mint
Using a serrated knife, and holding the fruit over a bowl, cut, peel and pith the grapefruit and oranges and slice out the segments.
Thinly peel, stone and slice the avocados, and add to the grapefruit and oranges. Pile onto lettuce leaves and serve chilled and sprinkled with chopped mint.
Melon with ginger v
Adding ginger works magic on melons that are not sweet and fragrant enough to be eaten on their own.
SERVES 6
1 honeydew melon
3 pieces of preserved stem ginger, chopped
6 tbsp of the syrup from the preserved ginger
If the melon is really tender (it can be sliced into with a spoon), cut it into six wedges, remove the seeds, spoon the chopped ginger and the syrup over each piece of melon, and serve.
For less-than-perfect melon, slice off the skin, remove the seeds, and cut the flesh into small pieces. Place in a mixing bowl, add the chopped ginger and syrup and stir together. Serve in individual bowls.
VARIATION
Melon with crème de menthe v
A speciality of a friend of mine and, I must admit, I’d never have thought of this combination, but it’s wonderful. Use a melon with white or pale green flesh – again, it’s a fantastic way of cheering up a melon that’s lacking in flavour. Cut the melon into wedges, pour 1–2 tablespoons of crème de menthe over each and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint if you have some.
Marinated mushrooms v
Serve these spicy, piquant mushrooms well chilled, with some bread to mop up the spicy juices.
SERVES 4
450g (1lb) baby button mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground coriander
1 bay leaf
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to serve
Wash the mushrooms, halving or quartering any larger ones, then fry them in the olive oil with the coriander, bay leaf and garlic for about 2 minutes, stirring all the time.
Put the mushrooms straight into a large bowl to prevent further cooking, then add the lemon juice and a grinding of black pepper. Cool, then chill the mixture.
Check the seasoning before serving the mushrooms on individual plates with a scattering of chopped parsley on top.
Pears with blue cheese and walnuts
The secret to this dish is using really ripe, sweet pears. I find it’s safest to buy hard pears up to a week in advance and let them ripen gently at room temperature. Small pears with a rounded shape work best – Comice are perfect.
SERVES 4
4 ripe sweet pears
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g (2oz) shelled walnuts pieces
125g (4oz) watercress
125–175g (4–6oz) Stilton or Danish Blue cheese, broken into pieces
Preheat the grill if you are toasting the walnuts. Peel the pears and cut into even-sized pieces, removing the core. Put into a bowl with the lemon juice, oil, some salt and a generous grinding of pepper, and mix together.
Spread the walnuts on a grill pan and toast under the hot grill for a few minutes until they smell wonderful, but be careful not to burn them. Or use them untoasted if you prefer.
Arrange the watercress on four plates. Spoon the pears on top and divide the dressing between the plates.
Tuck pieces of cheese among the pears and watercress, and scatter with the walnuts, breaking them up a bit in your fingers as you do so. If they’re still warm from the grill when you serve them, that’s even better.
Salsify with butter, parsley and lemon
Salsify – and their close relative, scorzonera – look like long, rather dirty dark roots when you see them in the shops, but when they’re peeled and cooked they have a delicious, delicate flavour.
SERVES 4
1kg (2 lb) salsify or scorzonera (unpeeled weight)
2 tbsp lemon juice
salt
25g (1oz) butter
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Peel the roots, keeping them under cold water to preserve the colour. Cut them into 2.5cm (1in) pieces and put them straight into a bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.
Bring 2.5cm (1in) of salted water to the boil in a large saucepan, add the roots and cook for about 10 minutes or until just tender.
Drain and add the butter, the remaining lemon juice, the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Heat gently to melt the butter, then serve at once.
Salsify fritters
These delicate fritters make a perfect first course.
SERVES 4
700g (1 lb) salsify or scorzonera
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1–2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (e.g. parsley or dill)
salt and freshly ground pepper
125g (4oz) plain flour
1 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs, separated
150ml (5fl oz) water
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
lemon slices, to serve
Prepare and cook the salsify as described in the first two paragraphs of the previous recipe. Drain well, then sprinkle with the vinegar, herbs and some salt and pepper.
Mix together the flour, oil, seasoning, egg yolks and water to form a batter. Whisk the egg whites, then fold into the batter.
Heat enough oil to half fill a medium-sized saucepan to 190°C (375°F) (or when a little batter sizzles if dropped into the oil). Coat the salsify pieces in batter, then fry for about 4 minutes or until browned. Drain and serve with the lemon slices.
Salsify mayonnaise
Cooked and mixed with mayonnaise, salsify makes a lovely dish that I think of as the vegetarian equivalent to a light fish dish, though I can’t swear to this as I haven’t eaten fish since I was three years old!
SERVES 4
1kg (2 lb) salsify or scorzonera
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp natural yoghurt
TO GARNISH
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
lemon slices
Peel and cook the salsify until tender. While still hot, add the lemon juice, mayonnaise and yoghurt. Leave to cool.
Serve on individual plates, garnished with the parsley and lemon slices.
Easy spring rolls v
These may seem fiddly, but actually they’re easy to make and delicious served with a sweet chilli dipping sauce.
MAKES 24 SPRING ROLLS
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
335g packet beansprouts
1 small pointed red pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
a thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated or finely chopped
head of Chinese leaves, shredded
3 tbsp dark soy sauce
salt
270g packet filo pastry (6 sheets, approximately 500mm × 240mm (20in × 9 in))
rapeseed or groundnut oil, for brushing
sweet chilli sauce, to serve
