Anyone reading this column in the past will have noticed my emphasis on seasonality. I’ll say it one more time for anyone that missed it: locally grown food in season tastes better and costs less.
If you are unsure about what is in season the Bord Bia site: www.bestinseason.ie has a very useful chart.
The best way of dealing with seasonal produce is to do as little as possible with it to preserve the natural flavours, and one of the best ways to do this is to make a salad, the ultimate summer food.
Salad doesn’t have to contain leaves but there is a good reason for eating sweet young leaves at this time of year when they reach their peak of flavour. You still have time to plant some “cut and come again” lettuce that will give you continual supplies over the coming months.
Fresh herbs are at their best in summer so liberally add any that you have to hand.
Warm salads (where hot cooked ingredients are added) are useful to avoid accusations of serving rabbit food. Thinly sliced rare steak, fried bacon lardoons and shellfish work well; as does offal such as lamb kidneys, sweetbreads and even black pudding (add some apple).
Flowers can add a decorative element but also flavours, particularly nectar sweet Violets or pungent peppery Nasturtiums. Herb flowers such as chive or rosemary work well and jasmine, primroses and even fuscia are all worth trying. Beware of poisonous flowers such as potato or sweet pea.
French Dressing
3 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1tbs Sherry or Wine Vinegar, 1tsp Dijon Mustard, Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper.
Add the ingredients to a jam jar and shake vigorously to emulsify.
Variations: replace the vinegar with twice as much lemon or grapefruit juice; replace the olive oil with hazel or walnut oil; for salads containing shellfish add a half teaspoon of Thai fish sauce and some chopped lemongrass; for meat based salads add the deglazed juices from the pan.
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