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Cooking with the seasons
Diana Peacock goes to the garden and the market to cook up some delicious seasonal recipes using the freshest ingredients ...
This is the time of year when we anticipate every new item of fruit and vegetable we are able to pick and eat from our garden or allotment . All the preparation and hard work of early spring is paid off in the following summer months . What better time is there for potatoes , freshly dug and cooked and eaten within hours or minutes even . They cook so quickly when they are newly harvested , so never think they need as long as shop bought new spuds . We often have simple meals of fish and newly dug potatoes , what could taste better than your own grown potatoes and fried eggs from chickens in your garden , all the expensive meals in restaurants could never taste this good .
New Potato Salad
This is more than just an accompaniment though it goes down well with grilled slices of gammon . Try it as a lunch dish .
Serves 4 as an accompaniment or 2 as a main dish
• 6 rashers of streaky bacon , grilled until crispy
• 500g new potatoes , halved
• 4 or 5 small lettuce leaves , shredded or chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• Pinch salt
• Black pepper to taste
Boil the potatoes for a few minutes until tender and drain . Leave to cool . Place the lettuce in a bowl .
Chop the bacon and add to the lettuce . In lidded jar or dressing mixer add the herbs , olive oil , vinegar and seasoning and shake well to combine .
Stir the potatoes into the lettuce and bacon mixture and pour over the dressing .
To vary omit the bacon and add some cooked tuna or salmon , a small portion of fish will go a long way when served like this .