Sunshine and Salads

How I love these long, languorous, lazy June days, when the garden is resplendent in its finest, jewel coloured blooms and the 'potager' is already producing copious quantities of lettuce varieties, rocket, sorrel, chervil, parsley, marjoram and much, much more. The promise of peas, beans, tomatoes and courgettes to come is eagerly anticipated, 'limaces' and 'escargots' permitting. This year has been particularly bad for the slimy sods and we have had to resort to those bright little balls of brilliant cobalt, which you have to double check in the salad spinner for fear of ingesting the odd stray. The sunshine has made the world of difference too. Sadly, as a result, we've polished off all the strawberries in an orgy of excess.

Salads are the order of the day because the more you cut, the more they come. Whilst the variety and quality of lettuce in France is far superior to those available in the UK, I cannot understand why so many people don't grow their own. I am the world's laziest gardener but even I feel a huge sense of pride when I see the fruits of my minimal labours. A packet of seed [well, only part of one], a quick transfer from seed trays to 'potager', followed by an instant manicure, a splash of water and Bob's votre oncle! Nothing could be simpler and the ensuing taste sensation is exponentially disproportionate to the work involved. There is nothing better for one's health than a diet of sunshine and home grown salads.

SIMPLE GOAT'S CHEESE SALAD

I like to use the little baby 'crottins' from local artisans who sell on the Saturday morning market in St Girons, but you can use 'bouches', cut into 2cm slices, from the supermarket. You can use either walnuts and walnut oil, or hazlenuts and hazelnut oil, but not a combination unless you like your flavours muddied.

Serves 4

4 'crottins' of individual soft goat's cheese, or 4 slices cut from a 'bouche de chevre'
couple sprigs fresh thyme from the 'potager'
200g salad leaves
50g walnuts or hazlenuts
4 slices 'flute' [baguettes are generally too small in diameter]
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the vinaigrette

3 tbs walnut or hazlenut oil
1 tbs white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, crushed
squeeze fresh lemon juice
salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C.

Place the 'crottins' on a baking tray with either half a walnut each and a few thyme leaves, or a few crushed hazlenuts and thyme leaves, and drizzle with a little olive oil. Season with salt and black pepper and bake for 5-6 minutes until warmed through but not melted.

Crush remaining nuts in the mortar with a pestle.

Wash and spin the lettuce leaves, put in a bowl and add the crushed nuts.

Toast the 'flute' slices until golden brown.

Put the walnut or hazlenut oil into a jar, with the vinegar, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper and shake well to combine. Drizzle some over salad leaves and nuts and toss together.

To serve, arrange the salad leaves on individual plates [I like blue ones for salad!] and place a toasted crouton on each. Top with the hot goat's cheeses and spoon over the remaining vinaigrette to serve. C'est tres simple. Voila!


SKYE GYNGELL'S CAESAR SALAD DRESSING

Ever since we lived in St Margaret's and bought our garden plants from the Petersham Nurseries, I have loved Skye's deceptively simple ways with food - she is the queen of fresh.

Serves 4

2 organic free range egg yolks
2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp powdered mustard
4 very good quality anchovies [from Collioure close to the Spanish border, if you can get them - worth the trip just for a couple of jars and a stunning day out!]
juice 1/2 [half] lemon
200mls extra virgin olive oil [the best]
60 g freshly grated parmesan [you can get it from Mme Gilbert or from the cheese counter in the St Lizier 'Les Mousquetaires']
1 generous tbsp creme fraiche

Method

Place the yolks, garlic, mustard, anchovies and lemon juice into a food processor and turn on. Slowly pour the oil through the funnel in the top, blending until smooth. Tip into a bowl and stir in the parmesan and creme fresh. The finished dressing should fall easily from a spoon; if it is too thick, loosen with a little water. Set aside for the salad of your choice.

SALAD OF TORN BREAD, BAYONNE HAM, TOMATOES AND CAESAR DRESSING

4 slices 'pain de campagne', 2.5cms thick
1 clove garlic peeled
30ml extra virgin olive oil plus 1 tbsp
1 raddicchio [from 'Tutti-Frutti' in St Girons]
squeeze of lemon
4 firm green tomatoes [there should be some on the tomato plants in the 'potager'], or red or yellow ones
8 very fine slices bayonne ham

Method

Grill the bread on both sides until golden brown. Whilst it is still warm, gently rub with the garlic clove and drizzle over the olive oil. Tear into pieces of varying sizes.

Discard the outer leaves of the radicchio, separate the rest, wash and pat dry and tear into large, generous strips. Toss with 1 tbs olive oil, a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon.

Slice the tomatoes into rounds and season.

Arrange the bread, radicchio, tomato and ham onto individual plates and drizzle over the Caesar dressing. Formidable!



FRIED HALLOUMI SALAD

My daughter loves halloumi and I often just fry a few slices to add to a salad of fresh leaves, herbs, mint, finely sliced onions steeped for half an hour in freshly squeezed lemon juice, and kalamata olives instead of feta. To ring the changes, I got this recipe from Hugh F-W's Guardian Weekend Column because I have loved the addition of flaming, smoky paprika ever since we lived in Madrid.

Serves 4

1 small red onion, very finely sliced
150g cucumber, cut into chunks
200g cherry tomatoes, halved
50 g kalamata olives, stoned
large handful mint leaves, roughly shredded
large handful flat leaf parsley leaves
50g plain flour
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
250g halloumi cheese, cut into 8 slices
2 tbs rapeseed or olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing

1 tsp clear honey
juice half lemon
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 pinch dried chilli flakes
1 pinch sea salt
3 tbs rapeseed or olive oil

First, make the dressing. Stir together the honey, lemon juice, garlic, chilli flakes and salt until well combined, then whisk in the oil. In a large bowl, toss together the onion, cucumber, tomatoes, olives, mint and parsley.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika and some salt and pepper. Moisten the halloumi slices slightly with water, then press into the seasoned flour and shake off any excess. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the halloumi over a medium heat for about two minutes on each side, until golden and slightly softened on the inside.

Toss the salad vegetables with the dressing, turning them over with your hands to make sure everything is lightly coated. Divide the salad between four plates, put two pieces of hot halloumi on each one and serve immediately. The result is a feast of fabulous colour for the eyes as well as the stomach. Bon appetit!