The quality of veg at this time of year always gets us inspired in the fig1.co.uk kitchen. I always keep a quantity of salad dressing made up in the fridge ready for going over whatever ingredients I can find. And peas and beans are some of my favourite ingredients – I’ve been dressing them hot with potatoes and some chopped tomato. You don’t have to eat it hot even but if it is dressed while the beans or peas are still hot they really soak up the flavour.
The mint on the balcony seems to be in full flow today so I have chopped some mint and parsley up, shelled some peas (a fair few of which I ate whilst shelling them) and boiled a bag of Charlotte potatoes. Whilst they are on the go I’ve finely diced a couple of tomatoes and a shallot, added the herbs and some balsamic and olive oil dressing I already had made up. When the spuds are nearly cooked I’ll add the peas in, then once they are finished I’ll drain them add them hot into the bowl. I have to nip out later, but this will be ready to eat with some pan fried fish when I get back.
Sometimes I like to add some chopped olives, capers, piquant peppers or whatever else I have in jars in the fridge for extra flavour – a particularly good way of making this kind of thing nice and tasty in the winter when the tomatoes aren’t so good and the peas are frozen.
Hints and tips
- Give the potatoes a good shake in the colander when draining them – I hate it when you find the potatoes are still full of water as you tip them into the dressing!
- Don’t be tempted to rinse the spuds when you drain them – they will cool right down and won’t absorb the flavour
- To make a really good dressing, I always properly crush some garlic and add a good spoon of Dijon mustard. Then either some balsamic or wine vinegar. Depending on what you choose you may also need some sugar, but taste it as you go. Then as you whisk, little by little, add about 4 times as much olive oil as vinegar. If you do this slowly and whisk enough you get a thick, goopy emulsion rather than a layer of oil and a layer of vinegar. It might need some practice but I prefer dressing like that and I usually use an electric whisk and wear an apron if I’m doing it – hence I then make lots and keep it in a jar in the fridge so I don’t have to do it all the time!
Pictures
Today we were using the two tone Portuguese tableware by Rice to cook with – it’s the joy of having your own shop – you can own a lot of different crockery. This new range from Rice is really colourful and quirky, it gives a little extra pleasure to eating. Plus Rice are bringing out some new designs soon!