Beetroot salad recipe

It might be a bit early to harvest beetroot, but I'm about to sow mine, which made me think of my seriously tasty recipe for beetroot salad.

Ingredients:

• Some beautiful beetroots, straight from the allotment
• Juice of 1 freshly squeezed lemon
• Some sunflower seeds
• Some Pumpkin seeds
• A little salt
• A little pepper
• Some olive oil

Instructions:

1. Grate the beetroot and put into a big mixing bowl.
2. Add the lemon juice and pour on some olive oil.
3. Add a wee pinch of salt and a little pepper (not too much though, you want it subtle, like).
4. Toast the sunflower and pumpkin seeds in a dry flying pan, along with a little salt (the pumpkin seeds should be popping a bit, but don't burn them).
5. Serve with the toasted seeds on top.

I love this salad and it also works well with carrots. Don't spare the lemon juice, as this makes it taste nice and fruity - the olive oil will tone down the acidity a treat. It'll keep in the fridge for a day or two.

Enjoy!

Wild garlic dip

Inspired by the time of year - and invariably returning from woodland walks with one hand full of broad-leaf wild garlic - here's a recipe that's quick and lovely:

10 leaves wild garlic
1 pack cream cheese or quark or yoghurt (200g)
1 squeeze lemon juice
salt to taste

Pick off individual large leaves of wild garlic - ideally away from dog walking routes - wash thoroughly and chop (I use scissors). Mix with other ingredients and refrigerate overnight to bring out the best of the flavours. Serve as a dip with crudites and breadsticks, or on toast topped with smoked salmon. Watered down, leftovers make a great salad dressing.

Marrow plots

Colours in the marrow plots: orange nasturtiums (leaves and flowers add peppery sharpness to salads) and marrow flowers, which are also edible in salads or stuffed and cooked. Recipes to follow!