simple summer supper

I popped into Waitrose at the weekend and, as always, walked out with things I really didn't need but couldn't resist ie two artichokes. Then I had to think a whole supper around them when I had nothing in particular in the fridge. But with the sun out and our vegetable patch just about coming to fruition I came over all Sarah Raven. It's amazing what you can find in the garden, and after a bit of foraging I returned to the kitchen with some baby beetroot, 2 courgette flowers, some mint, parsley, some sage leaves and 3 mangetout.


I've been trying to pluck up courage to make Sarah's (Hardaker not Raven) Sage and Anchovy Tempura but since setting a pan of oil on fire while trying to deep fry some poppadums many years ago I've had a fear. Yesterday I braved it and fried not only the tempura but the courgette flowers (stuffed as per the Matthew Rice recipe in Sarah Raven's Garden Cookbook - absolutely delicious), and I didn't have to call the fire brigade. This went nicely with the artichoke and lemon mayonnaise, a beautifully coloured salad made with the baby beetroot, feta chese and mint and some homemade foccaccia.

Hubby was very pleased to return from an unsuccessful but hot trip to Cribbs Causeway to find this little feast of seasonal food waiting for him and, slightly surprised, washed it down with some ice cold lager.