Restore

To make the dressing, simply mix the sour cream and mayonnaise together in a bowl with the lemon juice, salt and pepper.

When everything is ready, it’s time to assemble the salad, beginning with the potatoes. Pull them apart into bite-sized pieces (I think it looks nicer than cutting them with a knife, and the rough edges hold the dressing better) and lay them out on a large plate or platter. Spoon the dressing over the potatoes and sprinkle half of the spring onions on top. Peel and roughly chop the eggs and sprinkle them in an even layer over the potatoes, followed by the bacon, the jalapeños and the rest of the spring onions. I like to sprinkle over a little smoked salt or celery salt if I have some to hand.

Braised Courgettes

Who has braised a courgette or marrow before? Unlikely these days, as I figure most people assume this method of cooking will make them mushy and tasteless, but actually the opposite is true. I first came across courgettes cooked this way in an ‘ingredients-led’ Italian restaurant, served with nothing more than really good olive oil and salt. It was a revelation. Here, the courgettes hold their weight and stay firm, while retaining the added flavours of chilli, lemon juice and mint. I like to serve this with grilled fish or roast lamb as a side dish, or as a central salad in a multitude of ways, such as with crumbled feta and mint, ricotta and oregano, or burrata and basil.

SERVES 4 as a side dish or large salad

Preparation time 5 minutes

Cooking time 15 minutes

3 tbsp olive oil

1 dried chilli

4 courgettes (ideally a mixture of green, yellow and white)

½ tsp sea salt, plus extra to serve

100ml water

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

handful of mint leaves, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a wide lidded saucepan over a high heat. Crumble the chilli (you can leave out some of the seeds, depending on how hot you like it) and add it to the pan, allowing it to infuse in the oil for a minute or two. Now put the largest courgettes into the pan and cook for 2 minutes, followed by the smaller ones. Add the salt and water to the pan, cover with a lid and cook for a further 2 minutes. Turn the courgettes over with a pair of tongs, re-cover and braise for a further 2 minutes. Repeat this a few times, replacing the lid after each turn, until they are cooked but still firm – this will take about 15 minutes in total. You definitely don’t want them to be mushy!

Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little so you can handle them. Cut them into 2–3cm-thick slices and place in a serving dish, squeeze over the lemon juice and sprinkle the lemon zest and mint leaves across the top. Season with a little more salt. These are equally delicious served hot or cold.