This salad combines the last of the asparagus (the season finishes on Midsummer’s Day) and the first of the blueberries (in season June to September) so it’s for early June menus… unusual, and a fabulous mix of colours – the vivid green of the asparagus, the deep indigo blueberries, and the golden corn.

If you want to make it later in the summer and early autumn you can substitute the asparagus for lightly cooked French beans.

Recipe for pretty prismatic salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 70g/3 oz bag of wild rocket
• 1 courgette
• 225g/8 oz baby plum tomatoes
• 100g/4 oz asparagus spears
• 1 carrot
• 5 spring onions, trimmed, sliced and including about 1”/2 cm of the green part
• 160g/6 oz tin sweetcorn – drained
• 150g/5 oz soft goats’ cheese
• 150g/5 oz/1 cup blueberries

Ingredients for the dressing

• 7 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp smoked salt
• 10 grinds black pepper

Method

1. Cook the asparagus either by roasting (follow this link) or by microwaving – snap off the tough ends (again – follow this link to see how) and then, in the same plastic container the asparagus comes in add a little water (three or four tbsps) and microwave on high for two or three minutes. Leave to rest for a couple of minutes and then drain.
2. Use a potato peeler to slice the courgette and the carrot into very thin slices.
3. Cut the tomatoes in half vertically.
4. Wash the rocket.
5. Mix all together in a big salad bowl.
6. Dot the top of the salad with knobs of goats’ cheese.
7. Mix the dressing and dress.

Music to cook to