Recipes and Menus for May

“I have solved the mystery of all those ancient May Day customs, such as dancing around the maypole, crowning the May Queen, and skipping about waving branches of apple blossom. These were, in fact, clever excuses for getting out of all the do-it-yourself jobs.”
Oliver Pritchett, The Telegraph
Saucy Dressings aims to complete this post – four weeks’ menus and recipes, plus a few spare by the end of 2024. Every year an additional week’s menu, with the links to the individual recipes, is added.
For food in season in May, follow this link.
For music to listen to while cooking in May, follow this link.
In May we have two bank holidays and the Chelsea flower show…. nothing very interesting.
But we also have improving weather and more spring vegetables dropping onto our kitchen tables – it’s the month of the Alresford watercress festival. You might also be interested in these posts:
- guide to edible flowers
- peppery watercress salsa verde
- borage and watercress salad
Week’s menu for May: number 1

The Trees
The trees are coming into leaf
Like something almost being said;
The recent buds relax and spread,
Their greenness is a kind of grief.Is it that they are born again
And we grow old? No, they die too,
Their yearly trick of looking new
Is written down in rings of grain.Yet still the unresting castles thresh
Philip Larkin
In fullgrown thickness every May.
Last year is dead, they seem to say,
Begin afresh, afresh, afresh.
Saturday lunch:
or
or
followed by
Sunday evening mince:
WITH
OR
Monday evening meat:
OR with
Tuesday evening:
- night out or leftovers
Wednesday evening poultry:
- little red rooster, inspired by Mick Jagger’s song and Christopher Bruce’s choreography
OR
Thursday evening dinner party:
- starter: roasted artichoke hearts
OR
- starter: aubergine and red pepper terrine
- main course: against all odds pork
- with: Saucy Dressings’ sweet and saucy carrots
OR
- pudding: maple syrup and bourbon souffle
OR
Thank God It’s Friday Drink:
Friday evening fish:
OR
WITH
OR
OR
Week’s menu for May: number 2

“And who could not be touched to melancholy in the fifth month, when the sweet flag iris leaves are laid on roofs, and the rice seedlings are planted out, and the water rail’s knocking call is heard?”
Kenkō, A Cup of Sake Beneath the Cherry Trees (written circa 1330)
Saturday lunch:
- Prince Radziwill’s sardine and smoked salmon pâté
- green beans with black olives
- griddled aubergines and baby plum tomatoes with tahini sauce
OR
OR
FOLLOWED BY
Sunday evening:
- Persian … or Turkish…pomegranate and walnut chicken with pilaf
OR
Monday evening chicken:
- Indian curry with fenugreek and other spices, jasmine rice and parsnip crisps
OR
WITH
Tuesday evening:
- night out or leftovers
Wednesday evening meat:
- beef fillet with fenugreek and beans with coconut
OR
- Steak au Poivre with caramelised shallots, creamed spinach and wonderful wedge potatoes OR with mozzarella, pesto, and celery salad
Thursday evening dinner party:
OR
- starter: Julia Child’s mousselines de poisson
- vegetarian main course: potato tarte Tatin, broad beans and artichokes and spinach, aubergines with saffron yoghurt
- pudding: lemon nearly trifle or black locust flower fritters
Thank God It’s Friday drink:
… and to nibble at with it:
Friday evening fish:
OR
OR
- Middle-eastern cod goujons with a slurpy garlic dip and an iceberg salad
Week’s menu for May: number 3

“May in Ayemenem is a hot, brooding month. The days are long and humid. The river shrinks and black crows gorge on bright mangoes in still, dustgreen trees. Red bananas ripen. Jackfruits burst. Dissolute bluebottles hum vacuously in the fruity air.”
Mina Holland, The Edible Atlas
Saturday lunch:
AND
OR
- Piperade, a sort of spicy Basque version of ratatouille – served every which way, with eggs, with ham, as a savoury tarte Tatin…or a sauce for pasta or fish
OR
FOLLOWED BY
Sunday supper:
OR
Monday evening meat:
Tuesday evening:
- night out or leftovers
Wednesday evening poultry:
with
or with
Thursday evening dinner party:
- with drinks: mushroom encased quail’s eggs
- starter: little gem and goats’ cheese OR seventh heaven ham and melon
- main course: lamb stuffed with saffron rice
- vegetable: peas – how to cook frozen
- pudding: House of Lords’ chocolate truffle cake
Thank God It’s Friday drink:
….. and to eat with it:
Friday evening fish:
OR
Week’s menu for May: number 4

“In May, that moder is of monthes glade,
Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde
That fresshe floures, blewe, and whyte, and rede,
Ben quike agayn, that winter dede made,
And ful of bawme is fleting every mede.”
Saturday lunch:
- courgette ribbon and flaky pie
- Meghan Markle’s favourite watermelon and feta salad
OR
- sixties-style smoked salmon cheesecake with vodka
- bright salad or pickled cucumber
OR
OR
- Magnificent and surprising hot melon salad
FOLLOWED BY
- lemon puffs
Sunday supper:
- pasta alla carbonara
OR
Monday evening meat:
- coconut and coriander lamb
Tuesday evening:
- night out or leftovers
Wednesday evening poultry:
Thursday evening dinner party:
- with drinks: pesto and sundried tomato paste crostini
- starter: vallée verte goats cheese
OR
- starter: crunchy, creamy, carrot starter
- main course: country chicken with
- vegetables: barley and magnificent mushrooms
- vegetables: and X-rated, flaming tequila carrots
- pudding: strawberry and prosecco jelly
OR
Thank God It’s Friday drink:
….. and to eat with it:
- ricotta and yoghurt dip with celery
Friday evening fish:
- haddock with saint’s sauce