More than just a side dish

Gretchen Lowe brings salad to the forefront of a summer meal

I’ve long been a fan of having salad be the star of the show. At this time of the year I often find sanctuary in a humble salad with a crisp glass of rose´ . If you like mozzarella you’ll love burrata, it’s almost like its molten lava cousin with a rich, creamy filling. Paired with sweet tomatoes, plump strawberries laced with black pepper to bring out their sweetness and basil pistou (the Provencale version of pesto without cheese), this salad is sure to become a regular this summer. There's a lot going on in the giant buddha bowl, chickpeas that act like smoked croutons, soft charred lettuce, crunchy asparagus, and mountains of crisp greens all combined with a rich and creamy herb-spiked tahini yoghurt.

With a bounty of fruit and vegetables in season, these instant classics are easy to whip together and delicious enough to hold their own as a main.