SIDE DISH & SALADS Warm roasted courgette and new potato salad with walnuts, herbs and cheese

Finding a piece of fresh local fish or meat is often easier than deciding what to serve with it. Here is a recipe and some ideas for big, bold salads and tasty side dishes that could become the main event if served with a few other bits, such as cheese boards or leftovers. I tend to serve on big platters so people can help themselves.

Serves 6

Ingredients: dressing

2 tbsp lemon juice • 3 tbsp olive oil

Ingredients: warm salad 500g new potatoes • 1 sprig mint • 30g butter • 2 courgettes • ½ lemon, zest and juice • 150ml white wine • 2 tbsp olive oil • 2 handfuls of rocket • 40g mixed soft herbs, roughly chopped (I used mint, parsley and dill) • 100g chopped lightly toasted walnuts • 200g local cheese, cut into chunks (pretty much all cheeses will work; I used a selection of White Lake cheese, goats’ and sheep from Somerset) • 2 spring onions, finely sliced

Dressing

In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and olive oil with a little seasoning.

Warm salad

Preheat oven to 180°C fan/gas mark 6. In a pan of cold, salted water boil the potatoes with the sprig of mint until just cooked. Drain and cool slightly before cutting into halves and tossing with the butter.

Slice the courgettes into thick batons and spread on a large roasting dish.

Sprinkle over the zest and juice from half a lemon and the white wine.

Scatter over the potatoes and roast for about 30 minutes or until the courgettes are cooked and have taken on a little colour.

Leave to cool slightly.

Scatter onto the warm veg the rocket, herbs, walnuts, cheese and spring onions.

Pour over the dressing and give it a little mix before piling onto a serving platter.

The Field’s

Find more side dishes and salads on website: Cabbage carbonara gratin / Poached pheasant with herby potatoes and green bean salad / Warm black pudding salad with broad beans and Waterloo cheese / Braised Belgium endive with blue cheese sauce / Lobster, grapefruit and fennel salad

/ Chorizo, squash and cous cous salad / Fattoush