​Makes 12 mini muffins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (210g) buckwheat flour
1 t baking powder
1/4 cup (85g) caster sugar
​1/3 cup (90ml) light vegetable oil (I used grapeseed)
1/4 cup (80ml) milk (substitute non-dairy alternative for dairy free)
2 eggs
2/3 cup (150g) blueberries, washed and dried


Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare mini muffin pan by lining each hole with mini muffin cases or squares of non-stick baking paper moulded to shape over the base of a small glass. 

Sift buckwheat flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar. In a jug, combine oil, milk and eggs, whisking well with a fork to combine. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the oil mixture. Stir well but do not overmix. Gently fold through blueberries. 

Divide mixture evenly between muffin holes and bake 15 - 20min or until risen and golden. 

Provided it's not too hot, these keep well out of the fridge for about five days. After that time, put them in the fridge and microwave slightly before eating. Once cool, the muffins can also be frozen for up to one month. Store between pieces of baking paper to prevent them sticking together. 

Ingredients
Approx. 150g, or 3/4 cup dry weight is sufficient for two adults, depending on appetite. On that calculation, this quantity will yield around 9 serves. 

200g rolled oats
100g steel-cut oats
100g pearl barley
100g whole buckwheat
100g cracked (bulghur) wheat
100g amaranth (substitute quinoa)
Apple cider vinegar (optional, substitute lemon juice)
Sea salt flakes (optional)

Method
Combine grains and store in an airtight jar. The night before you want to make porridge, measure out the required amount, and put in a glass jar or jug with half a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per person and enough water to cover by about 2cm. Cover with a lid or cloth and leave on the kitchen bench overnight.

The next morning, place porridge, the soaking liquid and more fresh water - for 150g porridge, around another 1/2 cup (125ml) - into a saucepan. Add a pinch of sea salt flakes if desired. Stir over moderate heat, adding more water if necessary, for 20min or until you have a porridge consistency to your liking. Serve with whatever you like.  

If so inclined, I encourage you to add some live yoghurt and fresh or stewed fruit for sweetness to your bowl, which makes for a pretty awesome, power-packed, and gut-friendly breakfast. I am not so virtuous as to eat this every day, and I only eat it because I love the flavour and texture, as well as the slight smug feeling of having made something from scratch, as basic as it may be. I use the rolled oats to ensure the final product is lovely and creamy, so although I have six grains listed, it's only five different grains in total. I consider porridge a winter breakfast exclusively, and I think this is the perfect foil to all the delicious poached or baked fruits you can have at this time of year - quinces, pears and apples especially - but any fresh or cooked fruit would be delicious, I like this combination of soft, sweet-sour quince with the crisp apple matchsticks. Not something I would bother with every day, but when you feel like being a little bit fancy…But really, the classic brown sugar and cream, or milk and honey are also sublime. Add cinnamon for good measure. 

I can't recall where I read the tip on adding vinegar to the soaking water (and it was such an excellent website!), but from my cursory reading since, I know that the acid helps to break down the phytic acid in the grains. It is this phytic acid which inhibits the bioavailability of key nutrients. I am certainly not trained in nutrition, and am not presuming any expertise, but it is widely accepted that soaking grains both improves the uptake of essential nutrients, and increases their digestibility. It also has the obvious benefit of making the cooking time shorter, and as long as you remember to soak them the night before, this porridge couldn't be simpler. I hope you try it, do let me know how you go if you do! 

Ingredients
Serves 6
Begin the recipe a day before. The beans need to be pre-soaked and cooked before proceeding with the recipe. 

320 g navy beans (substitute black-eyed beans, canellini beans or other) to yield 480 g cooked
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 t coriander seeds (sub. 1 t ground)
2 t cumin seeds (sub. 1 t ground)
1 t fennel seeds (sub. 1 t ground)
2 t smoked paprika
2 t yellow mustard seeds
1 t ground cinnamon 
 1 t dried saltbush (sub. thyme or oregano)
dried chilli flakes to taste or 1-2 fresh large chillies, minced
4 T tomato paste (low or no salt)
1 x 400 g can tomatoes
2 T brown sugar
2 T worcesteshire sauce
4 T apple cider vinegar
600 g smoked pork bones or 1 ham hock (optional)
salt and pepper

Method
The night before, rinse beans, discarding any grit or discoloured beans and place in a bowl or saucepan with plenty of fresh water to cover. Cover and leave overnight. 

The next day, drain the beans, place in a saucepan with some more fresh water, bring to a gentle boil and cook until tender, about 20-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients. Place olive oil in a large stockpot or crockpot and sauce onion over moderate heat for a few minutes until it begins to turn translucent. Add the garlic and remaining spices and herbs and cook for a further 5 or so minutes. 

Add tomato paste and cook out for a minute or two. Add canned tomatoes, filling the can with water and adding that too, then the sugar, worcestershire and vinegar. Hold off on the seasoning for now. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a low simmer. Add pre-cooked beans and pork bones or hock and cook on a low heat (just simmering) until the sauce has thickened and reduced and the pork is falling off the bones. Note, if using pork bones, tie them in a piece of muslin or a food-safe fine mesh bag before adding to the pot as they may contain very small bones which are difficult to remove after cooking. 

Carefully remove the bones or hock and allow to cool slightly. Leave the beans on a low heat. When cool enough to handle, carefully shred the pork from the bones and return it to the pan. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add more sugar, vinegar, worcestershire or chilli to get the right balance of salty, sweet, and spicy flavours.

As this makes a lot, you may want to freeze some for later. Allow the beans to cool until they are no longer steaming, then store in the freezer for up to a month. Enjoy any way you like beans! They are pretty good with a poached egg for breakfast.  

A quick and simple snack for your little and your big people. The apple provides ample sweetness, no need for sugar at all. I usually give them to my daughter plain but a little bit of butter wouldn't go astray. After the recipe, I have some suggestions for variations and tips on storage. 

Makes 10-12

Ingredients
Pat of butter, for greasing (about 10 g)*
1 medium free-range egg
1/4 cup (60 g) Greek yoghurt
1 T milk
1 medium apple, preferably unwaxed, coarsely grated
1/2 cup (65 g) self raising wholemeal flour (substitute whole spelt or another all-purpose flour plus 1 t baking powder for lift)
1/2 t cinnamon (optional)


Method
Warm a fry-pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt. Meanwhile, crack egg into a batter jug or small mixing bowl, add yoghurt, milk, and apple and mix with a fork until just combined. 

Add flour, baking powder, if using, and cinnamon, and mix again until you have a well-mixed but still lumpy batter. Pour in the melted butter from the pan and mix gently. Wipe out the pan with some kitchen towel so you are left with just a thin film of butter. This creates a non-stick surface for the pikelets. 

Return the pan to the heat and drop in dessertspoofuls of batter, spreading them slightly with the spoon if needed. Don't overcrowd the pan as you need to be able to flip the pikelets with ease. 

Wait for some bubbles to appear on the surface and then carefully flip the pikelets with a spatula. They should be nice and golden on the underside. They are cooked when the surface springs back. Remove to a kitchen towel-lined plate and continue to cook pikelets until the batter is used up.

NOTE: I find I have to adjust the heat as I go as the pan tends to get too hot after a while, meaning that the pikelets overcook on the outside while remaining undercooked in the middle. If this starts to happen, turn the heat to medium-low. You may find you have to alternate between medium-low and medium heat in order to maintain an even cooking temperature. You can always return any undercooked pikelets to the pan at the end and finish them on a low heat. 

*If you have one, use a non-stick pan and you can omit the butter and the greasing step. 

These pikelets, or variations thereof, have been a staple snack of Ingrid’s ever since she started on solids (she's just turned two). I make them by eye, as I know the batter consistency I'm after, but I finally made myself measure the ingredients so I could share them at last! Sometimes I use all yoghurt, sometimes all milk, or like this recipe, a combination of the two (which produces the best result, I think). Apple is my preferred fruit, but I have also made these with berries (though these can cause the pikelets to catch in the pan, so be careful), and even make savoury versions with zucchini, carrot and so forth. It's a very versatile, basic recipe that can be adapted pretty much endlessly, so feel free to make it your own. I haven't done so, but I'm sure it would work well with a gluten-free all purpose flour and of course you can substitute a vegetable oil for the butter, and a non-dairy yoghurt and milk if you are dairy free. These pikelets freeze really well, too. I interleave them with small pieces of non-stick baking paper and seal in a zip-lock bag. Then I can easily take out one or two at a time and defrost as needed. They are ideal for packing in lunch boxes. If you make these often enough, soon you'll be making them by eye as well. There's nothing fancy here, just a simple, useful family recipe. I hope you find it so, and do let me know if you have any questions or feedback, it's always a great help for this novice blogger!

Happy cooking! 
M x

Before I get into the recipe, I wanted to share with you my patented (not) method for making your own muffin cases. Yes, you can just buy them, but I a) never think of doing this when I'm shopping and b) I dislike superfluous spending, as well as excess packaging from multiple products. I always, however, have non-stick baking paper on hand, so I can always make these, and they are a breeze. Take a roughly 30 x 40 cm piece of baking paper, and fold lengthways in half, then half again, so you have four even parallel sections. Turn the paper and fold into thirds. You should now have 12 square-ish sections. Cut along these lines and then, stacking 4 together at a time, make a 2.5 cm cut on opposite sides on each piece (see picture). These cuts help the cases mould to the muffin holes. Smear a little butter into the base of each muffin hole, or spray with cooking spray and place each muffin 'case' into each muffin well, overlapping the cut sides and allowing the remaining paper to crease as it likes. You end up with a family rough and ready effect, but I rather like that and the benefit of having muffins that are easy to remove far outweighs anything else! Scroll down to the recipe below. 

iMakes 12 muffins

Ingredients
Muffins
2 cups whole spelt or wholemeal flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
2 t cinnamon
1 t mixed spice
130 g medjool dates
100 ml water
2/3 cup oil
2 eggs, lightly whisked
zest and juice of 1 large orange
2 cups grated carrot
2/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup sultanas

Coconut Lemon Icing (Optional)
150 g coconut oil
2/3 cup icing sugar mixture
Zest of 1 lemon
1 - 2 T lemon juice
1 t vanilla extract
Shredded coconut, to serve


​Method
Preheat oven to 170°C. Line a 12 cup capacity muffin tin, as above.

Place dates and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Cook until dates are soft. Set aside to cool slightly. 

Sift flour, baking powder and spices into a large bowl. Mash dates with a fork until you have a mostly smooth paste. Stir in oil, eggs, and orange zest and juice, mixing quickly to combine. 

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the date mixture and stir well. Stir in carrot, walnut pieces and sultanas. 

Spoon into prepared muffin holes and bake for 25-30 min or until the muffins are golden and cooked through. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Coconut Lemon Icing
Add coconut oil, vanilla and lemon zest to a bowl. Whisk with electric beaters or a stand mixer until soft and creamy. Add icing sugar in three batches, beating in each addition thoroughly. As the mixture thickens, add lemon juice a tablespoonful at a time until you have a smooth, spreadable consistency. Add more lemon juice, or water, a teaspoonful at a time, if icing is still too thick. 

When cupcakes are completely cold, dollop heaped tablespoons of icing onto each muffin and spread to the edges. Sprinkle with shredded coconut. Store muffins in a sealed container in a cool, dry place for up to four days. The icing will go very hard if stored in the fridge, but you may store the cupcakes in the fridge if keeping for longer than four days or if the weather is very hot, just allow to come to room temperature before serving.

​As I write, one third of the world is in government-enforced lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Countries around the world are scrambling to get on top of the spread, and each face a vast array of different challenges, whether that be ageing populations, lack of intensive care beds and essential supplies, communication issues, or socio-economic issues. I’m mindful that certain populations have had to deal with severe epidemics before – the SARS crisis of 2003 is just one example - but this time it’s hitting communities hard the whole world over. 
 
I don’t think it’s an understatement to say COVID-19 has thrown the world into crisis, and we are all doing our best to cope. Forced to spend more time at home, many are looking for ways to shop sensibly and safely while still feeding their families nutritious flavourful meals. It has been really heartening to see so many chefs, food bloggers and others freely sharing their tips and tricks to make the most of what you have. A problem we’re all facing, however, is the depletion of essentials like flour, rice and pasta due to some people resorting to panic-buying and hoarding (there are also those who are stockpiling in order to profiteer from the crisis by selling items at inflated prices online – do not support these criminals!). Supermarkets as well as smaller stores are having difficulty restocking supplies and the fallout is affecting everyone. There is no need to stockpile but there is merit in knowing how to shop wisely so that you can stretch your dollar further, cook delicious and healthy meals at home, and make fewer trips to the shops. To that end, I’ve compiled a list of pantry staples based on the cooking I do most regularly, however, everyone’s preferences and cooking needs are different, so please just use it as a guide. When I say ‘pantry staples,’ I’m referring to basically everything you can keep in cupboards (apart from things like potatoes, onions, and the like) that’s not fresh. It’s still vitally important that we eat fresh food as much as possible. 

I could so easily continue with what I consider my ‘essential’ store-cupboard, fridge, and freezer staples, but I think I should stop here! Suffice to say that if you consistently stock your fridge/freezer with fresh produce, and have a well-stocked pantry, you’re good to go any day of the week! Now to a recipe! A no-fuss, hearty soup based around pantry staples that makes great leftovers (it’s also freezable) and is anything but boring. When I eat a soup like this, I am liberal with salt, pepper, olive oil, herbs, yoghurt, parmesan, or whatever it needs to lift it into delectable territory. And always with a side of toast. If I’m feeling under the weather, I’ll chuck in some ginger and turmeric for an immunity boost. Swap out the vegetables for what you have or prefer, substitute the pasta for beans, and so on. Robust greens like kale or cavalo nero are really lovely in this type of soup, especially when combined with butter beans* and perhaps some bacon or pancetta. If using the latter, sauté with the onion, carrot and celery before proceeding. 

*If using dried beans or chickpeas, soak overnight and drain before adding to the soup. Depending on the variety, they will take anywhere from 20-40min to cook. Or, you can cook them first and add to the soup at the last minute.

Serves 6 - 8
 
Ingredients 
2 T olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
I carrot, diced or sliced
2 sticks of celery, diced or sliced and leaves reserved and roughly chopped (substitute another leaf like silverbeet or kale)
2 t cumin seeds
2 t coriander seeds
1 t paprika
Chilli flakes, to taste
2 x 200g cans of whole or diced tomatoes
1 L vegetable or chicken stock
I zucchini, sliced or diced
1 cup of dried small pasta (for example, orzo or macaroni)
Ground black pepper
Sea salt flakes
Handful of flat parsley, roughly chopped
Grated parmesan (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
 
Method
In a large saucepan or crockpot, sauté onion, carrot, and celery until the onion begins to turn translucent (you can add a pinch of salt here if you want to prevent the onions browning too much). Add the garlic and spices and cook for a further minute or two until fragrant. 
 
Tip in the canned tomatoes, crushing them with the back of a spoon (you can also insert some scissors into the open can and chop them up this way before adding to the pot). Add the stock and bring the soup to the boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to a moderate simmer. 
 
Add the zucchini and pasta and cook until both are al dente. Turn off the heat and add the reserved chopped celery leaves, or other greens, allowing them to just wilt. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
 
To serve, ladle into bowls and top with parmesan (if using), parsley, and generous swirl of extra virgin olive oil. Eat with warm toast, preferably snuggled up near a window observing the cold outside world. 

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup / 75 g wholemeal or whole spelt flour (or flour of your choice)
2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t bi-carb soda
1/3 cup / 65 g mixed seeds
1 cup / 90 g almond meal
1/2 cup / 90 g sultanas or raisins
1 cup / 75 g shredded coconut
200 g Medjool dates, pitted
80 g unsalted butter
1/4 cup / 80 g raw honey
1/4 cup / 65 ml water
vanilla extract (optional)
1 egg, lightly beaten


Method

Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F) and line a lamington tin (approximately 20 cm x 30 cm / 8" x 12") with non-stick baking paper. 

In a small saucepan, bring dates, butter, honey, and water to a gentle simmer over moderate heat and allow it to bubble for a couple of minutes. Set aside to cool slightly. 

Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients, sultanas or raisins, and coconut in a large mixing bowl. 

Mash the date mixture with a fork or vegetable masher into a rough paste. Quickly stir in egg and vanilla, if using.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the date mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine. Dollop the mixture into the prepared tin, patting down the the surface (without compressing it), and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. 

Once cool, store in an airtight container as is or pre-sliced into bars for up to a week. If storing for longer or if the weather is warm, store slice in the fridge. 

It is a gift being able to share cooking with my daughter, the child I dreamt about for so long, and for a time, thought I may never have. To have her standing on a box at the kitchen bench, little hands eager to grasp, to help, to learn, I just feel so grateful that I (yes, me!) get to have these special moments. They are a blessing and, I hope (I trust), that these shared times will help to lay the foundations of a loving life-long relationship between us, as well as between Ingrid and food. I hope to instil in her an appreciation of the value of home-cooking, of self-sustenance, and of finding solace in simple comforts. In time, I hope she can, too, enjoy the process of feeding those she loves with nourishing, wholesome food. 

We had a blast making this together, and now I get her up to the kitchen bench as much as possible when I'm cooking. She really enjoys it ("want to stand on box," she'll say), and it helps me too. I can cook and entertain her at the same time. Anyone with a toddler knows that trying to do anything while they're about can be a pretty fraught business, as their energetic little brains and bodies need a lot of tending to at times. So far, we've made date scones, pastry, this slice and pizza together, and if we ever have herbs as part of our meal, her special job is to wash them. Of course, she's too little to do much that's actually 'helpful,' but even just standing there with a scrap of dough that she can roll and pat herself is enough for her, while I can get on with the task and talk to her at the same time. I do think that finding ways to share daily experiences is not only a great learning opportunity for your child, they provide great bonding opportunities as well. While they're so little and want to be around you so much, it makes sense to just embrace it - as much as is possible! It's never an ideal world, and challenges always arise, especially when you're under time pressure or extra tired, but I try to find ways to accommodate both our needs as much as possible, and most of the time it works. 

Just some musings on cooking with toddlers, I'd love to know your experiences too if such a thing is part of your world and you feel like sharing! And if you make the slice, please let me know here on on Instagram, it means so much to know my recipes may have a little life of their own out in the world. Wishing you health and good eating, M x 

Rich, moist, and with a dark bitter edge, this is a chocolate cake that feels decadent while also being a solid candidate for morning tea on an average work day. And if you avoid dairy, grain, or refined-sugar free for dietary reasons, or simply want to have your cake and eat it too, without the sugar crash, then this is the cake for you. There's no reason not to make it, really.

Serves 8-10

Ingredients
​225 g whole almond meal (I make my own from unblanched almonds, substitute store bought)
50 g / 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa, sifted 
4 eggs, separated
150 ml / 2/3 cup light olive oil
200 ml / 3/4 cup raw unfiltered honey
pinch sea salt
vanilla extract to taste


Method
Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Line a 20 cm cake tin with baking paper. 

In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks. Set aside. 

In another large bowl, beat egg yolks, olive oil, honey, and vanilla until well combined. 

Combine almond meal, cocoa powder and salt. Add to the egg and oil mixture in three batches, beating after each addition to incorporate. 

Take a third of the egg whites and fold quickly into the batter with a metal spoon to lighten the mixture. Gently fold in the remainder until there are no streaks of egg white left. 

Pour the batter gently into the prepared tin, tap it gently on the bench to settle any large air bubbles, and bake for 35-40 min or until a skewer comes out just damp. 

Serve warm or at room temperature plain, with cream, and/or some fresh berries. 

I've long wanted to develop a chocolate olive oil cake recipe. It just sounded so…right somehow.  I wanted this cake to be super fudgey, very chocolatey and, if possible, a little lower on the glycemic index scale than your average chocolate cake, and so I started thinking about substituting the typically high-glycemic index ingredients  - white flour and refined cane sugar - with alternatives (stay with me here). And here it is, a rich chocolate cake suitable for those who avoid dairy, grains or refined sugar for whatever reason, but also for those, like me, who just like to mix things up, and occasionally feel like having a cake that ticks ALL the boxes, from those chocolate cravings to your body's fuel needs. I'm not saying this is the healthiest snack you could have, but it's certainly not the worst! And that's where the whole almond meal and raw honey come in. By all means use a store-bought almond meal, but by making it yourself (you only need a small blender/mixer for this), you can use the whole almond, skin and all, and leave the texture a bit more nubbly than you would find in a packet, thus making the final product higher in fibre (and with a pleasing nutty texture). Make sure you blend just until you have a mealy texture. Go too far and you'll have almond butter. Good, but not useful here. I do think it's important to use raw honey where possible. Yes, honey is another form of sugar (all carbohydrates are), but by using a raw and unfiltered honey you get all the health benefits of the antioxidants and nutrients that would be lost in the heat-treating process. 

Anyway, enough earbashing! Apart from everything else, this cake is delicious. I do like my chocolate with a bitter edge, so just be warned this is not for diehard sweet-tooths. The almonds and oil obviously provide a lot of richness and moisture, while the honey adds a more complex sweetness than sugar would. It's pretty hard to stuff up too, as the amount of almond meal makes the mixture quite stable. It rises and then falls a little as it cools, leaving the top fairly flat, making it also a good candidate for layering and smothering with icing should the occasion call for it. I think this would make a great birthday cake, and one that (hopefully) everyone can eat! So it's a win all round really. I hope you enjoy it! 

Method
Cut tomatoes into 5mm thick slices either with a sharp knife or on a mandolin. Arrange on a serving plate. Squeeze the remaining stem ends of the tomatoes over the slices to extract as much extra juice as you can. Drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Combine the vodka, lemon juice, Worcesteshire sauce and Tabasco and pour over tomatoes. Scatter over the capers, preserved lemon and celery leaves and serve immediately. ​

Serves 4 - 6 as a side

Ingredients
2 oranges
1 bulb of fennel, trimmed and
​fronds reserved
16 - 18 pitted Spanish black olives
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 T sherry vinegar
Sea salt flakes
Black pepper

Method
Prepare the oranges by slicing off each end and then slicing down and around the curve of the orange, taking care to remove as much of the bitter white pith as possible (see image below). Cut into 5mm slices using a sharp knife or mandolin and arrange on a platter. 

Remove any bruised or damaged outer parts of the fennel. Shave very finely (about 2mm thick) using, again, a very sharp knife or mandolin. Arrange over orange pieces (if not serving the salad immediately, place fennel slices into some acidulated water to prevent discolouration). Scatter over olives. 

Combine the oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and drizzle over salad. Scatter over the reserved fennel fronds and serve immediately. ​

I'm all about the platter salad at the moment! It's such a simple yet attractive way to present food. I love how you can see all the ingredients and the dressing is able to soak into everything, rather than pooling in the bottom of a bowl. All you need to do is arrange some sliced stuff on a platter, prettily scatter over some flavour-packed morsels and douse with a complementary dressing, usually hot and/or sharp for me. You could use this template for any number of combinations: sliced peaches, prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella? The classic watermelon and feta with some mint or fresh oregano? They shout summer eating to me - simple, fresh food that lifts the spirits both to behold and to eat. 

I was excited to make these as I got to use my new favourite kitchen toy: a mandolin I got for my birthday last year. While I'm not very into gadgets, there are a few kitchen tools that make life much easier, and a simple mandolin is one of them. Made slicing those tomatoes, oranges and fennel an absolute breeze. Thanks husband! I can't claim the Orange, Fennel and Black Olive Salad as my own, however, as versions of this are found across the Mediterranean (and the Internet!). The Bloody Mary Salad came to me some time ago, but I have since found - unsurprisingly - that many other cooks have had the same idea. If there's a cocktail that lends itself to being transmogrified into salad, it has to be the Bloody Mary! Though this is obviously an adults-only salad, you could omit the vodka (and maybe tone down the spice) if serving it to children. We ate these alongside some roasted butterflied chicken (recipe, such as it is, in the works), some roasted potatoes that had been pre-boiled and thrown in alongside the chicken for the last half hour, and a simple leaf salad, but I can imagine them really coming into their own at a barbecue, where their acidity and freshness would cut the richness of marinated meat cooked over coals. And to complete the picture, a glass of cool rosé. Well, a girl can dream.