Jacqueline's simple suppers: Summer greens salad with baby squid

Published on Friday 3 July 2009 13:29

Short of time but still want a great midweek treat? The Scottish City Chef of the Year has a recipe to fit the bill

Serves two to three

200ml water

50g caster sugar

70ml white wine vinegar

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp fennel seeds

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends removed and sliced into strips

1 small courgette, sliced into strips

50g samphire

50g peas, shelled and blanched

100g broad beans, shelled and blanched

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

500g west coast squid, cleaned and sliced into rings

1 bunch fresh basil, torn

3 bunches spring onions

50g red chard or rocket

5g chervil or fennel, chopped

For the dressing, combine all the pickling liquid ingredients together, except for the mustard seeds, in a pan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Transfer to a food processor and add the mustard seeds. Blend, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the salad, place the vegetables in a bowl and mix well. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, then season the squid with salt and freshly ground black pepper and fry for two minutes, until nearly cooked through. Add the vegetables to the pan and toss well, then add the basil, spring onions and chard and stir through the dressing.

To serve, pile the squid salad on to serving plates and garnish with the chopped chervil.

Jacqueline O'Donnell is head chef at The Sisters