It’s early March 2023 and the news is of shelves in supermarkets empty as supplies of salad ingredients imported from Europe are not being delivered. The Guardian published Yotam Ottolenghi recipes which more than amend for the loss. I have two Italian girls arriving early on Tuesday evening to attend a language course. One has notified that she is allergic to tomatoes and I plan to prepare this salad to serve with baked potatoes and grated cheddar cheese when they arrive.

It is curious that some sweet vegetables, such as parsnips and beetroot, can have extra sweet ingredients around them to make them taste less sweet – but trust the recipe and enjoy!

The ingredients I give would be enough as a side dish for four. The dressing can be made a day in advance but do not add the onion until half an hour before serving.

4-5 raw beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated
3-4 plums, stones removed and finely sliced
20g basil leaves, torn
5g tarragon leaves
Sprinkling of mustard and cress (optional)
70g dolcelatte or another soft blue cheese (optional)
1 tsp nigella seeds (YO uses black poppy seeds)

For the dressing:

1 tsp fennel seeds
3 tbsp olive oil
1½ tbsp sherry vinegar
1 tsp honey
¼ garlic clove, peeled and cruashed
¼ red onion, peeled and finely sliced
½ tsp salt

Toast and coarsely crush the fennel seeds.

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients, apart from the onion, and put to one side. Add the onion as you start to assemble the salad.

Put the beetroot and plums in a large bowl and add half the herbs. Add as much of the dressing as you need and toss the salad.

Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle over the remaining herbs, the mustard and cress, dot over broken pieces of cheese (if using) and finally sprinkle over the nigella seeds.