Warm Summer Salad

Today was supposed to be the Grand Opening of this site. I’ve planned it for months. I wanted to make sweets and cakes and goodies for the first official post. My workshop is lined with garlands and pennants. A podium is set for a festive shooting. A short speech is prepared, and Facebook and Twitter accounts are opened which, by the way, I once alleged never to do. And then, nature struck!

My right hand is under siege. Three days ago a persistent eczema invaded the index and middle finger. The next day I cut the thumb with a kitchen knife. Yesterday I grabbed a wire fence while halting a bicycle ride and, sure enough, my hand slipped and was left with a wound. As if it was not enough, I have a carpal tunnel syndrome on my wrist caused by the incessant sandpapering of wooden boards! With such predicament, there is no question of baking or rolling sweets. I barely can type with the pinky that is still unaffected (knock-knock-knock). Feast aside, the only thing I am able to offer today is a warm summer salad, without a speech. Let there be a festival later!

WARM SALAD

New potatoes (washed, cut in wedges)
Celery (cut in sticks as long as the potatoes)
Sugar peas
Avocado
Fried sage
Olive oil
Lemon juice
A pinch of hing
Black pepper
Salt

Blanch the sugar peas in boiling water for a couple of minutes. Drain.
Boil the potatoes until almost cooked, but still firm and slightly hard.
Place a good sprinkle of oil in a wok, heat with a moderate temperature, briefly temper hing and black pepper.
Add the celery stalks, sauté for a while (5-7 minutes).
Add the potatoes; keep sautéing until the veggies have gotten a beautiful golden colour.
Mix with the sugar peas and avocado.
Add lemon juice and salt.
Garnish with fried sage leaves.

HOW TO FRY SAGE LEAVES

Make a batter with flour (any flour is good. I used wholegrain spelt, but refined flour would make more refined coating), a pinch of hing, black pepper, cayenne, salt, baking powder and water. It should have a consistency of thick pancake batter. Heat up enough oil to cover the bottom of a pan. Dip one leaf at a time in batter, coat it on both sides and slip in hot oil. Repeat until the bottom of your pan can’t handle more leaves. Turn them around once and take them out with a slotted spoon when they are golden and crisp on both sides. Make as many patches as you like. The sage leaves are tasty and garnish soups and salads with a wonderful flavour and structure.