Salads & Vegetables

Even if you’re not a vegetarian, I can’t see how you can fail to be seduced by the amazing selection of multicoloured, multi-shaped fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, leaves and herbs that can be found on markets in France. Huge fresh bunches of leaves and salads; glossy purple aubergines; red, white, yellow, even blue or black potatoes; cherries and apricots sold not by the pound but by the crate. Here, produce is definitely not uniform; many varieties are available that are not known or used in England, and for me it is one of the joys of being in an unfamiliar place to taste, test and experiment with the unusual in all its forms. Many of these dishes can easily serve as main courses or may be prepared as accompaniments to meat or fish, as required.