Edible Flower Salad with Elderflower Dressing
I don't think edible flowers need to be reserved for weddings and fancy restaurants. A few petals scattered over can transform an everyday salad into something that makes you smile. Nutrition should nourish us, but it can delight us too. Plus you can grow your own if you like.
Plant variety doesn't have to mean complicated recipes or obscure ingredients. Sometimes it's as simple as adding a handful of leaves, a few herbs or a scattering of edible flowers to what you're already eating.
THE SECRET INGREDIENT: The flowers.
No, they aren't there just for Instagram!
Plant variety doesn't have to mean complicated recipes or obscure ingredients. Sometimes it's as simple as adding a few herbs or a scattering of edible flowers to what you're already eating.
It can encourage us to notice our food a little more. To slow down. To appreciate colour, seasonality and the simple act of making something ordinary feel special.
Edible flower variations:
Nasturtiums - peppery and brilliant in salads or sandwiches
Borage - delicate blue flowers with a subtle cucumber flavour
Chive flowers - mild onion notes, lovely with eggs and potato dishes
Calendula (Pot Marigold) - gently earthy and slightly citrussy
Violas (Pansies) - mild and decorative, perfect for beginners
Herb flowers - try coriander, basil or mint flowers if you grow your own
Just make sure any flowers are correctly identified, grown without pesticides and intended for culinary use.
Serves: 1
Prep and cook time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
2 handfuls mixed salad leaves
about 5-6 viola flowers
a few calendula (pot marigold) petals
1 tsp elderflower vinegar, or use another vinegar if you have not made this (a seasonal recipe is also on my site)
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Small pinch of sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional:
1 chive flower head - use the petals, gently separated
Method:
Arrange the salad leaves on a plate or shallow bowl.
Scatter over the viola flowers and calendula petals.
Whisk together the elderflower vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.
Drizzle over the salad just before serving.
Finish with the chive flowers, if using.
