Lovely Lemony Leek, Basil & Samphire Summer Salad

Mate! Salad weather is back and guess who's smashing it?! I AM. Well, winging with wonderous results, at least.

This is a simple, sweet and salty salad of seduction that takes just a little bit longer than seconds to make. I had to write it up immediately before I forgot what I put in it. It's a flavour stonker!

So, moving oop north has rather surprisingly reduced my organic baked bean options, but has increased the availability of my beloved unwaxed lemons. They're so much tastier. I suppose logic suggests they must be fresher, as they do go off quicker without the gross waxy bit. Anywho, get good lemons for this. It's important.

My fridge is running low at the moment and I'm trying to eat everything before I give it a good scrub out and refill the big, silver beast. This obviously means using what I've got, before I can get to the fun (seriously. I am that twisted), fridge cleaning part. Well, what I had was mostly salad things and your garden variety (teehee!), boring, but beautiful when combined veggies.

The lemon juice sort of caramelises the leeks and it's gurt lush, but before I start sounding too much like good ol' Delia, I'll shut up and tell you how to turn a bare fridge into a beautiful bounty!

Lovely Lemony Leek, Basil & Samphire Summer Salad

serves 2

for the cold bits
1 romaine heart, roughly chopped
1/3 cucumber, sliced
a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
a handful of samphire

for the warm bits
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, finely diced
1/3 leek, chopped
6 mushrooms, sliced
1 rib celery, finely chopped
small bunch basil, finely snipped
juice of half a big lemon
dash of Herbamare
splash of rapeseed oil

1. Pop a pan on a medium hob to warm through, dash in your rapeseed oil, and gently sauté the leek, celery, pepper, and carrot until slightly softened. Add in the mushrooms and your Herbamare and leave for a minute or 2.
2. Squeeze in the lemon juice, and stir to fully cover your lubbly jubbly veggies. Snip in the basil, and stir again until the mushrooms lightly brown.
3. Plate up your lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes. Top with the fantastic smelling lemony veggies and sprinkle on that bloody gorgeous, green samphire.
4. Take pictures of your pretty salad and then pop it on Instagram and watch the likes roll in.
5. Salad is pretty.
6. And doesn't lemon and leek make your house smell fricking delicious?
7. Tastes bloody good too.
8. That's looks, smell and taste! This salad could be more eligible than you.
9. I'd definitely date this salad again.
10. Pretty sure I've never dated you.
11. Samphire salad wins this round.