Welcome to the salad season

Isn’t the weather gorgeous?

It feels like Spain this week in Pembrokeshire!

It’s definitely salad season, my greenhouse is bursting with cut-and-come-again leaves and edible flowers.

Today, here in At Maria’s, salad, in every colour and vegetable, is most definitely on the menu.

“Of course salad in Spain, is our first course.

We put a large bowl on the table and everyone uses their fork to dip in.”

A Spanish favourite is Ensaladilla Rusa – Russain salad, which should be called a National Spanish dish! It has tuna, olives, potatoes mixed with mayonnaise peas and carrots. We eat this all the time. And tomato salad, but my family is the only family that can argue about making tomato salad!

Whatever anyone says it’s:

Sliced tomatoes

Chopped onion

Parsley

On a plate in three layers, sprinkle with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and always, always, leave for one hour before you eat it.

We have a saying in Spain:

You need four people to make a good salad dressing,

An extravagant one for the olive oil,

A stingy one for the wine vinegar,

A saucy one for the salt, pepper and mustard,

And a good stirrer to mix it up!

Always use the best olive you can afford.

Pagos Del Guerrer Ecologico 500ml

Region: Valenica

An award winning oil from the cooperative of San Pedro de Apostal. This organic extra virgin oil is the best oil in valenica, it's in the top 100 oils of the world. Vivid green in colour with the sweet scent of almonds and fresh herbs. At £11.95 it's not cheap, but if you can it's worth the investment.

We tried this oil on our visit to the Curado Bar, Cardiff, a delicious day out. Click here if you want to read all about it.

Available from Ultracomida

(inshore or on-line)

Click here to buy

Gomeoliva Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1L

Region: Andalucía

This extra virgin olive oil from Andalucía is clean tasting, fruity and sweet, making it a perfect all-rounder for salads, dipping and cooking. At £7.95 this is a less expensive alternative.

Available from Ultracomida

(inshore or on-line)

Click here to buy

Don't forget, Friday nights are Tapas Nights At Maria's, call 01437 751346 to book a table.