Tomato and lovage salad'“ recipe

The lovage plant is a perennial herb and has close associations with celery and parsley.

The leaves are flavoured with such pungency that a small amount goes a long way in salads and dressings.

You can eat the stems lightly cooked and the roots as a vegetable. Even the seeds are tasty in breads and biscuits.

The versatility of this plant is quite amazing, it pairs with chicken and fish, is fantastic in salads and new potatoes, yet it is quite difficult to get hold of.

Tuppenny Barn supply me with it in the summer but it's quite inexpensive to buy online.

This simple salad of tomatoes is taken to another level with this smashing herby plant.

Ingredients

4 large plum tomatoes

Small bunch lovage

2 shallots finely chopped

Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Olive oil

1 courgette diced

Sea salt

Method

1. Cook the chopped shallots in a little olive oil on a low heat for three minutes and then add the balsamic vinegar. Cook for another minute and allow to cool. Add a pinch of sea salt.

2. Pick the leaves of the lovage, keep a few to one side and then liquidise the rest in some olive oil.

3. Finely slice the tomatoes and arrange on plates.

4. Sprinkle round the chopped courgette and cooked shallots.

5. Spoon the lovage puree around.

6. Finely cut the remaining leaf and add to the top of the tomatoes.