Summer Borage Salad

In Aotearoa we are now entering into our first few days of summer. There is still some regular rain and it is cool enough that the flowers in our garden are blooming brightly and happily. We are due for a very dry summer though so I wanted to make use of the edible flowers in the garden before they die back from the heat.

Borage has been happily blooming under our lemon tree, attracting so many bees and other pollinators. They have also self-seeded all through our flower gardens, which I feel like will be a good thing (but we will see). The hairy leaves of the borage plant are edible when cooked the right way but the vibrant purple flowers are my favourite thing to add to salads to make them look so bright and whimsical. If you are fortunate enough to find borage flowers in your garden or local parks please consider using the honey sweet, cucumber fresh blooms in teas, salads, or as decorations for cakes and sweets. They are so tasty in this salad recipe along with new potatoes and the first seasons radishes. Enjoy my fellow foragers!

Summer Borage Salad

Ingredients: Serves 4-6

500g new potatoes, quartered

Salt and pepper, to taste

Olive oil

1 bunch red radishes, thinly sliced (about 6 radishes)

2 spring onions, thinly sliced

4 handfuls of salad greens

1 cup borage flowers

2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius and line a tray with baking paper. Place the potatoes on the tray and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the wholegrain mustard, maple syrup, lemon juice, and fresh chives.
In a large salad bowl toss together the salad greens, new potatoes, radishes, spring onions, borage flowers, and salad dressing. Serve with extra borage flowers as a garnish.

Follow me on:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/woodlandfolkforaging

Instagram: @woodland_folk_foraging

Pinterest: www.pinterest.nz/woodlandfolkforaging