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This is the best salad for a baking hot day when you don’t feel like eating much. The recipe says this salad only works with the youngest smallest courgettes, nothing bigger than the size of your finger, but we made this with our first pickings of the season and some were much bigger. I think the freshness matters most, you want a courgette that ‘snaps’ if you break it.

We felt a great satisfaction: we had produced the courgettes, rocket and olive oil, the lemon was a gift from our friends Eric and Ginny. The only purchases were salt, pepper, and Parmesan. Serves 6
1kg young courgettes
225g rocket or young spinach leaves
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of a lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
175g parmesan, shaved into pieces with a potato peeler

Trim the ends off the courgettes and slice at an angle into thin rounds: this is not necessary but it does look pretty. Place in a bowl. Rinse and dry the rocket. Mix together the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and pour over the courgettes. Mix then leave to marinate for 5 minutes. Season. Divide the rocket between the serving plates, pile the courgettes on top and then the parmesan slivers. 5 to remember
la ensalada – salad
joven – youngest
pequeñito/a – smallest
el calabacín – courgette
el dedo – finger

‘River Café Cook Book Two’ by Rose Gray and Ruth Rodgers