Hello friends and welcome to the latest edition of Things Posh People Ate in the 90s. This week’s fancy dish comes from the pages of Vogue Entertaining from March 1990. And what could be posher than a salad made of flowers? Or more pretty? This Rose Petal and Nasturtium Leaf Salad would make a lovely addition to a spring or summer lunch.
This would also be a delightful addition to your Christmas dinner table, ideal for a girl’s night or a romantic dinner à deux! The rose petals don’t add a heap of flavour (that comes from the rosewater in the dressing) but the nasturtium leaves are nice and peppery. The pea shoots bring some freshness, the olives some briny bitterness, and some depth to what is otherwise pretty much all sweetness and light. The orange dressing is refreshing and not too sweet.
Also, if like me you do not grow your own roses or nasturtiums, please make sure they come from a reputable source and have not been sprayed with any pesticides or other things you do not want to eat! My petals and leaves came direct from my mum’s garden.
Rose Petal and Nasturtium Leaf Salad – The Recipe
Additions
You could add any (or all) of these to this salad depending on your preference or how big you want your salad to be:
- Toasted flaked almonds for some crunch
- Goat’s cheese for some creaminess
- Wafer thin slices of fennel for crunch and a little hit of aniseed
Serving Suggestions
Vogue Entertaining serves this with a seafood salad with a creamy pesto dressing. Far be it for me to contradict them but pesto can pack a punch of flavours (which s what makes it so delicious) but may overpower the delicate nature of this salad.
I would go with
- Chicken – either poached or roasted
- A grilled salmon fillet or
- Some grilled prawns or scallops
Fun Facts
The article containing the Rose Petal and Nasturtium Leaf Salad was called Culinary Canvas and featured the artist Mary Pinnock.
“I dig cooking with them because they are so available,” she says, reaching through the kitchen window and plucking a handful from a hanging pot.
Mary Pinnock on nasturtium leaves.
I had a quick look online for Mary and you can still buy her artwork for a very reasonable price. This one, featuring nasturtium leaves has a price guide of only $150-250 which is an absolute bargain! If it was actually for sale I might be tempted to buy it myself!
Have a great week!
