Crudités and Provençale anchoïade sauce
Anchoïade is a delicious dip made from anchovies, olive oil and red wine vinegar. Starting your meal with crudités might seem a bit old hat but, done properly, I think it is the height of sophistication. Feel free to vary the vegetables according to what is nicest and in season.
'Here's a feast with a Southern French slant to celebrate the end of spring and beginning of summer,' says chef Alex Jackson of Leila's Shop in Shoreditch, E2. It starts with carefully chosen crudités with a punchy anchovy dip, then a simple asparagus tart with seasoned ricotta and Parmesan. Next, a grand aïoli is the most convivial of dishes, centred round a sauce fiery with garlic and heady with olive oil. The main feature is a whole roast John Dory, jumbled with clams, courgettes, more garlic and sweet basil, along with white wine, shellfish and olive oil to create ambrosial roasting juices. To finish, there is a set cream with poached cherries, their crimson liquor spiked with pastis.'
