From The Flying Tortoise Galley. Frankie's Vegetarian Salad...

As well as being the start of the silly season,
its the season of the salad and they're being concocted in abundance aboard The Flying Tortoise these days.
So I thought I'd start sharing some delectable delights that come forth and sometimes even fifth from TFT's galley.
This salad is named for Frankie, a wonderful woman who as she walks her dog in the mornings has been delivering me produce from her family's bountiful garden here at Haumoana in the beautiful Hawkes Bay.
The first necessary ingredient in any food recipe is a glass of wine. This should consumed prior and during the preparation process. This salad is relatively simple but it will still require a generous glass and probably a top up to get you through what could be a stressful ordeal. 
There's broad beans, brocolli and there's beetroot and red capsicum, garlic and red onion, there's kumera chips and there's asparagus. The greens are just blanched to retain their beautiful green colour, the broad beans shelled and brought to the boil for a minute or two.
The beetroot was cooked prior to the event and the kumera chips, the red onion and garlic are cooked in a smidgen of oil and a few favourite spices.
A favourite dressing using a good extra virgin, some balsamic vinegar, some mustard and a little chilli was mixed and then splashed liberally over the salad. Bon appetit Frankie...