Mark Hix recipe: Bean, cucumber, radish and their flowers salad

Serves 4

Bean, cucumber, radish and their flowers salad (Jason Lowe)

When you are picking seasonal vegetables in your garden, don't be afraid to snip a few flowers, too – throw them into the mix and you'll improve a salad no end. I've used the vinegar from my pickled chive buds for the dressing, but you could use cider or wine vinegar.

6-8 radishes, sliced
½ a cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds scooped out and cut into 4-5cm batons
20 or so green beans, trimmed and blanched
A handful of vegetable or herb flowers

For the dressing

2tbsp vinegar (see above)
3tbsp rapeseed oil
3tbsp vegetable or corn oil
A few sprigs of tarragon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all of the ingredients together for the dressing, season to taste, then leave to infuse for an hour. To serve, arrange the flowers, cucumber, beans and radishes on a large serving dish or several individual plates; lightly season, then spoon over the dressing.