Looking for ways to use sea beet and Caucasian spinach leaves today I whizzed up this fresh perennial vegetable dip.
Into the blender went 200ml sour cream, 100ml mayonnaise, 250g of perennial greens and herbs (about equal amounts of sea beet, Caucasian spinach and garden sorrel with smaller amounts of welsh onions, bronze fennel, salad burnet, parsley, lovage, golden marjoram, oregano and parsley) with sea salt and black pepper. Once blended and in the bowl I sprinkled the dip with smoked paprika.
Sea beet leaves at the front here
and Caucasian spinach leaves at the back
My elder son loved this. Stew would have liked a garlic flavour in there (I have green garlic, garlic cress and hedge garlic growing and could have used any of those). I kept going back for more (it was especially good with sticks of juicy red pepper) but I also made a mental note to use slightly less lovage and sorrel next time. I'd also like to try a vegan version, perhaps with creamed cashew nuts and soya yoghurt.
N.B. I sell a range of perennial vegetable plants on my website.
