08 Sep September salad with cavolo nero and fermented black tomato

A September salad

A salad for lunch, for me at least, is the symbol of an adult day. Today, I am working on my own projects in an atmosphere of relative tranquility. I am having uninterrupted, adult conversations. I’m enjoying a salad with pungent, peppery ingredients in it that will not be taken apart by small hands or scorned at. This semi-cooked cavolo nero salad with fermented black tomatoes is my way of celebrating the first day of school. I used to think that perhaps I could homeschool my kids, but I realise now that this was folly on my part, a huge overestimation of my own patience and strength. In the summer holidays, I decided to put all of my work to one side. Trying to do anything I had to concentrate on for longer than 10 minutes was difficult and making me grumpy. Just blogging once a week felt like a big achievement. Today, I am returning to my own life and plans. It feels both luxurious and also slightly intimidating. Where to start? So, I start here, with this blog and a September salad.

Fresh starts

September has always felt more of a fresh start for me than January 1st or even Spring. This is a time to get serious and buckle down to work with the shorter days and the cooler weather. To drink coffee and sort things out. After cleaning my desk of cat fluff and dust this morning, I reached for my diary to start the planning, only to find that it’s no longer valid. Neither is my passport for that matter. I have spreadsheets to update, missed payments to make and appointments to organise. Oh yes, and a dumpling workshop to promote too! My nutritionist course has been untouched for over six weeks and I have only managed one run in the entire summer holidays. Today, therefore, is a day of clearing the decks, of returning to routines that worked before and creating new ones that allow me to be more effective. This is all so that I have time for the other important stuff: kids, protest (vital in the current climate) and self-care. I hope my motivation is coming across in this post and that you enjoy this recipe for a September salad. The energising, fermented black tomatoes have the power to give you the push you need to get things done.

A recipe for September salad with cavolo nero and fermented black tomatoes

Cavolo nero can be eaten raw, of course, but I like to semi-cook it like this: I place it in a colander, rinse it under cold water, then place the colander in a large bowl, pour boiling water over the cavolo nero and cover it. This way, it steams slightly and any left over tiny critters fall out. After a while, I rinse it in cold water, and leave to drain, before shredding. Cavolo nero works well with strong flavours. Traditionally, you may find some anchovies in a salad like this, however in my version, the fermented black tomatoes are doing the same job (they are quite pungent). However, if you don’t have any fermented tomatoes, feel free to use fresh ones instead and a few finely sliced anchovies.