Anglesey salt & pepper fritto misto

A summer holiday classic, these mouthwateringly crispy, salty bites of tender vegetables and delectable seafood will pair perfectly with a very dry sparkling or minerally white, served nice and cold

- ALISON LEA WILSON

We wrote this book to celebrate sea salt as an often misunderstood ingredient. People often fear it in any quantity, but few ingredients change dishes in the way that salt does. Hence we [the Lea-Wilson family, owners of Halen Môn sea salt] have collated some of our favourite recipes – to show how seasoning can elevate everyday classics, and be added to some more unexpected dishes.

We believe that learning to season properly is what separates a good cook from a great one. It isn’t simply a case of how much is added, but also when it is added: at the beginning of meal prep to help sun-ripened tomatoes sing; coating your meat just before cooking to help the salty char form and the meat stay juicy; or right at the end, as in this fritto misto, to offer pops of flavour with each bite.

This dish is real holiday food. The best fritto misto we can remember was served to us in Italy – paper cones filled with tender green veg and seafood, sprinkled with coarse sea salt and washed down with very cold wine. Heaven.

THE RECIPE

ANGLESEY SALT & PEPPER FRITTO MISTO

Depending on the season, you can mix up the veg according to your favourites – we use asparagus in late spring/early summer; courgettes in late summer; finely sliced sweet squashes in autumn; and trimmed purple-sprouting broccoli in winter. We like to serve it with garlic mayonnaise.

Serves 6 as a starter

Preparation & cooking time 35-45 mins

INGREDIENTS

10g dried seaweed, such as kombu or dulse