Dining SWEET ON SOUR

Dining SWEET ON SOUR From the rise in popularity of kimchi to quick-fix pickles with everything, the world’s tastebuds are in the grip of a love affair with all things sour. And there’s no better person to guide you through the huge variety of tart tastes than award-winning food writer Mark Diacono, whose latest book is called, simply, Sour Sumac duck, chicory, celeriac and pomegranate I came up with this recipe in late spring, early summer, when some of the winter roots were still around, and I wanted a tumbly salad that had lots of layers. Along with the sweetness of the duck, you’ve got the chicory and celeriac for an edge of bitterness, and the double sour of the citrussy sumac spice and the pomegranate. That layering of sours gives the dish a real complexity. Rhubarb and radish salad This is such a lovely thing. It had been sitting in my head, partly formed, because I’d got the idea from a Claudia Roden recipe with orange – but I wanted to use rhubarb instead because I’m mad about it. The dill, vinegar and rose water are really important here because they bring together the sweetness of the fruit and the freshness of the radish. Excellent vinegars can work in the same way as a good wine. 32 / Jaguar Magazine Jaguar Magazine / 33