Simon Hopkinson's high tea salad

A British "high tea salad" should be something to be celebrated, but rarely is. I associate it, also, with that sinking feeling of early Sunday evenings (Songs of Praise on the TV, etc), knowing that it was back to school the following morning. Made well, and with care, such a salad – and made in the summer, preferably – can be an absolute joy.

The lettuce must be as fresh as can be, and have a good heart of pale green leaves with a touch of yellow. A chosen cucumber should have that intense smell of summer green that lifts one's heart. Tomatoes, naturally, need to taste sweet, and good, but must be peeled here, I think. Spring onions, however you buy them, need a brief trim and a soak in iced water after cutting. Ditto the radishes.

The eggs are important: buy the best you can find. Cover in cold water and bring to the boil. Cook for one minute exactly, switch off the heat and leave, covered, for 4 minutes. Cool under cold running water for 5 minutes. The yolks should then be only just firm within. Perfect. Be patient with the watercress, pick it carefully and wash and drain well. I wouldn't dream of leaving out the beetroot, but perhaps it is not your cup of tea. Well, I'm sure it is de rigueur at the palace, on a quiet Sunday evening as the hymns fade away…

However, what truly makes this salad special is a home-made salad cream. Something entirely wonderful and well worth the effort.

Serves 5-6

For the salad cream
eggs 2
caster sugar 1 dssp
tarragon vinegar 5 tbsp
salt a pinch of
whipping cream 250ml

round lettuces 4, trimmed of all floppy outer greenery and separated into leaves
cucumber 1 small, peeled and thickly sliced
ripe tomatoes 6 small, peeled and quartered
spring onions 6, trimmed and sliced into short lengths
radishes 1 bunch, trimmed, washed and quartered
boiled eggs (see above) 4, peeled and quartered or sliced
watercress 1-2 bunches, depending on size, washed and picked into small sprigs
beetroot 3-4 medium-sized, cooked, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks

To make the salad cream, first beat together the eggs, caster sugar, vinegar and salt in the top of a double boiler, or in a stainless steel or china bowl suspended over barely simmering water until thick, mousse-like, and the whisk leaves thick trails through the mixture. (Use an electric hand whisk for the speediest results.) Remove from the heat and continue beating until lukewarm. Leave to cool, then loosely whip the cream and carefully fold it into the sauce. Note: if you feel the salad cream is a touch too thick to pour, thin with a little milk.

Now, delicately wash the lettuce in very cold water, spin or shake dry and lay out on to a handsome large platter. Attractively arrange the cucumber, tomatoes, spring onions, radishes and eggs over the leaves, then strew with the watercress. Finally, scatter over the beetroot, spoon over the dressing and serve at once – and before the beetroot bleeds over everything!

Simon Hopkinson's The Good Cook is out now, published by BBC books, £25