Don’t Tell Dad head chef shares fresh spring salad we’re making on repeat

A study in seizing seasonality, this simple yet delicious raw artichoke salad lets spring produce speak for itself.

After months marked by slow braises and root vegetables, the arrival of spring brings sharper flavours, lighter plates and a reawakening of long forgotten ingredients. The first artichokes appear, herbs soften and citrus re-emerges — a brief window where produce is so flavourful it needs very little intervention.

For Luke Frankie, it’s a moment worth leaning into. “Proper cooking, no fuss, no ego,” says the Don’t Tell Dad head chef, whose early training at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen restaurant instilled a lasting respect for fresh, seasonal ingredients.

It’s a philosophy that’s run through his time in some of London’s most influential kitchens, from opening Spring with Skye Gyngell to leading roles at Forza Wine. And it finds a natural expression in dishes like a spring salad of raw artichoke, rocket, cedro (citron), celery and parmesan.

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It’s almost austere at first glance, but the simplicity is deliberate. Sliced thin, artichoke brings a gentle nuttiness and a clean, green flavour. Celery adds crunch, particularly the pale inner stalks and their tender leaves. Rocket cuts through with bitterness, while cedro — a thick-skinned, fragrant citrus — lifts everything with aromatic sharpness.

The dressing is just as minimal: lemon juice, good olive oil, a pinch of salt. Parmesan is shaved over at the end, adding a much-needed depth without overwhelming the more delicate elements.

“It’s all about contrast and restraint,” Luke says. “Nothing is overworked — let the ingredients do the talking.”

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Raw artichoke spring salad recipe

Serves two to three

Ingredients

• 1 Tema artichoke
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 inner celery sticks (with
• tender yellow leaves)
• One cedro, thinly sliced
• A few sprigs of rocket
• A few sprigs of parsley, picked
• Good-quality olive oil
• Maldon Sea Salt
• Black pepper
• Parmesan, for shaving

Method

1. Prepare the artichoke by removing the tough outer leaves until you reach the tender inner layers. Peel the stalk with a speed peeler and rub with lemon to prevent discolouration.
2. Halve the artichoke, remove the choke with a teaspoon, then rub again with lemon.
3. Finely slice each half and place in a mixing bowl.
4. Thinly slice the celery and add it, along with its yellow leaves, to the artichoke. Add the slices  of cedro.
5. In a separate bowl, dress the rocket and parsley with lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt. Combine everything gently, adding a few shavings of parmesan.
6. Arrange on a plate and finish with a sprinkling of cracked black pepper and more parmesan.
7. Serve and enjoy.

Feature image: Canva