These days I favour a creamy style dressing over vinaigrette; the choice is yours. At this time of the year, anytime really, ‘no fuss’ is the mantra. Best’s mayonnaise (blue lid) comes up a treat with the addition of quality seeded mustard and enough lemon juice to give a tasty tang. The dressing needs to be of drizzling consistency so thin with a little hot water if needed.

As to the meat, Parmesan crusted chicken breast is good, ditto smoked chicken. My favourite though is butterflied and smoked quail. They are such delicious and succulent little birds that one never tires of them, fresh or smoked. While not inexpensive, a little goes a long way and you can feed six people easily from only 4 quail.

The most difficult part of the dish is peeling the ultra soft-boiled eggs, especially if they are really fresh. Buy free range eggs a day or two in advance. I cooked the eggs from a cold water standing start for 9 minutes and the yolks were splendidly jellied. Rather than cut them, pull the eggs apart into random ‘quarters’.

Smoked quail salad with soft eggs and new potatoes

(serves 6)

4 butterflied smoked quail

18-24 baby pink-eye potatoes, scrubbed and boiled till tender

cooked and peeled broad beans, or other green vegetable

4 free range eggs, soft boiled for 9 minutes (see above)

baby salad greens

slices pancetta, grilled until crisp

Pull the legs and thighs from the smoked quail. Keep whole. Pull the little wings from the breasts and remove the meat. Slice the breasts into three pieces.

Slice the potatoes thickly. Arrange the salad greens, potatoes, broad beans and quail in a large serving bowl. Break the pancetta into shards and scatter over the salad. Break the eggs into pieces and dot the salad with these. Finally drizzle over the dressing.

For the dressing:

half cup Best’s mayonnaise

2 tsp seeded mustard

juice half lemon

Mix everything together. Taste for lemon/mustard balance. Add a little hot water to thin to drizzling consistency.