Potted cheese with marigolds, nasturtium and chive flowers

(Makes 500 g)

2 heaped tablespoons marigold petals
8-10 nasturtium flowers
1 salt spoon Gozo sea salt
250 g cheese, not too hard, such as Lancashire, Gouda or young pecorino
250 g cream cheese or ricotta
Freshly ground black pepper
Jalapeño Tabasco
Petals of six chive flowers

Use this as on canapés, on hot crumpets or plain scones, or spoon on top of a folded French omelette filled with sautéeddiced potatoes.

Put three quarters of the marigold petals and nasturtiums in a mortar and grind them with the sea salt. Crumble or grate the cheese and mix in the marigold paste, then the cream cheese until the mixture is well-blended. Season with pepper and a drop or two of Tabasco – I prefer the mild, piquant green jalapeño version to the hot red sauce. Then fold in the remaining petals and the chive flowers. The idea is that these should be visible, not crushed with the cheese.