Imagine a salad of crisp, juicy and mildly salty leaves.

This is now possible using a whole new class of vegetable: the succulent. These flavoursome leaves and stems have been increasingly featured on the menus of some of the world’s top restaurants. Now they are heading to the home kitchen, thanks to switched-on farmers.

Many succulents originate from the Australian coastline, which is reflected in their adaptation to the salty environment. These coastal succulents include the spinach-like warrigal greens; the juicy, brine-filled stems of samphire; seablite with its salty bean nuances; and, one of the best-flavoured, sea purslane with its hint of capsicum.

Exotic non-native succulents are also being cultivated in Australia. Some favourites are the striking ice plant with its extraordinary glistening surface, the fishy-flavoured and purple-hued Okinawa spinach, and the spinach-flavoured bright-green sunrose, which also goes by the name of heart-leaf ice plant.

As well as being great in salads, coastal succulents make a great garnish for fish dishes, pairing organically with the ocean flavours.

Peter’s Succulents Guide

Karkalla: juicy fleshy leaves deliver a briny hit.

Purslane: sour fleshy leaves with a slight lemony pepper taste.

Ice plant: spinach-like leaves with a glistening surface; juicy and crisp with a clean, fresh flavour.

Wood sorrel: pleasantly sour micro leaf.

Pigface: succulent salty apple-flavoured fruit with pink petals.

See here for Peter’s succulent salad recipe.