So what ingredients are good for turning a salad into a main meal and what seasonal ingredients should you look out for to compliment your salad? To answer these questions and more we we're joined by celebrity Chef Danny Boome, presenter of UK Food's ‘Fresh and Wild', graduate of ‘The Grange' and Asia de Club, St Martin's Lane Hotel. Danny joined us to offer top tips on how to experiment with exciting salads throughout the year.

	Olivia wants to know: "What's the best part about being a chef?"
Danny Boome said:	There are many reasons why I became a chef, the main one is the creativity also is that I needed a job to travel with so, travelling and cooking and being social all wrapped into one gave me the interest for cooking and the added bonus is, that you are open to all the inside information that the natives use, enjoy add and subtract into traditional dishes something most people don't get to see.
	Sally wants to know: "What was it like working on Fresh and Wild?"
Danny Boome said:	It was brilliant! Travelling from the east to the west coast of Canada was a really great experience.
	Sheila wants to know: Warm Salads! What's all this about?
Danny Boome said:	Hey Sheila this is no joke! Warm salads is about extending the summer and opening up a new "fast food" option! They are just ideal for a mid-week meal! Fast! Tasty! and Fun!
	Simone wants to know: "I always buy loads of salad and forget to eat it and then it goes off - what vegetables keep well for longer than a few days and do you used tinned vegetables ever?"
Danny Boome said:	The first thing to remember is that all salads are not all green leaf based. Using root vegetables and garden greens are always a safe bet, such as at this time of year parsnips, carrots, butternut squash, fennel, etc...
	Jenny wants to know: "Hi from Peterborough and can Danny tell me what his favourite winter salad would be?"
Danny Boome said:	Hi Jenny, nice to hear from someone from home! I got to say one of the best things is something that makes life easy. I guess looking at the salads I have created for the Hellmann's warm chicken salad dressing range would have to be the tandoori. You have got the lot! You've got butternut squash, new potatoes, french beans, chicken, spinach, coriander and the Hellmann's cucumber and mint salad dressing. It brings in a really nice flavour of the East, but with a wonderful fusion of ingredients.
	Johnny wants to know: "who are better cooks, men or women, come on be honest"
Danny Boome said:	It depends on the individual and the circumstances if I'm honest! In a professional capacity working in a kitchen a team of men work far more efficiently, with less emotional problems due to the hard pressured nature of the working environment. But in the kitchen while women do give a creative balance, this is why many women are better cooks in the home as they thrive on the creativity and the time and the experimentation without the pressure. But all in all it just depends on your background and what you did before. Well I played professional ice hockey before I became a chef and that gave me a good sense of working in a team environment. But as I am a creative individual the pressure, didn't appeal to me so I opted for a lower pressure job in which I could thrive creatively. So you could say I am in touch with my creative side!
	Simon wants to know: "How easy is it to incorporate a salad into a meal?"
Danny Boome said:	Very! All you are doing is creating a larger option than a starter and being a little bit more adventurous with the ingredients. The salad can become the meal!
	Tania wants to know: "Would you want to open your own restaurant?"
Danny Boome said:	I am a little bit too young to open up a restaurant at the moment and unfortunately this country has the wrong attitude towards eating out 7 days a week. If I were to open up a restaurant it would only be cost effective at the moment to open Thursday to Saturday as that is when people go out. We see going to a restaurant as an occasional not a function and until we can get the right mix of cost effective menus and population to entertain this would be the case for some years to come. But not all doom and gloom as with our introduction into Europe I would say our attitudes are changing fast...
	Damon wants to know: "When you make a warm salad, how does it work - am I being thick or can you talk me through it - Surely if you cook the lettuce, it would wilt?”
Danny Boome said:	No Damon! I think you have got the wrong end of the stick. The idea of a warm chicken salad is in the title. When you make a Warm Chicken Salad it is broken into two different components, the salad and dressing and the chicken and cooking paste. After you have cooked the chicken in the sizzling paste and separately prepared your salad then you merge both components together and pour on the creamy dressing and that's why I was so pleased that Hellmann's have asked me to work with them on this because their final range really does make life easier.
	Gordon wants to know: "What's the most exotic thing you have had to cook?"
Danny Boome said:	Too many! But there is very simple answer; I am not going to complicate things by saying "exotic" as all things you create are exotic to every individual taste?
	Gordon wants to know: "Which restaurant do you work at?"
Danny Boome said:	I don't! I work as a freelance chef and you can find me at random productions and random events. You can check on www.random-events.com
	Pip wants to know: "Do you still play ice hockey?"
Danny Boome said:	Yes I do! I play for the Peterborough Islanders ED1.
	Jon wants to know: "Do you use your cooking skills to impress the ladies?"
Danny Boome said:	Of course, do you want some tips?
	Cath wants to know: "Do you cook much at home? "
Danny Boome said:	That's the only place I don't cook! I probably cook once or twice at home for my family but always on a special occasion. After playing with food all day it's generally the last thing I want to do when I get home.
	Gina wants to know: "What fruits work in salads?"
Danny Boome said:	Well Gina, take your pick ha ha! Apples, pears, grapes, are really great for texture and if you want to make a sensual salad to impress your man slip in a few strawberries all work really well with cheeses such as warm goats cheese or brie.
	David wants to know: "What salad ingredients are coming into season now in the UK?"
Danny Boome said:	David, the main ones I would look out for is butternut squash which looks like an orange marrow. It is part of the pumpkin/squash family. Brilliant for roasting with nutmeg, pepper and butter. Also for really good flavour try fennel, parsnips and leeks.
	Foodie wants to know: "I always have really boring sandwiches for lunch - any ideas for yummy packed lunches?"
Danny Boome said:	Why sandwiches? There are so many different things you could have out there for lunch! You could always go the salad route having a pasta salad or a rice salad. Put in your lunch box some nuts and dried fruit or if we must talk about fillings try mixing normal ingredients like tuna with a splash of vinegar or horseradish, trust me!
	Simon wants to know: "How can I get my boyfriend to eat more salads?"
Danny Boome said:	Read a great book called "intercourse" after using some of the recipes in that book getting him to eat salads won't be a problem! But a manly salad is always one that has bulked out with lots of goodies, use chunks and big portions of chicken, vegetables, give him something to get his teeth into.
	Jon wants to know: "Ok then, what's a sure fire way to impress them?"
Danny Boome said:	Personally, I feel that ladies like attention to detail! They like to see that you have at least made an effort. You don't have to cook something extravagant even if it's spaghetti bolognaise you have made the effort! If you pick a good wine as well that will help matters along nicely! Oooooh don't forget the way to a woman's heart is a big chocolaty desert! She will love it!
	Khardine wants to know: "For tea tonight I am doing sweet peppers stuffed with spicy cous cous what sort of salad would you recommend? "
Danny Boome said:	Are you a vegetarian?
	Mr Mayo wants to know: "What is your favourite fruit?"
Danny Boome said:	Apples, I love em! I love brae burns! I also love all red apples!
	Khardine wants to know: "no "
Danny Boome said:	So you're not a vegetarian Khardine. Sorry to be so direct but I had to get to the point! Are you cooking for a partner or a friend?
	Foodie wants to know: "What exotic ingredients can I put in a salad... I find them really boring?"
Danny Boome said:	Any fruit any vegetable can be added. And enhance a salad. Don't look at the usual suspects in the ingredients stakes. go for something that maybe seasonal, get creative, try something you have never had before. Email all your friends to list vegetables and try them out!
	Sally wants to know: "I've got some friend coming round for a dinner party. A couple are vegetarian. Any ideas of what I can cook to keep both vegetarians and meat eaters happy? "
Danny Boome said:	Go for grilled haloumi salad, with apple, pear and fennel. Throw in some watercress, rocket and lambs lettuce and nip down the shops and check out these fabulous warm chicken salad dressing from Hellmann's. Use the haloumi instead of the chicken and let all the flavours merge into a wonderful tasty meal!
	Anton wants to know: "Have you cooked for any famous people? Who would you most like to cook for?"
Danny Boome said:	I have cooked for Jack Villneuve. Robert De Niro and the cast of "Chicago" the movie. I would really like to cook for Sandra Bullock on a desert island.
	Chris wants to know: "What about nuts in salads? Which ones work best?"
Danny Boome said:	Nuts are really cool! Toasted pine nuts or pepper-glazed walnuts really add a crunchy impact!
Danny Boome	Thanks ever so much for all your questions, I hope I have answered all of them to the best of my capabilities. My only words of wisdom are get out there, get creative and use all the new wonderful ingredients no matter what the season. Push yourself to experiment leave the fancy stuff at the door and enjoy creating something different.

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