Celebrate spring with this delicious salad. You’ll find more of Sandy Wood’s spring recipes in our September 2019 issue.

(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

55g broad beans, blanched, refreshed, podded and peeled

16 baby green beans, halved

¼ red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

20 Niçoise olives, pitted

2t salted capers, washed and drained

FOR THE DRESSING

250ml freshly squeezed orange juice, strained

1T coconut nectar or agave nectar

60ml extra virgin olive oil

½t orange blossom water

2T raw apple cider vinegar

sea salt and ground white pepper, to taste

TO SERVE

1 orange

10g dill leaves

5g mint leaves

25g baby rocket

¼ small fennel bulb, thinly sliced on a mandolin

1 red radish, thinly sliced on a mandolin

35g flaked almonds, toasted

edible flowers (optional)

METHOD

1. To make the orange blossom dressing, place the orange juice and coconut nectar in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer until reduced to 125ml − more or less a half a cup.

2. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the olive oil, orange blossom water and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and a grind of white pepper, and leave it to cool.

3. To make the salad, bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Blanch the broad beans and baby beans for 45 seconds. Remove the beans with a slotted spoon and refresh in ice water before draining.

4. Just before serving, combine the vegetables, olives, and capers in a bowl and toss through with 2 tablespoons of orange blossom dressing.

5. When you are ready to take the dish to the table, cut all peel and pith from the orange and thinly slice into rounds crosswise, discarding the seeds. Place them slightly overlapping on a large platter, drizzle with a little dressing and place the dressed artichoke salad in the centre of the oranges.

6. Combine the herbs, rocket, fennel and radish in a bowl and toss with a couple of tablespoons of dressing. Pour over the salad and round off with the chopped nuts and flowers, if desired.