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.