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Pimp your salad!

Anna’s Family Kitchen shows us how to pimp a humble salad!

Green Salad. I’m not adverse to some leaves and cucumber slices on the side of my plate but this green salad is a little more exciting! Rummage through your fridge drawer and freezer and pull out anything green – asparagus, broccoli, green beans, edamame beans, avocado, courgettes, peas, spring onions, herbs, leaves (am I missing anything green?!) and combine! Finish with a simple dressing. I like French or Asian style with this salad – both recipes are below. This salad works as a great side to any barbecue spread, to fish, steaks or a roast chicken. Leftovers will keep for lunch the following day and it’s worth doubling up on the dressings too as they’ll keep for at least a week in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS as a side for 6:-
500g your choice green veg
(Slice courgettes into disks. Cut beans, sugar snaps, asparagus & tenderstem stalks into 2cm pieces)
100g frozen peas or edamame beans
1-2 avocados chopped
1/2 cucumber chopped
100g spinach shredded
A good handful of fresh herbs chopped
Bunch spring onions sliced

Asian Dressing:-
Juice of 2 limes
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp groundnut oil
2 tsp honey
1 crushed garlic clove
1/2 tsp grated ginger

French Dressing:-
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 crushed garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt & pepper
Shake all the dressing ingredients in a jam jar.
Get a pan of water boiling & a large bowl filled with iced water ready.
Blanch the green veg then using a slotted spoon, lift out straight into the iced water. This will stop the greens overcooking, becoming limp & they will keep their vivid green colour.
Start with the chopped broccoli stalks, asparagus, courgettes, sugar snaps, beans & broad beans – they will only take 3 minutes. Add any tenderstem or asparagus tips for 2 minutes. Peas will take 4 minutes.
Once the veggies have gone cooled in the iced water, drain in a colander.
Pod any green beans.
Toss all the cooked veg together with the spinach, avocado, spring onions, cucumber & herbs & finish with the dressing.
Annabel Evans
Author: Annabel Evans

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