Cress saladSERVES 6
This salad, made with orange, greens, crisp pita and sumac,
is a twist on a Yotam Ottolenghi original. It lends itself
particularly well to variation – trydierent combinations
of cress and bitter greens including watercress, mizuna,
baby mustard leaves, purslane, frisée and witlof.
1 large pita bread
Olive oil, for drizzling
½ red onion, very thinly sliced
on a mandoline and soaked
in cold water (5 minutes)
300 gm mixed leaves, such
as watercress, purslane,
witlof, baby frisée, rocket
and baby spinach
3 oranges, peeled and
thinly sliced into rounds
6 medjool dates, pitted
¼ cup mint, coarsely chopped
¼ cup coriander, coarsely
chopped
1 tbsp sumac (or to taste)
1 Preheat oven to 150°C. For
date dressing, combine dates,
ginger and coriander seeds
in a saucepan over medium
heat, add just enough water
to cover, and simmer until
dates aresoft (10-12 minutes).
Remove from heat, then transfer
dates to a blender with vinegar,
oil, preserved lemon and lemon
juice and blend until smooth.
Season to taste, adding more
lemon juice if needed (dressing
should be quite tangy).
2 Meanwhile, drizzle pita
with olive oil and bake on an
oven tray until golden brown
(10-12 minutes). Cool briefly,
then break into pieces.
3 Drain onion, combinewith
remaining ingredients,except
pita bread, in a bowl, add a
littledressing and toss to coat.
Serve salad with crisp pita
and remaining dressing.➤100 gm blanched almonds,
roasted and coarsely
chopped
DATE DRESSING
3 medjool dates, pitted
10 gm ginger (about 2cm),
thickly sliced
½ tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp sherry vinegar
1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ preserved lemon rind,
rinsed and finely chopped
Juice of ½ lemon
(or to taste)GOURMET TRAVELLER 55Quick Meals