Simple but creative salads from CRYSTELLE PEREIRA'S new book

2023-06-03

A taste of summer: Packed with punchy flavours, these simple but creative salads from Bake Off finalist CRYSTELLE PEREIRA’S new book serve up sunshine on a plate

GRILLED PEACH, GOAT’S CHEESE AND LENTIL SALAD

Serves 6 Prep 20 minutes Cook 30 minutes

145g (5¼oz) uncooked green lentils
1 vegetable stock cube
180g (6¼oz) green beans, cut into thirds
90g (3¼oz) skinless hazelnuts
Avocado or coconut oil for brushing
8 large ripe but firm peaches, stoned and cut into 6 wedges
125g (4½oz) hard goat’s cheese
20g (¾oz) fresh basil leaves, torn
20g (¾oz) fresh dill, chopped

For the dressing

35ml (1fl oz) olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
1tbsp rice wine vinegar
1tbsp honey
1tsp garlic powder
½tsp fine sea salt
½tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place the lentils in a large saucepan with 650ml water. Bring to the boil, stir in the stock cube and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave the lentils to stand in the steam for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff up the lentils. Set aside to cool.

Place the green beans in a saucepan with about 5cm water, cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes (they should still retain some bite). Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.

Now make the dressing.

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well to combine. Add the lentils and green beans to the dressing and toss well to coat.

Place the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan over a low heat and toast for about 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat and bash lightly to break them up into smaller pieces (but not too fine).

Set a griddle pan over a high heat and brush with some oil. Place the peach wedges, cut side down, on the pan and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. Carefully remove from the griddle – an offset spatula works well to ensure that they don’t stick to the pan.

Crumble the goat’s cheese into the salad, along with most of the hazelnuts and peaches, reserving a few of each for a garnish.

Add most of the basil leaves and dill, reserving a small handful of each, and mix again well to combine.

Extra Special Rueda 2022 (13%), £6, Asda

Spoon the salad onto a large, flat serving dish. Scatter with the reserved grilled peaches, hazelnuts, basil and dill.

Crystelle says: Grilling the peaches concentrates the sweet flavours, and the slight char adds a lovely smokiness.

Olly Smith’s wine pairing: Fruity beauty

Extra Special Rueda 2022 (13%), £6, Asda

A lovely white wine that’s a terrific bargain. Possessing a wonderfully fruity purity, it’s as polished and bright as a star – and delicious to pour with this summer-scented salad.

ASIAN SLAW WITH PEANUT DRESSING

Serves 4-6 Prep 15 Minutes

250g (9oz) pink radishes, finely sliced
Juice of 1¼ limes
¼ of a medium white cabbage (215g/7½oz), finely sliced
¼ of a medium red cabbage (215g/7½oz), finely sliced
4 small or 2 large carrots (170g/6oz), cut into thin matchsticks
150g (5½oz) sugar snap peas, finely sliced on a diagonal
5 spring onions, thinly sliced into matchsticks
A bunch of fresh coriander, a few leaves reserved for garnish, finely chopped
2tbsp sesame seeds
For the dressing
Juice of 1¼ limes
3tbsp sesame oil
2tbsp maple syrup
2tbsp crunchy peanut butter
2tbsp rice wine vinegar
1tsp garlic powder
2tsp light soy sauce
½tsp ground black pepper
A pinch of fine sea salt

Vista Castelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2022 (11.5%) £4.25, Tesco

First, pickle the radishes. Place the sliced pink radishes in a small bowl and cover with the lime juice, then set aside while you make the rest of the salad.

Place the white cabbage in a large bowl with the red cabbage. Add the carrots – they can be prepped using a julienne peeler, spiraliser or sharp knife – to the bowl along with the sliced sugar snap peas, sliced spring onions and finely chopped coriander. Use two large spoons to toss everything together until the salad is well combined.

Now make the dressing. Place the lime juice, sesame oil, maple syrup, peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, garlic powder, soy sauce, black pepper and sea salt in a jar, secure the lid tightly and give it a really good shake, until everything is combined. Pour the dressing all over the salad and give it a good mix. Add the radishes, along with the pickling juices, and mix well.

Place a dry frying pan over a low heat and toast the sesame seeds for about 5 minutes, until nutty and fragrant. Garnish the salad with the sesame seeds and the reserved coriander leaves, and serve.

Olly’s wine pairing: Superb with slaw

Vista Castelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2022 (11.5%) £4.25, Tesco

A steal of a white wine providing simple lemony refreshment, this Italian bargain is a sensational accompaniment to a crunchy slaw.

CHARRED CORN SALSA

Serves 4-6 Prep 10 Minutes Cook 10 Minutes

Cape Point Sauvignon Semillon Fairtrade 2022 (12.5%) £7, Co-op

2 small red onions, finely diced
Juice of 2 limes (juice separately), plus extra lime wedges, to serve
1tbsp avocado or rapeseed oil
600g (1lb 5oz) drained tinned sweetcorn (or 6 corn on the cob – see tip, inset right)
½tsp fine sea salt
20 red or green jalapeño slices, from a jar, finely chopped
½tsp smoked paprika
½tsp regular paprika
200g (7oz) feta cheese
A large bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped (including stalks)

Place the onions in a small bowl and cover with the juice of 1 of the limes. Scrunch it together with your hands to help the onions pickle faster, then set aside.

Heat the oil in a cast-iron frying pan over a high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the sweetcorn and the salt and fry for 7-10 minutes, until the corn is slightly charred. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Once the corn has cooled down, place it in a large bowl, along with the diced jalapeños, smoked paprika and regular paprika, and mix well to combine.

Crumble the feta into the corn mixture and sprinkle with the chopped coriander. Add the pickled red onions, including the pickling juices, and the juice of the other lime. Give everything a really good toss to combine, and serve with the extra lime wedges.

Crystelle says: Brush the corn cobs with oil, grill for 12 minutes, until charred and tender, cool, then slice off the kernels.

Olly’s wine pairing: Smoky sensation

Cape Point Sauvignon Semillon Fairtrade 2022 (12.5%) £7, Co-op

Punchy and zesty with a whisper of smoke, this is good enough to rival far pricier Pouilly-Fumé.

GARLIC GREEN BEANS WITH CRISPY CHICKPEAS

Serves 4 Prep 10 Minutes Cook 30 Minutes

For the crispy chickpeas

1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and patted dry with kitchen paper
2tbsp olive oil
2tsp garlic powder
½tsp paprika
½tsp fine sea salt
½tsp freshly ground black pepper
3tbsp sesame seeds

For the green beans

2tbsp coconut oil
300g (10½oz) green beans, cut into thirds
1 red onion, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½tsp chilli flakes
½tsp fine sea salt
¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
2tsp sesame oil
3tsp maple syrup
Juice of ¼ of a lemon

Preheat the oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7. Tip the chickpeas into a large roasting tin and add the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, black pepper and sesame seeds. Use your hands to mix everything together, ensuring that every chickpea is coated in the spiced oil.

Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé 2023 (13%), £16.75, thenewtinsomerset.com

Roast for 30 minutes, rotating the tray and tossing the chickpeas halfway through cooking. They should be golden and crisp.

Meanwhile, make the green beans. Melt the coconut oil in a wok over a medium heat. Add the beans and red onion and fry for 5 minutes, or until the onion has softened. Add the garlic, chilli flakes, salt and pepper and fry for 10 minutes more.

Drizzle with the sesame oil, maple syrup and lemon juice. Give everything one final toss to combine. Finally, mix in the crispy chickpeas and serve immediately.

Crystelle says: You can make the crispy chickpeas in advance – keep in an airtight container and add just before serving.

Olly’s wine pairing: Brilliant with beans

Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé 2023 (13%), £16.75, thenewtinsomerset.com

A splash-out treat packed with zingy summer red-fruit finesse, this is an elegant glass of gorgeous pale pinkness to serve with your garlic green beans.T

Flavour Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes With Creative Twists by Crystelle Pereira. Published by Kyle Books, £22. To order a copy for £19.80 go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25. Promotional price valid until 17/06/2023.

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