WALNUT ANCHOVY CHINESE LEAVES, Vegan opt

Stunning salad with flavours and textures matching its exquisite appearance...

Purple Chinese Leaf Salad with Walnut Anchovy Dressing, Asian-style 

Here's a fabulous salad - with vegan option - that is astonishing in its physical beauty and its stunning flavours and textures.

The beautiful purple leaves are simply a novelty version of the usual pale green Chinese cabbage (also known as Chinese leaves or Napa cabbage).

The flavour and texture of the coloured Chinese leaves* are not affected by the colour; they are still super juicy and crunchy and mildly sweet.  But in this recipe they are drenched in a superb walnut dressing** studded with anchovies and given an Asian twist with ginger and flaked chillis.  That takes the salad to a stratospheric levels in terms of flavour. 

Buy good anchovies that are not saturated in salt.

A vegan version replaces the anchovies with sun-dried tomatoes or olives but you'll need at least a generous tablespoon.   Whatever you choose, this salad won't be forgotten in a hurry.

Of course, ordinary Chinese leaves will work just as well - it'll still taste superb but just won't look as pretty.


Cost: max £2.50'ish   
Serves: 4; recipe halves nicely

Ingreds:
  
Sauce
   3/4 cup walnuts
   2 oil packed anchovies drained & finely chopped OR 1 generous tablespoon sun-blush tomatoes or olives
   1/4 cup oil, ideally made up of 3/4 peanut oil, 1/4 olive oil
   finely grated med clove garlic 
   1/2inch/1cm peeled ginger, finely grated
  
   2 tbsp white wine vinegar
   zest of lemon or lime
   1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
   freshly ground pepper, a little salt
   
   1/2-1 small chilli, de-seeded, membranes removed, finely diced OR generous pinch of chilli flakes

Salad  
  Chinese leaves
  2-3 med beetroot, peeled and sliced
  4 radishes
  stick celery, peeled & finely sliced
  1/4 cup fresh parsley

Method:

1. Toast walnuts 5 mins in moderate oven; watch them carefully; they go from nicely brown to overdone in a heartbeat; cool
2. Coarsely pulse half of the walnuts, the anchovies, oil, garlic & ginger 
3. Stir in vinegar, citrus zest and juice, pepper & salt
4. Coarsely chop (or leave whole) remaining walnut pieces 
5. Arrange salad ingredients prettily on a plate, drizzle over dressing
6. Scatter over walnuts, parsley and chilli if using

***M&S £1.50
*adapted from BA magazine

Tips:

• make this go further with cooked brown rice, yellow peppers & an extra anchovy, finely sliced.  Amazing.

• the walnut sauce transforms into a gorgeous sauce for pasta; leave out the ginger, add a few fresh tomatoes sprinkled with olive oil and salt, and plenty of basil.  

More salads and vegan/vegetarian dishes on NavBar/Recipes II...

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Copyright: These salads have been designed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may only be reproduced in home kitchens.  Not for commercial use.