FESTIVE SALAD

I’ve taken a cue from a couple of salads in my new favourite cookbook ‘Always Add Lemon’ by Danielle Alvarez. I’ve then added a riot of colour from the Torello Farm’s seasonal shelves and edible flowers grown by Torello farmer, Alex. 

serves 8 – 10

½ preserved lemon, rinsed and pith removed

2 tablespoon lemon juice

80ml (1/3 cup) extra virgin olive oil

4 small organic carrots

3 medium chiogga beetroot

½ bunch radish

200g sugar snaps, ends trimmed

200g Main Ridge Dairy cashmere

2 teaspoons honey, warmed

½ cup mint leaves

½ cup coriander leaves

¼ cup chervil leaves

1 small punnet edible flower

Finely chop the preserve lemon. Using the side of the knife, mash the lemon to a coarse paste. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and olive oil.  Then transfer half the mixture to another medium bowl and set aside.

Slice the vegetables thinly using a mandoline; the carrots and radish length-ways and the beetroot across-ways. Add the carrot to one bowl of dressing and toss to coat well. Add the beetroot to other bowl and toss to coat well. Set aside. Leave for a minimum of 10 minutes. (At this stage, the vegetables can be prepared two hours ahead and refrigerated, if wanting to plan ahead for serving). Place the radish in a separate bowl.

Blanch peas in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water for 1 minute. Drain. Refresh in a bowl of cold water with ice blocks until cooled. Drain well.

Stir the honey into the goats curd to mix well. Spread half the curd over a serving platter.  Arrange the beetroot in a single layer over the curd. Then  scatter over a layer of sliced carrot, then the radish and peas. Drizzle over any remaining lemon dressing. Scatter over the herbs and plucked flower petals.

Stir in 1½ tablespoons of water into the remaining goat curd. Drizzle over the top. Serve immediately.