Farm salad
by
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- Starter
- Medium
- 6
- 45 minutes
PT45M
This colourful salad contains a plethora of elements that both complement and contrast with one another. Use it as a blueprint to make the most of whatever vegetables are in season, or that you might happen to have fermenting at home.
Will says: ‘This salad is more of a philosophy than a recipe. It changes almost weekly in the height of the season, especially in the summer, when the farm is producing so much, and so quickly. Vegetables, herbs, edible flowers and fruits are harvested within hours of guests dining with us at The Small Holding and are the freshest and best tasting they can possibly be. We preserve, juice and pickle the gluts – not only does this mean zero waste on the farm but it means we are creating brand new ingredients to use in another dish. This all-year-round-waste-nothing style of cooking is encapsulated in this salad which has elements of every season in it.
‘This farm salad was created in May with new season radishes, fresh peas straight from the pod, baby leaves and wild garlic while using last spring’s elderflower vinegar and autumn’s squash. The leaves are fresh and bright; the wild garlic sauce and the whipped goats’ cheese adds texture, interest and mouth feel, while the squash and romanesco cauliflower bring acidity and crunch.’
Ingredients
Ferments
- 1l water
- 30g of salt
- 1 romanesco , or half a romanesco and half a purple cauliflower, washed and chopped into small florets
- 2 carrots , peeled, washed and roughly chopped
- 1/2 butternut squash , or other seasonal squash, peeled, washed and chopped
Wild garlic mayonnaise
- 250g of wild garlic leaves
- 250g of vegetable oil
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp vinegar, Will uses vinegar infused with wild garlic but apple cider vinegar will work well too
- sea salt , to taste
Pesto
- 125g of walnuts
- 65g of cheddar , Will uses Kentish Ashmore Farmhouse Cheddar, grated
- 5g of sea salt
- 300g of wild garlic leaves , washed, dried and chopped
- 150g of vegetable oil
- 75g of rapeseed oil
- 35g of vinegar, Will uses vinegar infused with wild garlic but apple cider vinegar will work well too
Dressing
- 2 tbsp of elderflower vinegar
- 2 tbsp of vinegar, Will uses vinegar infused with wild garlic but apple cider vinegar will work well too
- 4 tbsp of rapeseed oil
- 1 pinch of sea salt
Goat's cheese
- 250g of goat's cheese , Will uses a log of Golden Cross
- 75ml of double cream
- 1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- 1 bunch of radishes , with their tops, washed and dried
- 1 handful of fresh peas
- 1 handful of spinach leaves , washed and dried
- 1 tbsp of fennel fronds
- wood sorrel , to garnish
- wild garlic flowers , and/or chive flowers and three-cornered leek, to garnish
Method
1
Begin by making the ferments, as these need at least 5 days to ferment. Add the water and salt to a pan, bring to the boil until the salt has dissolved, then chill completely. Place the cauliflower, carrots and squash into sterilised jars or containers and cover completely with the cold brine, ensuring the vegetables are fully submerged (you may need to use something to weigh them down). Cover with muslin cloth and set aside at room temperature for 5 days, or longer. You can seal the jars if using clip-top Kilner jars, for example, but you will need to open them every day to allow built-up gas to escape
- 1l water
- 30g of salt
- 1 romanesco , or half a romanesco and half a purple cauliflower, washed and chopped into small florets
- 2 carrots , peeled, washed and roughly chopped
- 1/2 butternut squash , or other seasonal squash, peeled, washed and chopped
2
Make the oil for the wild garlic mayonnaise at least a day in advance too. Blend the wild garlic leaves and oil in a Thermomix at 75°C for 6 minutes (alternatively, use a regular high-powered blender and blitz for 8 minutes, as the friction of the blades will naturally heat up the oil). Strain through a sieve lined with muslin cloth (or a j-cloth) set over a bowl in the fridge overnight
- 250g of wild garlic leaves
- 250g of vegetable oil
3
Once the ferments are ready and the wild garlic oil is strained, everything else can be made on the day you plan to serve. For the goat’s cheese, roughly chop the cheese and place in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (you could also do this by hand with a wooden spoon and lots of elbow grease). Beat until light and fluffy, then fold in the cream to loosen and season with black pepper. Set aside
- 250g of goat's cheese , Will uses a log of Golden Cross
- 75ml of double cream
- 1 pinch of freshly ground black pepper
4
To make the mayonnaise, place the egg yolks, mustard, vinegar and a pinch of salt in a blender and blitz. With the motor still running, gradually pour in the strained wild garlic oil until emulsified and bright green. Check for seasoning and add more salt if needed
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp vinegar, Will uses vinegar infused with wild garlic but apple cider vinegar will work well too
- sea salt , to taste
5
For the pesto, place the walnuts, cheddar and salt in a blender or food processor and blitz into a paste. Add the wild garlic leaves and blitz again, then with the motor still running, drizzle in the vegetable oil. Finally, blend in the rapeseed oil and vinegar. Taste for seasoning, then set aside
- 125g of walnuts
- 65g of cheddar , Will uses Kentish Ashmore Farmhouse Cheddar, grated
- 5g of sea salt
- 300g of wild garlic leaves , washed, dried and chopped
- 150g of vegetable oil
- 75g of rapeseed oil
- 35g of vinegar, Will uses vinegar infused with wild garlic but apple cider vinegar will work well too
6
Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing until emulsified, then set aside
- 2 tbsp of elderflower vinegar
- 2 tbsp of vinegar, Will uses vinegar infused with wild garlic but apple cider vinegar will work well too
- 4 tbsp of rapeseed oil
- 1 pinch of sea salt
7
Drain some of the fermented vegetables from the brine. Chop the carrots into thick matchsticks and the squash into small cubes
8
When ready to serve, quarter the radishes and roughly chop their tops. Place them in a bowl along with the peas, spinach and fennel fronds
- 1 bunch of radishes , with their tops, washed and dried
- 1 handful of fresh peas
- 1 handful of spinach leaves , washed and dried
- 1 tbsp of fennel fronds
9
To serve, dot some of the wild garlic mayonnaise across your 4 serving plates. Add small spoonfuls of the beaten goat’s cheese alongside, then smaller spoonfuls of the wild garlic pesto. Arrange the fermented vegetables on top evenly across the plate
10
Dress the salad with a spoonful of the dressing, then taste and add more dressing or salt as needed. Add to the plates, then garnish with sorrel leaves and flowers
- wood sorrel , to garnish
- wild garlic flowers , and/or chive flowers and three-cornered leek, to garnish
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Farm salad
