Queen's Salad
Item 1 of 1
- Side
- 6-8
- 50 minutes
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Ayesha Kalaji's aptly-named Queen's salad is a celebration of the best varieties of radicchio – Treviso, Castelfranco and Chioggia – with sweet accompaniments of kumquats, Medjool dates, pomegranate seeds and candied hazelnuts. The complex sweetness from the fruits (floral and sour kumquats, intensely fudgey dates) offsets the bitter leaves, which are dressed generously and served tall on a large platter.
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Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
- 3 radicchio, ideally a mix of Treviso, Castelfranco and Chioggia, leaves separated
- 10 kumquats, thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion, small, very finely sliced
- 5 Medjool dates, pitted and cut into 1cm pieces
- 1/4 bunch of coriander, picked
- 1/4 bunch of mint, picked
- 2 tbsp of pomegranate seeds, plus extra to serve
- sumac, to finish
- olive oil, to finish
- 1/2 lemon, to finish
CONFIT GARLIC
- 200g of garlic cloves
- 500ml of rapeseed oil
- 1 sprig of thyme, small
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
CANDIED HAZELNUTS
- 150g of blanched hazelnuts
- 150g of caster sugar
QUEEN'S DRESSING
- 2 garlic cloves, small
- 100ml of orange juice
- 40ml of lemon juice, plus extra to taste
- 25ml of riesling agridulce vinegar, Ayesha uses Belazu, but you could also use white wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar
- 5 Medjool dates, pitted
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sumac
- 120ml of rapeseed oil
- 60ml of olive oil
SAVE RECIPE
Equipment
- Temperature probe
Method
1
For the confit garlic, combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook on a very low heat for 45-60 minutes, until the garlic is soft, tender and spreadable. Cool and store in the oil in the fridge. This will make more than you need
- 200g of garlic cloves
- 500ml of rapeseed oil
- 1 sprig of thyme, small
- 1/2 tsp flaky sea salt
2
For the candied hazelnuts, preheat the oven to 170°C. Roast the nuts until golden and fragrant, then allow to cool
- 150g of blanched hazelnuts
3
Make a dry caramel with the sugar – place the sugar in a small heavy-based pan and melt on a medium-low heat, then cook to a deep amber colour (just before it turns bitter)
- 150g of caster sugar
4
Remove from the heat and quickly and carefully fold in the hazelnuts. Pour onto a non-stick mat or a baking sheet lined with baking paper and allow to cool completely
5
Break up the nuts and blitz in a food processor to a coarse crumb. Set aside at room temperature. This will make more than you need
6
For the Queen's dressing, place all the ingredients except the oils into a blender with 6 confit garlic cloves. Blend until completely smooth
- 2 garlic cloves, small
- 100ml of orange juice
- 40ml of lemon juice, plus extra to taste
- 25ml of riesling agridulce vinegar, Ayesha uses Belazu, but you could also use white wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar
- 5 Medjool dates, pitted
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp sumac
7
Place the oils in a jug and, with the motor running, slowly pour in the oils in a thin, steady stream to form a stable emulsion. Adjust the seasoning with salt and lemon juice, as needed. You can add a small pinch of xanthan gum to make the dressing stable for longer if needed
- 120ml of rapeseed oil
- 60ml of olive oil
8
Place the radicchio leaves in a large bowl. Add the sliced kumquats, red onion, dates, herbs and pomegranate seeds
- 3 radicchio, ideally a mix of Treviso, Castelfranco and Chioggia, leaves separated
- 10 kumquats, thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion, small, very finely sliced
- 5 Medjool dates, pitted and cut into 1cm pieces
- 1/4 bunch of coriander, picked
- 1/4 bunch of mint, picked
- 2 tbsp of pomegranate seeds, plus extra to serve
9
Dress generously and toss well so each leaf gets a nice coating. Season with salt then arrange the salad on a big serving platter or individual plates. Finish with some candied hazelnuts, extra pomegranate seeds and the kumquats. Finish with a sprinkle of sumac and a drizzle of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon for balance and shine
- sumac, to finish
- olive oil, to finish
- 1/2 lemon, to finish
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