It wasn't until a few years ago, when I had the most delicious pear and Roquefort salad at a cafe in Tetbury, that I realised how lovely fruit was in salads.
Since then I've included mango with prawns, peach with mozzarella and now blush orange with chicory and goats cheese.
This is such a simple salad to make, but is gorgeous as a lunch or starter. The mint leaves add a lovely freshness to the dish, whilst the pomegranate dressing is perfect for bringing all of the ingredients together.
If you want a vegan version, then why not try my chicory, blush orange, pomegranate and pistachio salad. It's a variation of this recipe, that works really well as a dairy free alternative.
Serves 4 as a starter or 2 for lunch
For the salad:
One head of red chicory
Two blush or blood oranges
125g soft goats cheese
Handful of fresh mint leaves
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons of pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon of honey (optional)
6 tablespoons of rapeseed oil
Seasoning
Method
- Combine the dressing ingredients in a jug or jar and mix or shake well to emulsify.
- Remove any brown or damaged leaves from the chicory.
- Carefully cut the chicory leaves from the base and cut into thick slices (see image)
- Use a sharp knife to remove the peel from the oranges.
- Segment the orange.
- Scatter the chicory slices and orange segments over salad bowls or plates.
- Use a knife or spoon to place blobs of the soft cheese across the salad.
- Top with the mint leaves.
- Drizzle over the dressing and serve.
