I developed this salad specifically to accompany chilli con carne – for two easy, different approaches to making chilli con carne,  go to  this post.

I added pecans into this salad because I think those particular nuts, as well as walnuts, have an almost ‘meaty’ taste, as does the earthy, musty Indonesian long pepper which I use so much.

Chilli con carne goes particularly well with a tomato salsa (this post sets out that recipe), but instead of serving the salsa separately, you could combine it in with this salad. If you decide to do that simply add in those ingredients – tomatoes, mint, and either a chopped shallot, or probably better, thinly sliced spring onion.

Recipe for a nutty avocado and cabbage salad

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 1 small cabbage
• 2 ripe avocados 
• 3 tbsps chopped pecans or walnuts
• 3 tbsps walnut oil
• Juice and zest of half a lime
• 1 tsp smoked salt
• 10 grinds Indonesian long pepper
• olive oil for frying
• nigella seeds or dry fried and crushed caraway seeds
• a few fresh chives if you have any to hand

Method

1. Shred the cabbage and start stir frying it in a little of the olive oil in a wok.
2. Chop the nuts and add into the wok – keep stirring while you….
3. …..peel and slice the avocados.
4. Make the dressing by mixing the walnut oil, lemon juice and zest and the seasoning. Taste.
5. Add the avocados to the wok and warm through gently.
6. Put the contents of the wok into a wooden salad bowl and dress.