Crunchy-mashy Olive-pervaded Salad

This fabulous salad has an intriguing mix of the mashy avocado and the crunchy sugar snaps and pumpkin seeds.

The key flavour however is olive. You need to use olive infused oil, best made ideally a week or so before – or you may have bought some olives already in oil. I usually have a big jar always available for adding to all kinds of things, or for people to plunder before dinner. Go here for the recipe for how I make my own.

If you don’t have either the bought infused oil, or the time to make your own, add a teaspoon of tapenade to the dressing.

 

Recipe for Crunchy-mashy Olive-pervaded Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 200g/10 oz sugar snap peas – cooked according to the packet – I find putting them in the microwave with a splash of water is quickest – about two minutes – but putting into boiling water for a couple of minutes, and refreshing doesn’t take much longer
• 1 ripe avocado – taken out of its skin and chopped
• 2 little gem lettuces – shredded, or torn. If you can find ruby baby gem they will look gorgeous
• 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds (or munchy seeds if you have no pumpkin seeds to hand)
• flakes of Parmesan
• 1 tsp grainy mustard
• smoked salt and Indonesian long pepper
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 60ml/4 tbsp of infused oil once you have taken the olives you need out
• a couple of olives if you have any left

Method

1. Put the avocado, baby gem and sugar snaps together in a salad bowl, or arrange on a deep serving plate.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients to make a dressing.
3. Dress and toss!

 

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