Asparagus and kale Caesar salad

Serves 4 Starters and mains

Caesar Salad

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Ingredients

  • 10 asparagus tips
  • handful kale, shredded
  • 130g frozen peas
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 4 slices ciabatta
  • 2 heads baby gem, leaves separated and washed
  • a few fresh mint leaves
  • a few fresh dill leaves
  • handful coconut ‘bacon’ or 'jerky', to serve

For the dressing

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1tbsp capers, finely chopped
  • 4tbsp creamy vegan ‘mayonnaise’ (see recipe, below)
  • 2tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1tbsp fresh lemon juice

For the creamy vegan 'mayonnaise'

  • 120ml unsweetened soy milk
  • 1tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1tsp lemon juice
  • 240ml rapeseed oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ Gas 4, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and fill a bowl with iced water.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil, add a pinch of sea salt, then add the asparagus, shortly followed by the kale and peas. Cook for no more than 60 seconds then remove from the water and submerge into the bowl of ice-cold water, so they stop cooking immediately. When cold, remove from the water, drain and set aside.

Heat a griddle pan over a high heat, add 1tbsp of olive oil and, when the pan is hot, grill the sliced ciabatta. Try and get some nice charred lines on each side, then remove from the pan. Cut into smaller pieces.

Mix all of the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until well incorporated. Toss the lettuce, asparagus, kale, peas and herbs in a small amount of the dressing in a serving bowl. Scatter bits of the coconut bacon and grilled ciabatta on top, and serve with the rest of the dressing.

For the creamy vegan 'mayonnaise'

Simply combine the soy milk, vinegar and lemon juice in a tall jug. Blend, gradually drizzling in the oil. Keep blending until you’ve added all the oil and you have a creamy, mayo-like consistency. Add seasoning to taste. This mayonnaise can be stored in sealed containers in the fridge for around a week.

Recipes and photographs taken from Vegan 100 by Gaz Oakley, photography by Simon Smith and Adam Laycock. (Quadrille, £20).
Caesar Salad
Recipes and photographs taken from Vegan 100 by Gaz Oakley, photography by Simon Smith and Adam Laycock. (Quadrille, £20).

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