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Sweet sprouting cauliflower, avocado and melon salad with garlic and wild fennel pollen sourdough croutons and raspberry dressing
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 320g (2 x 160g packs) sweet sprouting cauliflower
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 medium bulbs Florence fennel
- 1 small cantaloupe melon
For the garlic and wild fennel pollen sourdough croutons
- 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 2 handfuls roughly torn sourdough (crusts removed)
- pinch wild fennel pollen
For the raspberry pulp dressing
- 80ml extra virgin olive oil
- 40ml raspberry pulp vinegar
- 1-2tsp caster sugar
To serve
- 2 ripe avocados
- fresh dill fronds, to garnish
You will need
- melon baller
Method
Cut the cauliflowers into delicate, pretty single florets and place in a large bowl. Peel the carrot and cut into ribbons using a potato peeler. Drop into iced water for 15-20 minutes.
Slice the fennel wafer thin (a mandolin is best for this) and drop into a bowl of iced water for 15 minutes or so to crisp up. Cut the melon in half and scoop out little balls using a melon baller.
To make the croutons, heat the oil and garlic over a medium heat, then add the roughly torn sourdough pieces. Cook until golden and crisp, tossing all the time. Season the croutons with salt flakes, remove from the pan, discard the garlic and drain on kitchen paper. Sprinkle over the fennel pollen. Combine the dressing ingredients.
Drain the vegetables and dry thoroughly (a salad spinner works well). Add the vegetables and melon balls to the cauliflower. Toss with dressing. Arrange on a platter.
Scoop pieces of avocado with a teaspoon and dot here and there over the salad. Scatter over the garlic and fennel pollen croutons, and drizzle with any remaining dressing. Garnish with dill fronds.
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