I think we can all get behind a lovely summer salad. Plump, ripe tomatoes still on the vine, a scattering of basil leaves picked from the garden, a drizzle of grassy olive oil — when the sun is shining it’s no hardship to “eat the rainbow”, as nutritionists suggest. But in winter, when you are looking for more comforting food on your plate, it’s more of a challenge. So how do you tempt your family to tuck into healthy salads when it’s still cold out there?
It’s a problem to which Ali Recanati, who runs the Farmer J salad restaurant chain with her husband, Jonathan, has given considerable thought. She admits they sell far more salads in the summer and have to work that little bit harder to make cold-month salads feel as appealing.
Rule number one: include plenty of seasonal ingredients. Sprouts, kale, broccoli, cavolo nero and cabbage are the better options at this time of year.
Then you want to make sure your salad carries a punch. “In summer you can have a lighter touch because the ingredients probably sing a bit more, but in winter it’s good to add bolder flavours to your dressing such as harissa, tahini, miso or gochujang.” Farmer J’s bestselling salad is its kale miso. “It’s mainly just kale, of course, but the dressing gives it more oomph.”
Texture is another important element. “You need different textures and a bit of crunch in a salad — you don’t want it to be one-dimensional. This can come from different leaves and vegetables, but also from nuts and seeds.”
Recanati doesn’t think you necessarily have to make winter salads more complex. “You don’t have to add hundreds of different ingredients,” she says. One of her favourite salads in the new Farmer J book, The Farmer’s Pantry, is a za’atar smashed cucumber salad.
“It’s not necessarily super wintry, but it’s not super summery either. And that is basically because of its deliciously punchy dressing.” It’s a zingy mix of za’atar, oregano, oil, lemon juice and sesame oil, plus chilli for extra kick. “Life’s too short for bland food,” she says.
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Za’atar smashed cucumber salad
Serves 4-6 as a side
Ingredients
• 2 large (or 4 small) cucumbers
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1-2 tsp za’atar spice blend
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• Handful of fresh mint, chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds (mix of black and white), toasted
• Sea salt and black pepper
Method
1. Lay the cucumbers on a chopping board and give them a good whack with the side of a big knife, wooden spoon or rolling pin — enough to crack them open without smashing them to mush. Slice into rough chunks and toss into a large bowl.
2. Add the grated garlic, za’atar spice, chopped oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, sesame oil and chilli flakes (if using). Season generously with salt and pepper, then toss gently to coat everything evenly.
3. Add the parsley and mint (if using) and give the salad another light toss. Finish with a scatter of sesame seeds. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Tuna niçoise
Serves 2-4
Ingredients
• 250g baby potatoes (about 15)
• 100g green beans
• 3 eggs
• 1 fresh 250-300g tuna steak (or use really good-quality tinned tuna, such as Ortiz)
• Olive oil, for brushing
• 2 heads of Belgian (white) endive, sliced
• 1 head of red endive, sliced
• ½ cos lettuce, torn
• 1-2 baby gem lettuces, quartered
• 1 sweet pointed red (Romano) pepper, thinly sliced
• 50g kalamata olives, whole or halved
• 4-6 anchovies (optional)
• Sea salt and black pepper
For the niçoise dressing
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 25ml white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 anchovy fillets
• ½ tsp honey
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 5 tbsp olive oil
Method
1. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender (10-15 min), then drain and halve when cool enough to handle. Blanch the green beans and refresh in iced water.
2. Hard-boil the eggs in boiling water for about 7 min; you are looking for a jammy centre. Transfer into a bowl of iced water or run under cold water for a few minutes.
3. Make the dressing by blending the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, anchovies, honey and garlic until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the oil while blending until it thickens into a creamy, punchy vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
4. Rub or brush the tuna with a bit of oil and season with salt and pepper. Sear in a very hot pan for 30-45 seconds on each side, just to get some colour. Leave it raw and ruby red in the middle. Leave to rest for a couple of minutes, then thinly slice.
5. In a large, shallow serving bowl, arrange the endives, cos, baby gem, sliced pepper and olives with the potatoes and green beans. Season with salt and pepper and pour over a generous glug of the dressing (about 150g). Peel and halve the eggs, then add to the top of the salad with the anchovies (if using) and seared tuna slices.
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Radicchio salad and honey walnut dressing
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
• 1 large whole head of radicchio (castelfranco is ideal), washed carefully and leaves separated
• 2 small heads of Belgian (white) endive, torn
• 1 small head of red endive
• ½ small head of cos lettuce
• 3-4 small radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• Small handful of dill, chopped
For the walnut dressing
• 1 tsp grated garlic
• 100g walnuts
• 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 2½ tbsp honey
• 5 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 100ml almond milk
• 175ml neutral oil (such as avocado or sunflower oil)
• Generous pinch of sea salt
For the caramelised walnuts (makes 200g)
• 200g walnuts
• 30g date molasses
• 2 tbsp za’atar
• Generous pinch of sea salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160C fan/gas 4 and line a baking tray with baking parchment. In a bowl, toss the walnuts with the date molasses, za’atar and sea salt until coated, then spread the nuts out on the lined tray and bake for 5-7 min, giving them a stir halfway through. Let them cool on the tray.
2. For the dressing, throw the garlic, half the walnuts, mustard, dill, honey, red wine vinegar, almond milk, oil and salt into a blender. Blitz until smooth and creamy. Lightly crush the remaining walnuts and add to the blender. Pulse just once or twice, you want bits, not mush. Set aside.
3. In a big bowl, mix the radicchio, white and red endive, cos and radishes. Season with a pinch of salt. Drizzle over the walnut dressing — you want everything nicely coated but not swimming.
4. Plate up the salad, scatter with sliced avocado, a small handful of the caramelised walnuts and a final hit of chopped dill.
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Heritage tomato panzanella
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
• 1.2kg heritage tomatoes
• 250g cavolo nero, torn and washed
• 600g sweet pointed red (Romano) peppers, thinly sliced
• 150g kalamata olives, pitted
• 10g green chillies, thinly sliced
• 120g preserved lemon, finely diced
• 250g pitta chips
• 150g feta cheese, crumbled
• Sea salt
For the dressing
• 50g kalamata olives, pitted
• 1½ tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 10g sea salt
• 100ml olive oil
For the pitta chips
• 5-6 pitta breads
• 4-5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp sumac
• 3 tbsp za’atar
• 1 tsp sea salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C fan/gas 7. Cut the pittas into triangles and place in a large bowl with a decent drizzle of olive oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle over the sumac, za’atar and a good pinch of sea salt. Lay them out on a baking tray and bake for 8-10 min until golden and crisp, then let them cool slightly (any extras can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week).
2. Slice the tomatoes into nice big chunks or wedges, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and leave them in a large bowl for 10 min so they start to release their juices.
3. To make the dressing, in a blender or food processor blitz the kalamata olives, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, mustard and salt. Slowly stream in the olive oil until it emulsifies to make a rich vinaigrette. Set aside.
4. Once the tomatoes have softened slightly, toss in the cavolo nero, red peppers, olives, green chillies and preserved lemon. Add 250g of the pitta chips last so they stay crunchy but start to soak up a bit of the tomato juice.
5. Drizzle over the kalamata dressing and toss gently. You want everything coated but still holding shape. Transfer to a serving platter and scatter over the feta crumbs. Serve immediately.
Cavolo nero, butter beans and oregano salad
Serves 2 as a main or 4 as a side
Ingredients
• 50g cavolo nero, torn or roughly shredded
• 200g tinned butter beans or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 50g kalamata olives, pitted and halved
• 150g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 20g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 50g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 50g fresh coriander, chopped
• 10g fresh oregano, chopped
For the oregano dressing
• 70ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. First make the dressing. Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, sherry vinegar, mustard, garlic, dried oregano, salt and pepper until emulsified and full of zing.
2. If you are using tough cavolo nero, give it a two-minute blanch in boiling water, then refresh in iced water and pat dry. Otherwise, keep it raw. Throw the cavolo nero into a large bowl and pour in a tablespoon of the dressing. Massage thoroughly with your hands to soften it up.
3. Add all the remaining salad ingredients to the bowl, then pour over the dressing. Toss gently; don’t smash the beans. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, and serve.
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Freekeh, tabouleh and roasted cauliflower
Serves 4 as a side or 2 as a main
Ingredients
• 100g freekeh
• ½ head of cauliflower (about 350g), roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed with your fingers
• 1-2 celery sticks, diced
• Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
• Handful of fresh mint, chopped
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 100g feta cheese, crumbled
• Handful of sliced almonds, toasted
• Sea salt and black pepper
For the quick pickled onions
• 3 red onions, thinly sliced
• 100ml red wine vinegar
• 100ml water
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp fine salt
Method
1. Start by making the pickled onions at least 4 hours in advance (they will keep for up to 2 weeks). Put the thinly sliced onions into a clean jar and, in a small pan, combine the red wine vinegar, water, sugar and salt. Warm gently over a low heat until everything is dissolved, leave it to cool slightly, then pour over the onions so they are completely submerged. Seal the jar and stick it in the fridge.
2. Preheat the oven to 200C fan/gas 7 and boil a full kettle of water. Rinse the freekeh under cold water then soak it in the just-boiled water for 30 min.
3. Toss the roughly chopped cauliflower and its leaves with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a good pinch of salt. Add the crushed coriander seeds and toss again to coat. Spread out on a baking tray and roast for 15-20 min, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp at the edges.
4. Drain the soaked freekeh well, then add to a large bowl with the celery, 2 tbsp of the pickled red onion and roughly chopped fresh herbs. Add the roasted cauliflower and its crispy leaves and toss gently to combine.
5. Whisk the remaining tablespoon of olive oil with the lemon juice, cumin and a grind of black pepper. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then drizzle over the salad and mix well.
6. Crumble the feta over the top and finish with toasted almonds. Serve straight away or chill for 30 min to let the flavours come together.
The Farmer’s Pantry by Nitai Shevach, Ali Recanati & Jonathan Recanati (Ebury £28). To order a copy go to timesbookshop.co.uk. Free UK standard P&P on orders over £25. Special discount available for Times+ members
Dining and Cooking