HOUSE-CHOPPED SALAD

Serves 4

Having an American business partner and also having enjoyed quite a few chopped salads in the States, I wanted to put one on at Bar & Grill. It’s a great way to start a meal before launching into a nice big steak. I wanted to have this salad tossed by a waiter tableside and served to the guests directly. The reason for this was clear: all of the ingredients are thinly sliced, so if the salad sits on the pass for five or so minutes waiting for other dishes before it can go out, then it will get soggy. The only way around this was table service. The salad is presented to the customer, dressed, gently tossed, then spooned onto a plate and served. It means my chopped salad is perfect every time.

2 witlof (chicory/Belgian endive) leaves, chiffonade

30 g (1 oz) cooked chickpeas

30 g (1 oz) dried chorizo, julienne

1 jalapeÑo chilli, seeds removed & julienne

2 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced

1 small radish, thinly sliced

¼ cucumber, peeled, seeds removed & julienne

2 radicchio leaves, chiffonade

1 spring onion (scallion), white part only, julienne

2 sorrel leaves, chiffonade

¼ fennel bulb, julienne

1 very small handful flat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves, torn

1 very small handful mint leaves, torn

30 g (1 oz) grated Gruyère

croûtons, to serve

CHAMPAGNE DRESSING

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar

1 lemon wedge

sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Arrange the witlof in a straight line on a plate. Next to that, arrange the chickpeas in a straight line followed by the chorizo, jalapeÑo, cherry tomato (slightly overlapping), radish, cucumber, radicchio, spring onion, sorrel, fennel, herbs and finish with the grated Gruyère. Scatter over the croûtons.

To make the Champagne dressing, combine the olive oil and vinegar in a small bowl, squeeze in the juice from the lemon wedge and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a sauce boat.

Toss the salad in the dressing at the table and serve immediately.