RADICCHIO, COS & ENDIVE SALAD WITH PALM SUGAR VINAIGRETTE

Serves 4

I love a green salad with steak or seafood. There is something about the crunch of fresh lettuce and that is why I like these three leaves particularly. The slight bitterness of the radicchio and endive is the perfect foil for the palm sugar vinaigrette. Make sure you get a deep caramel on the palm sugar or it will be too sweet but don’t burn it or it will be bitter. It’s really important to dry the lettuce leaves well and toss them in the dressing in a large bowl rather than just drizzling it on top — it’s the best way to make sure each leaf has a light coating.

½ radicchio, leaves separated & washed

1 baby cos (romaine) lettuce, leaves separated & washed

1 endive, leaves separated & washed

PALM SUGAR VINAIGRETTE

30 g (1 oz/ ¼ cup) grated palm sugar (jaggery)

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

2 coriander (cilantro) roots, scraped

1 garlic clove

sea salt

1¼ tablespoons red wine vinegar

80 ml (2½ fl oz/¹/₃ cup) extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped coriander (cilantro)

To make the palm sugar vinaigrette, place the palm sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring to dissolve the sugar, until it is a deep caramel colour. Carefully add the sherry vinegar, as it will spit, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, pound the coriander roots, garlic and a little salt in a mortar with a pestle until you have a fine paste. Add the palm sugar mixture and red wine vinegar, then gradually whisk in the olive oil.

Tear the leaves into similar sized pieces and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and toss gently to combine. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately.