Vegetables Recipes - Rainbow Chard and Avocado Salad Recipe

Ingredients 

• 6 cups rainbow chard stems without leaves

• 1 large avocado

• 4 good handfuls of robust salad leaves, such as baby spinach, 'Bibb', or corn salad

• 12 oil-cured black olives

• sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

For the lemon dressing:

• 1 garlic clove

• generous pinch of sea salt flakes

• freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Using a very sharp knife, trim a sliver from each side of the chard stems - the edges can sometimes be a little stringy. Then diagonally slice the trimmed stems across at an angle into neat 3/4 inch pieces.

2. Make the dressing: crush the garlic and sea salt with a pestle and mortar. Mix with the pepper and lemon juice, then whisk in the oil until thick and smooth.

3. Plunge the prepared chard stems into a large saucepan of boiling salted water. Bring back to boil and blanch the stems for a couple of minutes - no more or the bright colors will fade. Drain immediately and toss with the dressing.

4. Just before serving, finely dice the avocado flesh.

5. To serve, arrange the salad greens on individual plates. Scatter the stems over the top and add the avocado and olives. Spoon over the dressing and garnish with sprigs of flat-leaf parsley.