a fresh seasonal salad full of colour and flavour, makes this salad perfect for summertime. the sweet tastes of red papaya and blackberries, combined with the crunchiness of pecans and radishes, makes this salad a winner in both taste and presentation.
First published at www.transformationcookbook.com
Ingredients:
2 butter lettuces, pulled apart
2 bunches of watercress
2 carrots, peeled & cut into matchsticks
5 radishes, thinly sliced
3 spring onions, finely sliced
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
150g blackberries
1 large red papaya, peeled, seeded & diced
20g pecan nuts, crushed
Step 1: Peel the papaya with a vegetable peeler, then cut in half lengthways. Use a spoon to scoop our the seeds, then diced the flesh and transfer to a bowl.
Step 2: In a large salad bowl combine lettuce leaves and watercress. with the vegetable peeler slice carrots into thing strips over the leaves, then add radishes, spring onions and celery.
Step 3: Add diced papaya, blackberries and garnish with pecan nuts. For a great dressing, drizzle with my Secret Dressing just before serving.
Tips:
• papayas (paw paws) are a soft, orange coloured, fleshy fruit. they can be used in a variety of culinary ways from smoothies, salsas, salads, breakfast chia cups even added to omelettes. when choosing a papaya, look for fruit with a bright reddish orange skin and are soft to touch. also smell them to see if they’re ripe – if they have a strong scent then it’s perfect.
• transfer blackberries onto a small plate lined with 2 sheets of paper towel. cover and store in the refrigerator. this helps to prevent the berries from bruising and keeps them fresh and plump. they will keep up to 3-4 days.
