Mediterranean Salad
Time
15 mins
A hearty flavoursome salad perfect for lazy Summer days.
Course:
Main Course
Keyword:
salad
Serves: 2
Gather
- 1 teaspoon oil we used coconut
- 1 x 400g tin butter beans drained or chickpeas
- 1 tablespoon green pesto or red pesto if you have it
- 1 teaspoon tomato puree
- Salt to taste we used pink Himalayan
- Ground pepper to taste
- 150g round green beans trimmed and halved
- 6-8 sundried tomatoes chopped preferably in oil
- 5-6 artichoke hearts chopped preferably in oil
- 1 crunchy firm leaved lettuce such as little gem, cos, romaine
- 2 tomatoes sliced
- 1 avocado sliced
- 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice or lime
- 1 handful rocket
- 1 small handful pumpkin seeds dry toasted pine nuts or sesame seeds also work
Prepare
-
Heat the oil in a medium sized frying pan (or wok pan) and add the butter beans. Cook for a minute then stir in the pesto, tomato puree, salt and pepper.
-
Par boil the green beans for three minutes, then drain (you can cook them in boiling water in the microwave, in a pan or alternatively steam them). Add them to the pan with the butter beans.
-
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes, gently stir through and turn the heat off.
-
Arrange the lettuce on a plate and add tomato and avocado slices to the lettuce - squeeze lemon over the avocado then throw the rocket over the plate, and top with the warm bean mix. Sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds and serve immediately.
-
Enjoy!
Tips & Storage
- Assemble the salad when you are ready to eat to ensure the lettuce and rocket stay crunchy.
- Try using different beans such as borlotti beans or haricot beans.
- Instead of pesto and tomato puree use barbecue relish.
- Vary the amount of sun-dried tomatoes and artichokes or add marinated aubergine, mushrooms or olives.
- Serve as a main for one person, a generous side for two people or as appetisers (fill the lettuce with the bean mixture).
- Instead of green beans, use strips of char-grilled courgettes.
- Add a sprinkling of cajun or chili if you like things a bit spicy!
- Store any left over salad in the fridge for one day (the bean mixture will last for 3 days in the fridge).
- Can be served cold.
