Olives, cranberries, pecan, fennel and orange make this healthy dish filling, nutritious and refreshing. Each element can be prepared ahead, ready to assemble and dress when ready to serve. Cavolo nero is delicious raw but it’s important to squeeze and “massage’ its leaves with oil to soften them.
Serves 6
Prep: 15 minutes
Ingredients
100g cavolo nero, hard stalks removed
1 tbsp dried cranberries
¼ tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 orange
½ fennel bulb
50g pitted kalamata olives, halved
50g pecan, roughly chopped
Dressing
50ml extra virgin olive oil + a drizzle
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp French mustard
1 tsp honey
¼ tsp fine sea salt
Black pepper to taste
- Method
- Slice the cavolo nero leaves into strips. Wash and drain well — I use a salad spinner to remove the excess water.
- Soak the dried cranberries in water for 5 minutes.
- Place the cavolo nero in a large bowl with the granulated garlic and a teaspoon of oil. Mix well with your hands, squeezing the cavolo leaves. This is important in order to soften the leaves so you can enjoy them raw, so don’t skip this step!
- Drain the cranberries and add them to the cavolo nero.
- Wash, trim and slice the fresh fennel.
- Peel the oranges with a sharp serrated knife, removing the pith as well. Slice the orange into 1cm-thick rounds and then again into segments. Add the olives and chopped pecans to the salad in the bowl, keeping a few back for garnish.
- Prepare the dressing by combining the ingredients in a small jar. When ready to serve, shake until emulsified and pour the dressing over the salad, mix and serve. Top with the reserved nuts and olives.
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