Salads
Pear, grapefruit and rice salad, with ginger and sesame dressing
A few steps can be done in advance to quicken the process of this dish, like cooking or soaking the rice and segmenting the grapefruit (this takes a little time, but the result is really worth it). Use oranges instead of grapefruit if you prefer, but the sharp, astringent taste of the grapefruit adds a complexity to this salad and balances the flavours beautifully with the Asian-inspired sesame and ginger dressing.
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 120g red rice, or rice of choice
- 1 grapefruit
- 100g cavolo nero (black kale), finely shredded
- 6 spring onions, finely sliced
- 2 pears, cored & sliced
For the dressing:
- 2 tbsp rice or cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 10g fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes
Method
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Step 1
Cook the rice according to package instructions and leave to cool.
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Step 2
Meanwhile, segment the grapefruit. Slice off the top and bottom and making downwards strokes, cut the skin away from the flesh. Holding the fruit in one hand over a bowl to catch the juice, make v-shaped cuts on either side of the membrane to release each segment. Rotate and repeat. Squeeze out the leftover pulp and membrane for extra juice.
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Step 3
Make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
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Step 4
In a large mixing bowl, add the rice, grapefruit segments, cavolo nero, spring onions and pears. Pour in the dressing and mix. You can also add some of the grapefruit juice for extra flavour.
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Step 5
Transfer onto a serving plate or bowls and garnish with a few more chilli flakes or spring onions.