Grape and Celery Salad
Cabbage, Manchego, Red Grape and Buttermilk Salad
The grape is well-known as the delicate morsel to be enjoyed reclining in decadent abandon – the sweet fruit having first been peeled by an ardent attendant. (Do angels sing too? It’s been a while.)
Needless to say, the grape is also widely admired in fluid form, sometimes chilled and delivered in long-stemmed crystal, possibly also on the above occasion.
The thing is, while the good grape already has widespread appeal, perhaps we’ve been neglecting other opportunities for it to star.
So, here we have two grape salads that each make a refreshing accompaniment to other dishes, or a decent light lunch just on their own. They’re lively, savoury and sweet, crunchy and juicy.
Our thanks to the grape.
Jan
GRAPE AND CELERY SALAD
Serves 8 as a side-dish
½ bunch celery, washed, trimmed and finely sliced (2 to 3 cups)
1 teaspoon caster sugar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
300 gm green seedless grapes, picked from stems and halved if large
4 baby cucumbers, trimmed, halved lengthways and finely sliced
1 cup mint leaves, torn
100 gm young rocket leaves, trimmed
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 lemon, juice and zest
50 gm pistachios, toasted, roughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
200 gm Persian feta
Add celery, sugar and olive oil to a large bowl. Stir and macerate for 20 minutes.
Add grapes, cucumber, mint, rocket, fennel seeds, lemon juice and half the pistachios. Season to taste and toss to combine.
Transfer to a serving bowl and add feta, broken roughly and spread across the top.
Scatter with remaining pistachios and lemon zest.
CABBAGE, MANCHEGO, RED GRAPE AND BUTTERMILK SALAD
Serves 6 as a side-dish
½ small Savoy cabbage, outer leaves and thick ribs removed, finely shredded
1 small bunch of mint and parsley, leaves only
150 gm red grapes, each grape sliced into thirds
50 gm Manchego or more to taste, finely shaved
150 ml buttermilk dressing
Sea salt
Combine all the ingredients, toss gently and season to taste. It’s lovely with a lamb cutlet or a grilled quail.
Buttermilk Dressing
120 ml buttermilk
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
Place all the dressing ingredients in a glass jar and shake until well combined.