Autumnal Salad with Saffron Dressing
Ingredients
- 12 rainbow carrots, tops left on, washed - 1 medium zucchini, sliced - 8 stalks broccolini, any thick stalks halved lengthways - Olive oil - 200g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved - 4 spring onions, thinly sliced at an angle - 1 cucumber, cut lengthways, seeds removed and sliced at the angle - Small handful basil leaves
Dressing - 20ml cider vinegar - ½ tsp Dijon mustard - Pinch saffron strands - 1 tsp caster sugar - 50ml olive oil - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C.Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Arrange carrots on the tray and brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes, until the carrots are softened.
3. Heat a griddle pan over a medium-high heat. Tip the zucchini into a large mixing bowl, lightly season and toss together with the 1 Tbsp olive oil. Once the griddle is hot, add the zucchini and leave to slightly char for around 3-4 mins, then transfer back to the bowl.
4. Add the broccolini to a steamer and steam until the stems turn bright green.
5. When all the vegetables are cooked, add them to the bowl with the remaining salad ingredients, toss together and set aside.
6. To make the saffron dressing, whisk the vinegar, mustard, saffron and sugar together in a bowl with a pinch of salt until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk in the oil gradually, then stir in the shallots.
7. Dress the salad and serve.