Very elegant and light, a perfect lunch salad and a dazzling mixture of pink, purple and green (especially if you can find a mixture of different coloured radishes). When asparagus isn’t in season, use green beans or sugar snap peas instead.
Chicken, asparagus, broad bean and radish salad with dill and mint dressing
Very elegant and light, a perfect lunch salad and a dazzling mixture of pink, purple and green (especially if you can find a mixture of different coloured radishes). When asparagus isn’t in season, use green beans or sugar snap peas instead.
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 400 ml 14fl oz chicken stock
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts about 175g (6oz) each
- 135 g 5oz watermelon radish (or regular radishes, or a mixture)
- 300 g 10½oz broad beans
- 16 asparagus stalks halved lengthways
FOR THE DRESSING
- 2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp Dijon mustard
- 8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil fruity rather than grassy
- salt and pepper
- 4 tbsp double cream
- ½ tbsp chopped dill
- ½ tbsp chopped mint leaves
Instructions
- Put the stock into a sauté pan or a wide saucepan in which the chicken breasts can lie without touching each other.
- Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to a very gentle simmer and put the chicken into it.
- Poach for 12–13 minutes.
- This should give you meat that is cooked but still moist.
- You can serve the chicken warm or at room temperature.
- (The stock isn’t needed for this recipe, but keep it for something else. )
- Slice the radishes into thin rounds (if you have found watermelon radish, see here for how to prepare it).
- Make the dressing by putting the vinegar and mustard into a cup or bowl and then whisking in the olive oil, seasoning, cream and herbs.
- Set aside.
- Boil the broad beans for four minutes.
- Drain and run cold water over them while they are in the sieve.
- Once the broad beans are cool, slip the skin off each one (it’s laborious but worth it for the colour).
- Steam the asparagus, or cook it in a covered saucepan with the base of the stalks in a little water and the rest propped up against the side (unless you have an asparagus steamer).
- The asparagus should still have a little ‘bite’; check it with the tip of a sharp knife.
- Cut each chicken breast on the diagonal into about four slices.
- Toss the broad beans, radishes and asparagus with half the dressing.
- Divide between four plates.
- Put the chicken on top and spoon on the rest of the dressing.
- If there’s some dressing left over, offer it at the table.