Nicky Riemer’s recipe for a spring inspired salad

A great salad on its own as the dressing is ‘big on flavour’ and goes so well with fresh spring time vegetables and soft boiled eggs.

Also goes well with roast chicken as an accompaniment.

Serves four people.

For the salad:

2 large cos heads

1 bunch of watercress roughly picked

2 cups of freshly podded peas

1 big handful of baby green beans

1 big handful of asparagus

4 eggs

For the dressing:

100ml lemon juice

5ml fish sauce

25ml red wine vinegar

40ml honey

10 anchovies (in oil) roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves ? ‘minced’ on a microplane

50g good quality grated grana padano parmesan

20g grated horseradish (you can use pureed horseradish from a jar)

180ml blended olive oil

5g sea salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

A few pinches of cayenne pepper (to give some heat)

Method for the dressing:

1. Whisk all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl till combined

2. Check consistency and add more lemon juice or vinegar if you feel it needs a little more acidity

3. Store refrigerated and it will keep for up to 5 days

Method for the salad:

1. Chop the cos heads into big chunky pieces and give them a wash and spin dry in a salad spinner (helps get the leaves nice and dry)

2. Place eggs in boiling water for 5 minutes then take out and chill immediately in iced cold water to stop the cooking process, peel when cold and set aside

3. Cut the baby green beans and asparagus spears into 3cm long pieces

4. Blanch the podded peas, beans and asparagus pieces in boiling salted water for 2 to 3 minutes then strain and set aside

5. Now combine the cos lettuce, picked watercress, blanched vegetables and broken apart soft boiled eggs into a big bowl and generously coat with the dressing, serve immediately.