Rhubarb and Pak-Choi Salad
Do read on! - this is a sublime and exciting combination
of flavours and textures that is a delight to eat. I admit that when I
first thought of it I wasn’t sure whether I had pushed my spirit of
adventure too far, but I can assure you that every time I have served it
it has been a huge success with all consumers; it is also quick and easy
to make.
For this salad it is best to use forced rhubarb as its delicate
freshness and bright pink colour are particularly appealing.
Serves 2
Time taken 20 minutes
150g
rhubarb
250ml water
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons sesame oil (not toasted)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 cm fresh ginger
1 medium head of pak-choi
Trim and chop the rhubarb into ½cm lengths. Put the water and sugar into
a pan and bring to the boil. Tip in the rhubarb pieces and return to the
boil, drain immediately. The rhubarb should still be firm and slightly
crisp. Mix the sesame oil and soy sauce in a bowl and tip in the warm
rhubarb so that it can absorb the flavours. Chop the ginger quite finely
and, a few pieces at a time, put into a garlic press and crush to
extract the juice. Hold the garlic press sideways and well inside the
bowl as the ginger juice will spurt out of the top as well as through
the holes in the bottom. Stir the rhubarb and dressing to mix thoroughly
and taste; rebalance the flavours to suit you if necessary.
Wash the pak-choi and slice across the stems quite finely. Tip into the
salad and mix thoroughly. Arrange so that some particularly pink bits of
rhubarb are on top.
This salad perfectly complements pork dishes, it is also good with an
oily fish.