Cracking Cavolo Nero Salad with Chicken, Goat's Cheese and Pumpkin Seeds
The effort to be a bit healthier continues this time by mixing together a load of my favourite healthy ingredients into this GLORIOUS warm salad.
Cavolo Nero AKA Black Kale is the new super food on the block and I absolutely love it! It's great steamed, roasted, pan-fried or even raw like in this salad. It may sound a bit odd but all you have to do is give it a bit of a massage and it becomes tender - delicious! As well as the cavolo nero, the salad also combines a variety of glorious aromatics that are not only FULL of nutrients - ginger, lemon, garlic, turmeric, cayenne - but also bring the most delightful flavour to the dish.
Cracking Cavolo Nero Salad with Chicken, Goat's Cheese and Pumpkin Seeds
Serves 4
For the chicken:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 lemon, juice only
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
½ tsp turmeric
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
400g cavolo nero, stems removed and finely sliced
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
50g pumpkin seeds, toasted
200g soft, rindless goat's cheese
For the dressing:
75ml extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
4 Medjool dates, very finely chopped
½ tsp cayenne pepper
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer on a large square of tin foil. Mix together the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, thyme and turmeric with a good pinch of salt and pepper then pour the mixture over the chicken, tossing the breasts to coat. Scrunch up the foil over the chicken to make a sealed parcel and place it onto a baking tray and into the oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, place the cavolo nero into a large bowl and drizzle with the oil. Then get your (clean!) hands in and massage the leaves for a couple of minutes. This sounds a bit bizarre, but it makes the cavolo nero more tender and easier to eat. Then, add half of the toasted pumpkin seeds and set it aside. To make the dressing, simply whisk together all the ingredients and set aside until serving.
Once cooked, remove the chicken, carefully open the foil parcel and leave the chicken until cool enough to handle. Then, slice each breast into wide strips and toss through the salad with half of the dressing. Divide the salad onto four plates, crumble over the goat's cheese, sprinkle over the remaining pumpkin seeds and drizzle over the rest of the dressing.
Cavolo Nero AKA Black Kale is the new super food on the block and I absolutely love it! It's great steamed, roasted, pan-fried or even raw like in this salad. It may sound a bit odd but all you have to do is give it a bit of a massage and it becomes tender - delicious! As well as the cavolo nero, the salad also combines a variety of glorious aromatics that are not only FULL of nutrients - ginger, lemon, garlic, turmeric, cayenne - but also bring the most delightful flavour to the dish.
Cracking Cavolo Nero Salad with Chicken, Goat's Cheese and Pumpkin Seeds
Serves 4
For the chicken:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts1 lemon, juice only
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
½ tsp turmeric
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
400g cavolo nero, stems removed and finely sliced
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
50g pumpkin seeds, toasted
200g soft, rindless goat's cheese
For the dressing:
75ml extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
4 Medjool dates, very finely chopped
½ tsp cayenne pepper
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
Arrange the chicken breasts in a single layer on a large square of tin foil. Mix together the lemon juice, ginger, garlic, thyme and turmeric with a good pinch of salt and pepper then pour the mixture over the chicken, tossing the breasts to coat. Scrunch up the foil over the chicken to make a sealed parcel and place it onto a baking tray and into the oven. Cook for 20 minutes or until cooked through.
Meanwhile, place the cavolo nero into a large bowl and drizzle with the oil. Then get your (clean!) hands in and massage the leaves for a couple of minutes. This sounds a bit bizarre, but it makes the cavolo nero more tender and easier to eat. Then, add half of the toasted pumpkin seeds and set it aside. To make the dressing, simply whisk together all the ingredients and set aside until serving.
Once cooked, remove the chicken, carefully open the foil parcel and leave the chicken until cool enough to handle. Then, slice each breast into wide strips and toss through the salad with half of the dressing. Divide the salad onto four plates, crumble over the goat's cheese, sprinkle over the remaining pumpkin seeds and drizzle over the rest of the dressing.
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