Moorish Baby Spinach & Pine Nut Salad

Moorish Baby Spinach & Pine Nut Salad

I love to serve a salad as a side because I can get it all ready in advance and just toss at the last minute. If you’d like to stretch a roast lamb further and keep costs down, serving with something carby like warm flat bread or roast potatoes is a good idea. I don’t normally use a lot of dried fruit, but love the little bursts of sweetness from the currants here.

Enough for 4
takes: 10 minutes
2 tablespoons sherry or rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
currants, raisins or dried cranberries, optional
2 packets washed baby spinach leaves (about 200g / 7oz)
2 handfuls pine nuts

1. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, currants, (if using) and 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large salad bowl. Season.

2. Toss in leaves.

3. Serve with pine nuts sprinkled over.

Variations

different leaves – feel free to use any salad leaf here. Finely sliced kale is also good.

nut-free – skip the pine nuts or replace with toasted bread crumbs.

warm salad – warm the olive oil in a small saucepan before tossing in the dressing.

can’t find sherry vinegar? – use white wine vinegar or lemon juice instead.

more veg – consider adding additional veg side dishes such as Addictive Roast Brussels Sprouts, Green Bean Salad with Mustard & Dill, Roast Baby Veg with Chunky Cashew Pesto, Cheesey Broccoli or Warm Beets with Goats Cheese.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

sherry or rice wine vinegar / soy sauce / currants or raisins / pine nuts – keep in the pantry.

baby spinach – either pop them in the freezer or wilt down in a covered pot with a little olive oil. This way they’ll keep in the fridge for a few weeks.