13 Jan winter salads

It’s a good time of year to be filling up on salads. It’s true, as the days get colder it’s the pies, stews and crumbles that we naturally reach for. We like loading up on wintery salads to make sure we have enough energy (and room around the waistline) to really go for it at Christmas.

Carrot & Clementine Salad (serves 2)

If you can’t find Clementines, a regular orange cut into segments will be a perfect substitute.

Ingredients

3 large carrots

½ teaspoon of ginger powder

1 teaspoon of honey

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Salt Pepper

1 clementine (or a regular orange)

100g of feta

The seeds from half a pomegranate

A handful of fresh mint, finely chopped

Method

1. Pre-heat your oven to 200c/180c fan/Gas Mark 6. Peel, halve and quarter the carrots. Place in a large roasting dish and add the ginger powder, honey and olive oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper before mixing everything well together. Cover with tin foil and roast for 35 to 45 minutes.

2. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Transfer to a serving bowl.

3. Peel the clementime (or regular orange, if using) and mix through the carrots.

4. Crumble the feta on top of the carrot salad. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and finally top with the finely chopped mint.

Radicchio & Pear Salad (serves 2)

Radicchio is sometimes as known as Italian chicory. It has a similarly crunchy bite to chicory. If you can’t find any radicchio or chicory, use a few handfuls of baby spinach instead.

Ingredients

1 head of radicchio

4 slices of Parma ham

1 ripe pear

50g of blue cheese

1 handful of finely chopped walnuts

For the dressing

3 tablespoons of rapeseed or olive oil

1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of runny honey

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

Salt

Pepper

1. Pick and wash the leaves from the radicchio. Pat dry and arrange on a large salad platter.

2. Arrange the Parma ham on the platter.

3. Slice the pears and arrange on top of the radicchio.

4. Add the blue cheese to the plate.

5. Sprinkle with finely chopped walnuts.

6. Make the dressing by mixing the oil, vinegar, honey and Dijon together. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper to the dressing before drizzling over the platter. Serve immediately.

These recipes first appeared in Irish Independent’s INSIDER magazine on November 27th