Roasted purple sprouting salad with Mediterranean flavours

Salads

Roasted purple sprouting salad with Mediterranean flavours

Name: Roasted purple sprouting salad with Mediterranean flavours
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 2

Serves 2 1h 45 min

Roasted purple sprouting broccoli tossed with capers, olives, roasted cherry tomatoes and crunchy croutons and topped with fresh basil and hard boiled eggs. This is a rustic panzanella-niçoise salad hybrid, combining strong Mediterranean ingredients to great effect. Nothing more is needed for an excellent vegetarian meal.

Ingredients

8 cherry tomatoes, cut in ½ crossways
olive oil
3 eggs
200g purple sprouting broccoli, cut into even-sized pieces
150g stale sourdough or ciabatta, broken into chunky bite-sized pieces
handful fresh basil leaves
lemon juice, to taste
2 tbsp capers
12 black olives
salt and pepper

Method

Prep time: 15 min

Cooking time: 1h 30 min

Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4. First, make the roasted tomatoes (you could make them in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge).
Step 2
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper, place the tomatoes on the tray, cut side up, and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes.
Step 3
Put the eggs in a pan of cold water. Bring to the boil and cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on size. Drain and refresh in very cold water to stop the edges of the yolks from turning grey.
Step 4
Increase oven temperature to 200°C/Gas 6. Toss the purple sprouting broccoli in a baking tray with a little oil to coat and season with salt and pepper.
Step 5
Toss the bread in oil on another tray and season. Roast. The bread will take 20-25 minutes or so to crisp up.
Step 6
The broccoli might take a little longer, depending on size; it should be just starting to brown and crisp up. Toss both half way through.
Step 7
Blitz the basil leaves with 4 tablespoons of oil (a hand blender is ideal). Add a squeeze of lemon to taste.
Step 8
To serve, carefully peel the eggs and cut into wedges. Toss gently with the rest of the ingredients, drizzling in the basil oil dressing and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.