Nigel Slater’s recipe for citrus and cashew nut salad | Food | The Guardian — theguardian.com

There is much to be said for a crisp refreshing salad even on an ice-cold day, if only to contrast all the warming, carbs-n-cheese suppers. The crunch here comes from the beetroot, red cabbage and celeriac, but you could use carrots or kohlrabi. (Broccoli stalks, thinly sliced, get my vote, too.) It’s a main course in my house, but would make a fine side dish, too. The dressing sounds like a lot of trouble. It isn’t. Everything just needs a quick blast in the blender or food processor – although I find the texture of the cashew nuts most pleasing when I grind them using a pestle and mortar, leaving them as a rough, gravelly powder. Once made, it is probably best to eat it the same day.Serves 4 grapefruit 1 orange 1 large red cabbage 250g fennel 150g celeriac 150g beetroot 250gFor the dressing red wine vinegar 2 tbsp lime juice 3 tbsp olive oil 75ml light soy sauce 1 tbsp ginger 35g light muscovado sugar 3 tbsp small hot chillies 2 roasted and salted cashews 75g, plus a few left whole to finish mint leaves 20, finely shredded coriander leaves 20Make the dressing: put the vinegar, lime juice, olive oil and soy in a mixing bowl. Peel the ginger and grate it finely, then add to the liquids with the sugar. Finely chop the chillies (you can remove the seeds if you like a cooler dressing) and stir in. Crush the cashews to a coarse, nubbly powder with a pestle and mortar (or the end of a rolling pin), then add to the dressing with the shredded mint leaves and the coriander leaves, torn up a little if they are particularly large. Stir the dressing and set aside.Remove the peel and white pith from the grapefruit and orange, saving as much juice as you can. Separate the segments with a sharp knife and add them to the dressing with any juice.Finely shred the cabbage and fennel and add to the dressing. Peel the celeriac and beetroot, slice thinly, then cut into long, thin matchsticks. Toss with the dressing, check the seasoning and set aside for 30 minutes or more before serving. Add the reserved whole cashews just before bringing the salad to the table.Nigel Slater is the Observer’s cookery writer

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