Rhubarb and Orange Salad
This recipe by Executive Chef Gelf Alderson is perfect at the start of the year when juicy oranges and forced rhubarb are at their best.
Ingredients
For the Rhubarb and Orange:
500g Rhubarb thinly sliced on an angle
2 Oranges segmented and juices collected (see tip)
2 Star anise
Water
100g Honey (or vegan alternative)
To finish:
Cashew cream
Something crunchy: Toasted hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds or hazelnut praline shards
Edible flowers and fennel fronds
For the 24hr Cashew Cream
500g Cashews
Water
Caster sugar (to taste)
Method
For the Cashew Cream
Put the cashews in a bowl/container and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 24 hours.
After 24hrs, use a sieve over a bowl to separate the nuts from the water, making sure you keep the liquid as well as the nuts.
Add the nuts to a blender with a little of the nutty water (remember you can add but you can’t take away!) whizz the nuts until a smooth, thick and creamy mixture is reached. You may need to add a little more water (but you definitely won’t need all of it).
Once smooth, taste the mixture and add caster sugar to taste.
For the Fruit Salad
Weigh the collected orange juice then add enough water to make a total liquid amount of 100g. Add the juice/water mixture to a pan with the star anise and honey and bring this to the boil.
Once it has reached boiling point. Remove from the heat and add the thinly sliced rhubarb. Leave aside to cool.
Once cooled remove the star anise and add the orange segments to the mixture.
To Serve
Arrange the rhubarb slices in a bowl, followed by the orange segments. Drizzle over some of the juices. Use a teaspoon to add dollops of cashew cream.
Then scatter with the toasted hazelnuts (or chosen crunchy topping) and finish with edible flowers and fennel fronds.
Tip:
Segmenting Oranges
You’ll need a sharp knife for this. Start by removing the peel and pith: Top and tail the orange then, following the shape of the orange, use the knife to slice away the skin and pith from the flesh, going from top to bottom.
Continue to work your way all around the orange and then slice away any bits of pith that you may have missed. You’ll then be able to see the segments of orange, separated by membrane. To remove each segment carefully cut either side of the membrane towards the centre of the orange (make sure you are catching any juices, you’ll need these). Pop the segments in a bowl as you go.
Once you have finished segmenting the oranges, collect up any juices into a bowl and squeeze the carcasses of the oranges to get all the juice out of them that you can.