This is one of only a few dishes that have been on the Leon menu since we first opened our doors in London’s Carnaby Street nearly three years ago. Something magic happens when these ingredients get together – this salad really does what it says and keeps you up-and-at-it all for hours.
When my best friend Bridget was pregnant this salad was her No. 1 craving, and almost every night she would make her boyfriend cycle a mile to their nearest Leon to get it for her. Joseph is a very good, healthy baby. More importantly, of course, it’s delicious.
SERVES 2
2 tablespoons quinoa, Fairtrade if possible
2/3 head of broccoli, cut into bite-sized florets,
stalks sliced
120g frozen peas (if using fresh, use 500g
unshelled pods)
1/4 cucumber, cut into slim batons
100g good-quality feta cheese, crumbled
a handful of alfalfa sprouts
2 tablespoons toasted seeds like
pumpkin, sesame and sunflower
1/2 an avocado, cut into pieces
a small handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly
chopped
a small handful of mint, roughly chopped
2 dessertspoons lemon juice
4 dessertspoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
| |  |
Put the quinoa into a small pan. Cover with cold water to a couple of centimetres above the grain, and let it gently simmer over a low heat until the water’s gone – about 15 minutes – then cool to room temperature.
Put a couple of centimetres of hot water into a saucepan with a pinch of salt and cover it. Once
boiling, drop in the broccoli (and the peas if you’re using fresh) and put the lid back on. Drain after 3 minutes, and run them under cold water to take all the heat out and keep them good and green.
Now build your salad in layers: broccoli, peas, cucumber, feta, alfalfa sprouts, seeds, avocado, quinoa and finally the herbs. Only dress it just before you eat it.
