This fusion salad is perfect as a winter starter or a light lunch. Quick to prepare and easy to adapt according to what you’ve got in your larder, you could try apricots instead of dates or carrots instead of parsnips; thyme can be substituted with chervil and parsley. Serve with a full bodied red, a well aged Rioja would be perfect.

Preparation time

15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 large or 2 small oranges
1/4 small red cabbage, core removed, finely shredded
1 small-medium parsnip, peeled and coarsely grated or cut into juliennes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Medjool dates, stones removed, sliced
A couple of sprigs of thyme, leaves only, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Step 1: Slice the top and bottom from the orange. Stand it upright on a board and work your way around it with a sharp knife, cutting off the skin and all the pith. Cut out the segments from between the membranes, working over a bowl to save the juice, letting the segments fall into the bowl. When finished, squeeze the juice from the remaining membrane into the bowl too.

Step 2: Put the finely shredded cabbage and grated parsnip into another bowl, add most of the orange juice (not the segments) and trickle over the olive oil. Add a little salt and pepper, toss the lot together with your hands and then transfer to serving plates.

Step 3: Scatter the orange segments and date slices over the red cabbage and parsnip and finish with a scattering of thyme. Serve straight away.

From River Cottage Veg Every Day! By Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (£25, Bloomsbury)

Orange, carrot and date salad