CUCUMBER & GREEN GRAPE SALAD WITH AJO BLANCO-STYLE DRESSING

SERVES 4-6 AS A SALAD / PREPARATION 20 MINUTES

Ajo bianco is a traditional Spanish chilled soup made with almonds, stale bread and garlic. I’ve played with the idea and turned the soup into a dressing for some of the soup’s classic additions. The dressing can be made a day ahead so it’s delightfully chilled, but it isn’t essential. However the dressing will thicken as it sits, so you may need to loosen it with a little extra water.

¼ cup blanched almonds

1 clove garlic

½ cup day-old sourdough bread, crusts removed 3 teaspoons sherry vinegar

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large cucumber or 4-5 small cucumbers, chilled 250g green grapes, halved, chilled

100g cold smoked salmon, sliced,

cut into slivers (optional)

For the dressing, roughly blitz the almonds and garlic in a blender. Add the bread, 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar and ¼ cup cold water. Blitz to a smooth paste then add 3 tablespoons olive oil to combine. Set aside.

Cut the cucumber into slices, put into a bowl with the grapes and toss with 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with a little salt. Spoon most of the dressing onto a platter and top with the cucumber and grapes. Drizzle over a little more of the dressing and scatter over the slivers of smoked salmon if using.