BROCCOLINI & CANNELLINI BEAN SALAD WITH CHARD, ANCHOVY & CORIANDER DRESSING

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE DISH / PREPARATION 10 MINUTES / COOKING 5 MINUTES

The barbecue at home has always been used all year round, both day and night. This salad, served at room temperature, uses a verdant green sauce similar to a salsa verde, but using chard.

CHARD DRESSING

40g chard, stems removed 2 cloves garlic

3 anchovy fillets

20g coriander, stems included ⅓ cup olive oil

SALAD

12-14 stems broccolini

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed, drained 1 large handful flat-leafed parsley (I like to leave

stems on that are about 3cm)

To make the dressing, put all ingredients into a container and simply blitz everything using a stick blender, until you have a textured purée – it shouldn’t take more than 10-15 seconds and may need a bit of prodding with a fork to get the ingredients moving. Loosen with a little more olive oil if the dressing is too thick. Taste and season.

Prepare the broccolini by removing the leaves and cutting the base of the stem on a nice sharp angle. Toss in olive oil and cook on high (I like to use a barbecue or a chargrill) turning once or twice, until the broccolini is partially charred, but still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes. Chill for 5 or so minutes to stop it from cooking further.

In a large mixing bowl, put the broccolini, cannellini beans, parsley and about 3 heaped tablespoons of the dressing and season. Mix gently with your hands, incorporating everything but at the same time allowing nothing to be overworked – you want a salad that has texture and crispness. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve at room temperature.

The remaining dressing is very versatile; just store it in the fridge for up to 2 days.