This stunning salad is a riot of colour, texture, and flavours. From Boustany by Sami Tamimi, this is not your average side salad. We served it alongside pan-fried duck breasts.
Bitter leaves with orange and fennel – serves 4 to 6
- 4 blood oranges (or regular oranges)
- 4 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 75ml olive oil
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 tsp orange blossom water
- 100g radicchio leaves
- 100g white or red endive
- ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
- 1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
- 120g rocket
- 5g fresh tarragon leaves
- 70g hard goat’s cheese, broken into chunks
- 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
- 25g sunflower seeds, toasted
Remove the skin and white pith from the oranges (use a sharp knife), then slice the oranges into ½ cm slices.
Make the dressing by putting the lemon juice, orange juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses and orange blossom water into a small bowl. Add ½ tsp of salt and plenty of black pepper, then whisk well and set aside.
Separate the radicchio and endive into leaves and tear into large pieces, then add to a mixing bowl. Add the onion, fennel and rocket. Pour over about a quarter of the dressing, add a pinch of salt and some black pepper and toss well.
Layer the leaves, oranges, goat’s cheese and herbs onto a large platter or salad bowl. Finish with a few pieces of orange, some chunks of cheese and spoon over the dressing. Scatter the pomegranate and sunflower seeds over, then serve.
(Original recipe from Boustany by Sami Tamimi, Ebury Press, 2025.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 