This Broad Bean Salad with creamy avocado dressing is the ultimate green salad. Rich in nutrients and packed with healthy vegetables, you can have it as a bowl for lunch or as a side salad.
Start this recipe with the cucumber as it needs time to sit. Peel the skin off the cucumber. Using a wide mouth peeler, peel the cucumber on one side until you reach the seed. Then turn it onto the opposite side and repeat. We don’t want the seeds as it makes the salad too wet.In a small mixing bowl, place the cucumber ribbons and a pinch of salt. Place the shaved cucumber in a colander and let it rest on top of the mixing bowl. The salt will draw out as much water as possible, and water may start to drip from the colander into the mixing bowl.
Cut the courgette (zucchini) into round discs about 1 cm wide.In a small mixing bowl, coat with 1 tsp of olive oil. Place a grill pan on medium heat and grill the courgette (zucchini) for 1.5 minutes on each side. Don’t move them around as you want the nice even grill marks.
Defrost 1 cup of broad beans. Place in a small saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and put into cold water to stop the cooking process. Peel the skin off the broad beans by breaking a small hole in the skin and then pushing the bean out through the opening. It should pop out easily.
Cut the broccoli into florets. Place in a small saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain and put into cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry and set aside.
Cut the asparagus diagonally. Each asparagus should yield about 4-5 pieces. Place in a small saucepan of boiling water for 1.5 minutes. Drain and put into cold water to stop the cooking process. Pat dry and set aside.
Toast the nigella seeds on a small fry pan for 1-2 minutes.
Cut the snow pea sprouts in half. We only want the top half.
Salad Dressing
Cut the avocado in half. Peel the avocado and discard the stone.
Roughly chop the cilantro (coriander) leaves to yield ¼ cup.
Remove the skin of the garlic clove.
Cut the lime in half.
Add all the salad dressing ingredients with salt and pepper into a food processor.
Blitz until it is pureed.
Assembly
Place small batches of the cucumber ribbons between your hands and give them a good squeeze. You’ll be amazed at how much water comes out!
In a small mixing bowl, coat the broccoli with 2 tbsp of avocado dressing.
Place the rest of the avocado at the bottom of a large bowl.
Roll the cucumber ribbons and place them standing in one spot in the bowl.
Continue adding the vegetables to fill the bowl. Place the snow pea sprouts stalk first, followed by the grilled courgettes, broccoli florets, broad beans and then asparagus.
Sprinkle the salad with nigella seeds.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Notes
You can create 4 small bowls or 2 small bowls for your guests if you don’t want to use one large bowl.
You can substitute the broad beans with edamame or peas.
You can substitute broccoli with cauliflower.
You can substitute snow pea sprouts with broccoli sprouts or alfalfa.
You can replace nigella seeds with black sesame seeds.
If you’re not a fan of coriander, you can use flat-leaf parsley.