Serves 4 – 6

A side dish does not have to be starch-based to be delicious and tasty. Neither does a salad have to consist of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber. Make this colourful side dish to brighten up your table and your tastebuds. Westfalia Plain & Lemon Flavoured Avocado Oils with a hint of fresh mint is perfect as the base for the salad dressing – spot-on for a wholesome broccoli, avocado & citrus salad. Add some crunch with crispy croutons or toasted almonds.

 

Ingredients

Garlic croutons

  • 1 ciabatta roll, torn into small chunks
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) Westfalia Garlic Flavoured Avocado Oil

 

Salad

  • 300 g broccoli, cut into florets
  • 2 oranges
  • 1 pink grapefruit
  • ½ cucumber, cut in short, thick wedges
  • a small handful fresh mint leaves
  • 1 ripe avocado, halved and sliced

 

Dressing

  • 45 ml (3 tbsp) Westfalia Lemon Flavoured Avocado Oil
  • 30 ml (2 tbsp) Westfalia Plain Avocado Oil
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) apple cider vinegar
  • 10 ml (2 tsp) honey
  • 15 ml (1 tbsp) chopped fresh mint
  • salt and pepper to taste

 

Method

  1. Croutons: Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place bread and avocado oil in a mixing bowl and toss together to evenly coat the bread. Place in a single layer on the baking tray and roast for 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Allow to cool.
  2. Salad: Meanwhile, heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) of the lemon-flavoured avocado oil (from the dressing) over a medium heat in a large frying pan. Pan-fry broccoli until lightly charred and just cooked, but still crunchy. Set aside and allow to cool.
  3. Segment the oranges and grapefruit with a sharp serrated knife, over a bowl, to catch the juices (see tips). Once the segments are removed, squeeze any leftover juice from the pith left in your hand into the bowl and reserve juice for the dressing.
  4. Dressing: Mix all the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in 60 ml of the reserved orange and grapefruit juice mixture and season to taste.
  5. Gently toss broccoli with the citrus wedges and cucumber into the dressing, until well coated.
  6. Spoon onto a large platter and add the mint leaves and avocado. Serve immediately with the croutons. This salad is best served within an hour after preparing it.

 

Tips
  1. How to segment an orange or grapefruit: Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the top and bottom off the fruit. Place ‘upright’, with one of the cut sides on a chopping board. Keep the knife as close to the flesh of the fruit as possible and cut off the rind and white pith. Hold the fruit in the palm of your hand, over a bowl. Carefully cut between the membranes, toward the centre of the fruit, to loosen and remove each segment.
  2. For a gluten free version, replace the croutons with 60 ml (¼ cup) toasted flaked almonds or sunflower seeds.
  3. Keep the salad ingredients separate and serve with the dressing, for everyone to assemble their own salad with the croutons or nuts and remaining dressing.