I’ve given you two recipes this week. One is a ‘spare’ as you might not have blood oranges or radicchio to hand. That said, it really is worth seeking them out and dousing them in funky anchovy, orange and garlic dressing.

Kale Shoots with green tahini sauce

This sauce is great with other salads or spooned over steamed vegetables.

For 2/3
3 minutes preparation

2 or 3 good handfuls of kale shoots (or a mix of rocket, lamb’s lettuce and spinach)
2 tablespoons herbs (parsley/basil/coriander or rocket)
1 tablespoon tahini
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small clove garlic, peeled
1 handful almonds, hazelnuts, pecans or peanuts
1 – 2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Blitz all the sauce ingredients in a mini blender. Loosen with a little hot water if it’s too thick.

Toss the leaves in the sauce and serve.

Radicchio with blood oranges and anchovies

There are around half a dozen varieties of radicchio. Some long and deep red, others pale and flouncy, beautifully flecked in pink. They are all meaty leaves, with varying degrees of bitterness, and all are delicious paired with vibrant oranges when we’ve had enough of winter. Serve with another robust vinaigrette (good balsamic, hazelnut or truffle oil for example)  if you can’t bear anchovies.

For 2/3
10 minutes preparation

1 or 2 pieces of radicchio, leaves separated and torn.
2 blood oranges
4 salted anchovy filets
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small garlic clove, peeled
1 small handful pecans

Toast the pecans and leave to cool. Don’t skip this step, it’s really worth it !

Peel the oranges with a sharp knife, and cut out the segments, avoiding pith and skin. Do this over the bowl of the blender to catch all the juice. Squeeze the juice from the remaining pulp and any flesh which might have been caught in the pieces of peel.

Put the anchovies, oil and garlic into the blender and blitz until smooth. Loosen with a little hot water if the sauce is too thick.

Arrange the leaves and the orange segments, scatter the pecans and serve the sauce on the side.