THE GROSVENOR ARMS Tom Blake is executive chef for boutique hotel and pub brand Stay Original. Tom, formerly head chef at River Cottage, is responsible for the delicious local and seasonal menus at The Grosvenor Arms, as well as The Swan, in Wedmore, The White Hart in Somerton and Timbrell’s Yard in Bradford on Avon. Of this summer salad he says, “I love this fresh, vegan salad. It’s packed with flavour and makes a great accompaniment to a barbeque. Enjoy with a glass of crisp Provencal rosé, Grand Mayne.”
FINE BEAN, BABY LEAF, OLIVE, SPELT AND LEMON SALAD, WITH BABA GANOUSH AND SALT AND VINEGAR SEEDS (Serves 4) To make the baba ganoush 2 aubergines 2 tablespoon olive oil 1 clove of garlic 4 tablespoons of tahini 1 handful of chopped flat leaf parsley 1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Blacken the aubergines under a hot grill or directly over a flame. Don’t be afraid to really burn them. 2. Cover the aubergine in foil and bake in the oven until soft, this should take around 45 minutes. 3. When the aubergines are soft, unwrap
them from the foil and leave them until they’re cool enough to handle. 4. Cut them in half and scoop out the flesh putting it straight into the blender. Discard the burnt skin. 5. Now blend the aubergine with the tahini, lemon, olive oil, garlic and parsley. Season well. To make the salad 100g pearled spelt Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh oregano 50g Kalamata olives, pitted and thinly sliced
1/2 red onion finely sliced
50g baby plum tomatoes (English Ruby jewels are great) 100g fine beans 20ml olive oil 1 tsp Dijon mustard 4 big handfuls of baby leaf (I like using Severn Project leaves) 1. Blanch the fine beans in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, then refresh in iced water to keep them bright green. 2. Cook the pearled spelt in boiling water for 20 minutes or until tender, then drain into a colander and cool thoroughly under running water. 3. Dice the tomatoes, red onion, olives and oregano then stir in the mustard, lemon juice and olive oil. 4. Combine beans, spelt and all the salad ingredients and check the seasoning. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste. To make the salt and vinegar pumpkin seeds 4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds 1 tablespoons cider vinegar Flaked Cornish sea salt 1. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a hot dry pan 2. Add the cider vinegar and evaporate until dry 3. Season with flaked sea salt 4. To plate; Spread baba ganoush over the bottom of the plate, pile up the mixed salad and garnish with fresh shaved radish and the salt and vinegar seeds.