Executive Chef of The Werf Restaurant, Christiaan Campbell, shares a seasonal salad recipe with us, using ingredients picked fresh from The Werf Garden at Boschendal Wine Estate.
Radish and Kefir Cream Salad
A light, refreshing salad that is the perfect, palate cleansing way to start a meal.
Serves: 4
Difficulty: moderate
Preparation Time: 15 minutes + overnight culture and freezing time
Kefir Cream
2 Tbsp (30 ml) finished milk kefir
1 C (250 ml) heavy cream, pasteurised or raw (avoid ultra-pasteurised)
(Foodie Fact: Kefir is a cultured, fermented milk product, high in probiotics and nutrients. Besides being tasty, it is very beneficial for gut health.)
Dill Ice
200 g fresh dill
½ English cucumber
2 tsp (10 ml) glucose
1 Tbsp (15 ml) lemon juice
Radish Salad
12 radishes
2-3 handful of mixed rocket and beetroot leaves (or your preference)
lemon-flavoured olive oil
picked chive flowers, for garnish
Kefir Cream
Place the kefir starter in the cream and culture at room temperature for 12-48 hours, or until the desired consistency and taste is achieved.
Dill Ice
Use a juicer to juice the cucumber and all the dill.
Take a quarter of this liquid and warm slightly, just enough to dissolve the glucose. Add the glucose and stir to dissolve. Once dissolved, cool this liquid over an ice bath and then mix with the rest of the dill and cucumber juice.
Add the lemon juice; mix to combine and then place the mixture in the freezer
Radish Salad
Prepare the radishes three ways – thinly sliced some, cut some in half and slice some lengthways. Account for approximately 3 radishes per plate, sliced differently for aesthitic purposes.
Dress the salad leaves with a drizzle of the lemon flavoured olive oil.
To Assemble
Drop the kefir cream in rustic dollops on each serving plate.
Arrange the dressed salad leaves on each plate.
Creatively arrange the differently sliced radishes in amongst the mixed leaves.
To finish, use a fork to scrape the frozen dill sorbet to form a slushy granita, which can then be spooned gently onto each plate
Finally add some picked chive flowers and serve.
Read more about the Boschendal Werf Food Garden here!
