Simple but creative salads from the new book by CRYSTELLE PEREIRA, Bake Off finalist

GRILLED PEACH, GOAT CHEESE AND LENTIL SALAD

Serves 6 Preparation 20 minutes Cook 30 minutes

• 145 g (5¼ oz) uncooked green lentils
• 1 vegetable stock cube
• 180 g (6¼ oz) green beans, cut in thirds
• 90 g (3¼ oz) skinless hazelnuts
• Avocado or coconut oil for brushing
• 8 large ripe but firm peaches, pitted and cut into 6 wedges
• 125 g (4½ oz) hard goat cheese
• 20 g (¾ oz) fresh basil leaves, torn
• 20 g (¾ oz) fresh dill, chopped

For dressing

• 35 ml (1 fl oz) olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Place the lentils in a large saucepan with 650ml of water. Bring to the boil, add the stock cube and cook for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to simmer, cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the lentils sit in the steam for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and let the lentils swell. Let cool.

Place the green beans in a saucepan with about 5cm of water, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 5 minutes (they should still retain some crunch). Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

Now prepare the dressing.

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk well to combine. Add the lentils and green beans to the dressing and toss well to coat.

Place the hazelnuts in a dry skillet over low heat and toast for about 10 minutes, until golden and fragrant. Remove from the heat and beat lightly to break them into small (but not too fine) pieces.

Put a frying pan over high heat and brush it with a little oil. Place the peach wedges, cut side down, on the pan and grill for 2-3 minutes on each side. Carefully remove from the griddle – an offset spatula works well to ensure they don’t stick to the pan.

Crumble the goat cheese into the salad, along with most of the hazelnuts and peaches, reserving a few of each for garnish.

Add most of the basil leaves and dill, reserving a small handful of each, and mix well again to combine.

Ladle the salad into a large flat serving platter. Sprinkle with reserved grilled peaches, hazelnuts, basil and dill.

Crystal said: Grilling the peaches concentrates the sweet flavors and the light char adds a nice smoke.

Olly Smith’s food and wine pairing: fruity beauty

Extra Special Rueda 2022 (13%), £6, Asda

A beautiful white wine that is an excellent bargain. Possessing a wonderfully fruity purity, it’s as polished and shiny as a star – and delicious to serve with that summer-scented salad.

ASIAN COLESLAW WITH PEANUT DRESSING

Serves 4-6 Preparation 15 minutes

• 250 g (9 oz) pink radishes, thinly sliced
• Juice of 1¼ lime
• ¼ medium white cabbage (215g/7½oz), thinly sliced
• ¼ medium red cabbage (215g/7½oz), thinly sliced
• 4 small or 2 large carrots (6 oz/170 g), cut into thin matchsticks
• 150 g (5½ oz) sugar snap peas, thinly sliced ​​diagonally
• 5 spring onions, thinly sliced ​​into matchsticks
• A bunch of fresh cilantro, a few leaves reserved for garnish, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• For dressing
• Juice of 1¼ lime
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• A pinch of fine sea salt

First, pickle the radishes. Place the pink radish slices in a small bowl and cover with the lime juice, then set aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.

Place the white cabbage in a large bowl with the red cabbage. Add the carrots – they can be prepared using a julienne peeler, spiralizer or a sharp knife – to the bowl along with the sliced ​​snow peas, sliced ​​spring onions and finely chopped cilantro chopped. Use two large spoons to toss everything together until the salad is well blended.

Now prepare the dressing. Put the lime juice, sesame oil, maple syrup, peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, garlic powder, soy sauce, black pepper and sea salt in a jar, close the lid tightly and shake it well until everything is mixed. Pour the dressing over the whole salad and mix well. Add the radishes and the marinade juice and mix well.

Place a dry skillet over low heat and toast the sesame seeds for about 5 minutes, until nutty and fragrant. Garnish the salad with the sesame seeds and reserved cilantro leaves and serve.

Olly’s Wine Pairing: Superb with coleslaw

Vista Castelli Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2022 (11.5%) £4.25, Tesco

A white wine bargain offering simple lemony refreshment, this Italian bargain is a sensational accompaniment to crisp coleslaw.

GRILLED CORN SALSA

Serves 4-6 Preparation 10 minutes Cook 10 minutes

• 2 small red onions, finely chopped
• Juice of 2 limes (juiced separately), plus additional lime wedges, for serving
• 1 tablespoon avocado or canola oil
• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) canned sweetcorn, drained (or 6 ears of corn – see tip, box on right)
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 20 slices of red or green jalapeño, from a jar, finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon of regular paprika
• 200g (7oz) feta cheese
• A large bunch of fresh cilantro, finely chopped (including stems)

Place the onions in a small bowl and cover with the juice of 1 of the limes. Crumple it with your hands to help the onions marinate faster, then set it aside.

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the sweetcorn and salt and sauté for 7-10 minutes, until the corn is lightly charred. Remove from heat and let cool.

Once the corn has cooled, place it in a large bowl, along with the diced jalapeños, smoked paprika, and regular paprika, and toss well to combine.

Crumble the feta into the corn mixture and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Add the pickled red onions, including the marinade juices, and the juice of the other lime. Mix everything well and serve with the extra lime wedges.

Cristelle says: Brush corn on the cob with oil, grill for 12 minutes, until charred and tender, cool, then chop kernels.

Olly Wine Pairing: Smoky Sensation

Cape Point Sauvignon Sémillon Fairtrade 2022 (12.5%) £7, Co-op

Punchy and tangy with a hint of smoke, it’s good enough to rival a much more expensive Pouilly-Fumé.

GREEN BEANS WITH GARLIC AND CRISPY CHICKPEAS

serves 4 Preparation 10 minutes Cook 30 minutes

For the crispy chickpeas

• 1 can (400g) chickpeas, drained and patted dry with paper towel
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons sesame seeds

For the green beans

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 300 g (10½ oz) green beans, cut in thirds
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 3 tsp maple syrup
• Juice of ¼ lemon

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan oven/gas 7. Place the chickpeas in a large roasting tin and add the olive oil, garlic powder, paprika, sea salt, black pepper and sesame seeds. Use your hands to toss everything together, making sure each chickpea is coated in the spicy oil.

Roast for 30 minutes, rotating the tray and tossing the chickpeas halfway through cooking. They should be golden and crispy.

Meanwhile, prepare the green beans. Melt the coconut oil in a wok over medium heat. Add beans and red onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until onion has softened. Add the garlic, chili flakes, salt and pepper and sauté for another 10 minutes.

Drizzle with sesame oil, maple syrup and lemon juice. Give everything one last swipe to combine. Finally, stir in the crispy chickpeas and serve immediately.

Crystal said: You can prepare the Crispy Chickpeas ahead of time – store in an airtight container and add just before serving.

Olly’s Wine Pairing: Brilliant with Beans

Babylonstoren Mourvèdre Rosé 2023 (13%), £16.75, thenewtinsomerset.com

A splashy treat filled with the finesse of tangy summer red fruits, this is an elegant glass of a gorgeous pale pink to serve with your garlicky green beans.

• Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists by Crystelle Pereira. Published by Kyle Books, £22. To order a copy for £19.80, go to mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £25. Promotional price valid until 06/17/2023.