So, I have now made the third salad from Afro Vegan. Avocado Plantain Salad. It’s different! I am not sure that I got it right…

However like all of these salads they have been a real pleasure to make and I have learnt some new cooking techniques. I’ve never sauted plantain before, let alone with red peppers. So I might try that again (I have a bowl full of plantains to use up now).

We don’t really eat cauliflower but at least now I know at least one interesting way to prepare it, if I ever find myself buying it again. However it seems unlikely, Ignacio (my husband) does not like them. In fact, so strong is his dislike, he removed them from his plate – which surprised me! I should have know though.

I ate the leftovers for my lunch this Thursday. Eaten the next day it was still nice and filled a very hungry post-clinic stomach! If I am being totally honest, for me this salad wasn’t as tasty as the other two (Plantain Imoyo Salad and Mango Salad). Maybe it was the way I constructed it, I am not sure but for me it did not have the ‘wow!’ factor. You live and you certainly learn…

Ingredients

1 red onion, finely sliced

1 lime, juiced

pinch of fine salt

200g/7oz cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 1/2 tsp vegetable oil

2 yellow plantains

1 medium red pepper, cut into 2cm/ 3/4 in dice

2 medium avocados, peeled, de-stoned and cut into chunks

large handful of fresh coriander, leaves picked and roughly chopped

Methods

• Preheat the oven to 200 oC/400 oF (180 oC/350 oF fan). Mix the onion and lime juice in a small bowl, add the pinch of salt and set aside to pickle.
• Tip the cauliflower onto a baking tray, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, season and toss to combine. Roast for 20 minutes until tender, stirring halfway through, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, top and tail the plantain, then slice in half lengthways and peel. Cut the flesh into 2 – 21/2 cm – 3/4 in pieces.
• Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add your plantain and red pepper to the pan, and saute for 10 minutes, or until the plantains are deep caramel in colour and the peppers are tender. Season and set aside.
• When everything’s ready, bring together the plantain, red pepper, roasted cauliflower and avocado in a large bowl. Top with coriander and pickled red onion and toss to combine.
• Serve fresh.

Reference: Afro Vegan, Family recipes from a British-Nigerian Kitchen, Zoe Alakija, page 73