The Super 8 Salad Recipe from Chef Igor Cikarev from the gibson hotel

With the GAA Super 8 games in full swing, the gibson hotel’s executive head chef, Igor Cikarev, has been inspired to create a new delicious dish, the Super 8 Salad.

This salad recipe is quick and easy to make, so you won’t have to take your eye off the ball for long! Packed with goodness, this high fibre, high protein, plant-based salad, is loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and perfect for a light summer evening meal or as a tasty accompaniment to a summer barbeque.

To create this scrumptious salad at home, simply follow the recipe below.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Quinoa
– 50g of quinoa
– 250ml of vegetable stock
– 1 tbsp of pomegranate seeds
– 1/2 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
– 1 tsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
– 11/2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
– 1/2 tbsp of lemon vinegar
– ¼ tea spoon salt
– Freshly ground black pepper

Fennel
– 1 fennel bulb, cut into eighths
– 20ml of orange juice
– 1 pinch of saffron

Tahini Dressing
– 1/2 tbsp of tahini
– 100ml of lemon juice
– 25ml of olive oil

To finish
– 1 tsp pine nuts
– 1 pinch of salt
– 6 orange segments
– Nasturtium leaves
– Coriander cress

Method:

1. Preheat a saucepan of water to 85°C
2. Add the quinoa and vegetable stock to a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked through but retains a bit of bite. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Next, prepare the fennel by placing it into in a vacuum bag. Add the orange juice and saffron. Seal the bag and place in the another preheated saucepan with water for 20 minutes
4. Then, put a frying pan over a high heat, remove the cooked fennel from the bag and add to the hot pan. Sear the fennel until coloured on all sides, then remove from the heat and mix together with the cooked quinoa. Stir through the pomegranate seeds, toasted sesame seeds and chopped coriander and mix together until combined.
5. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil and lemon vinegar to make a lemon dressing. Stir a little into the quinoa and season with salt and pepper. Add more dressing to taste if required
6. Lastly, place a frying pan over a low heat and add the pine nuts, toasting gently until evenly coloured. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt and toss rigorously in the pan to combine. Tip the toasted pine nuts onto a small plate to cool slightly before adding to the salad.
7. To serve, divide the fennel and quinoa salad between serving plates, topping each portion with a sprinkling of the toasted pine nuts. Arrange the orange segments on top of the salad and garnish with the nasturtium leaves and coriander cress. Whisk together the tahini, lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl and drizzle over to finish.

Note: Combining fresh fennel with the cooked quinoa, the Super 8 Salad is complimented by the sweetness of pomegranate and zesty orange segments. The tahini dressing and toasted sesame seeds enrich the flavour and texture of the salad.

RECIPE BY CHEF IGOR CIKAREV AT the gibson hotel

Igor Cikarev is the executive head chef at the gibson hotel.