Autumn Salad – Zingy Lime, Mackerel, Pear and Lentil
This week in our part of the UK it has still been wild and windy with gusts blowing up to 60mph. Our house is two streets in from the seashore so we seem to escape the worst of it and our beach hut is safely stored away until Spring so we don’t have to worry there.
I planned to be all creative with leaves from the garden this week for Little Green Shed’s Nature in the Home link up but seeing as I lost pretty much most all of them in the winds I had to rethink. So I’ve kept it simple – one cut flower in an attempt to be highly stylistic. However, I think I failed.
We’ve recently had our bathrooms done and in our main bathroom we’ve gone all dark and moody with all white furniture and tiles and the darkest of dark grey walls (will show in a later post). The dark grey walls make the perfect backdrop for photo-taking even if not the best setting! I love how pretty much anything placed in front of the grey looks knockout. So, I placed a hydrangea flower in a green glass jug in a corner of the bathroom, took a photo and forgot about it. Later than evening our darling youngest son came downstairs and asked if we had anyone important coming round? No why? Just asking, as we’ve got a vase of flowers in the loo. Apparently in the eyes of a 14 year old young man – this is the height of sophistication.
After a week full of hearty stews and thick nourishing soups to warm us up against the battering winds, I have felt a tad overindulged so this light but still filling salad was most welcome. The zesty flavours of the lime cuts through the rich oily mackerel and the earthy tones of the lentils remind you it’s autumn and cold; so very cold.
Zingy Lime, Mackerel, Pear and Lentil Salad
(makes 2)
1 bunch of watercress
3 spring onions, finely sliced
150g puy lentils, cooked (I cheated and used ready made)
200g or so perhaps less cooked Smoked Mackerel fillets
1 large pear
Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 scant teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons runny honey
Zest and juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
To make the dressing simply mix all together and set aside while you make the salad.
Divide the watercress between the two plates and then sprinkle over the spring onion. Remove the skin from the cooked mackerel fillets and scatter over the watercress along with the cooked lentils. Thinly slice the pear and arrange over the top.
Pour over dressing and eat straightaway. Serve with bread if you feel the need but definitely a glass of chilled white wine.
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