Ambrosia Salad

Now I’m a big fan of salads. Do not underestimate the power of the simple salad, with ingredients that compliment and explode each others flavours in what can only be described as a heavenly lunch, or the most wonderful side salad for a big dinner, whether it be grilled fish, roast beef or a spinach pie! Ambrosia is the word the ancient Greeks used for the “food of the gods” and Homer wrote that Ambrosia was brought to Olympus by doves. He also wrote that it was accompanied by nectar (the “drink of the gods”) but I think a glass of extremely cold white wine would probably suffice.

We were at our local markets, and along with a beautiful Pomegranate, the gods on high (ie Zeus, Hermes and so forth) also presented us with opportunities to buy the most beautiful looking mixed salad leaf (anything which has those baby-beetroot-like leaves – I can’t resist..) Naturally my head was already way ahead of my shopping basket – I knew what this was going to be. There is something awe-some (yes I mean that as in, it brings awe, not like a teenager in a backwards cap says it) about using the beautiful ruby seeds from that prince among fruits the Pomegranate as part of a savoury meal. If you have never tried it, trust me, Zeus will protect you, do not be afraid.

Please, please, please do not go and buy the mixed salad leaves from the supermarket, in those soggy and flavourless plastic bags. Please go somewhere where you know at least, that there is a possibility this lettuce leaf came from the ground in the last 2 months.

Please, please, please, make sure your Pomegranate is not too blemished, and not too small. That it smells nice and is firm. I don’t want your first foray into the world of Pomegranates to be hindered by a bad piece of fruit.

Please, please, please eat this with some hot-from-the-oven crusty bread, covered with butter, that you can mop the juices up with. The combination of sweet, creamy, crunchy and sour really is heaven on earth.

And, it’s pretty. Now I’m not one to get sentimental about this sort of thing, but come on – a little pretty-ness never hurts!

Ambrosia Salad

1/2 Large Pomegranate

150g Mixed Greens

125g Goats Cheese (can be Feta)

1/2 Lemon

1/2 Red Onion

Salt, Pepper

Good Quality Olive Oil and Balsamic

Slice onion as thin as humanly possible, on the board, squeeze the lemon over it and season heavily with salt. Rub into the onion, this will slightly pickle the onion, take away its onion-iness and leave sweet and sour notes. Extract Pomegranate seeds (squeeze like a lemon over a bowl, turn over and whack with a wooden spoon on the back of it til the seeds fall out, if all else fails get your fingers in there) – put to one side. Arrange salad leaves on a large plate, add onion and pomegranate seeds. Break over goats cheese. Dress liberally with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (approx, 2/3) and Balsamic (approx 1/3). Serve with crusty bread and a glass of white wine.

Serves 2 for lunch – 6 as a side salad.

I’m not a religious person, to put it midly, – but sometimes a little inspiration from Olympus is just what you need!