California, the kingdom of masses and infinite opportunities, had me hooked on the age of eight. It changed into 1977, Elvis had just died, and I landed there with my family to stay for a year. In evaluation to our dusty nook of the Middle East, the land of warm puppies, countless seafood, Taco Bell, Flintstones-shaped vitamins, multi-channel color TV and large Cadillacs had a dizzying impact on my younger thoughts. Decades on, I still adore California for its abundance and irreverence, for its wealthy cultural blend and for its potential to excite and give delight.
Cobb salad with mango and lime dressing (pictured above)
Cobb salad is (nearly) as American as apple pie, and is all about the shameless show of abundance (for this reason the even longer-than-traditional ingredients list here). Pick and choose from my selection, and upload some of your own, as long as you maintain to the spirit of lots and amusing.
Prep 35 min
Cook forty min
Serves four
6 slices prosciutto
2 large eggs
60ml olive oil
350g asparagus, woody ends trimmed and discarded, spears cut widthways into 3
Salt and black pepper
2 corn cobs, kernels shaved off
350g greater-massive, sustainably sourced shelled king prawns, veins eliminated and patted dry
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
200g datterini tomatoes (or infant plum tomatoes), halved
1 huge head iceberg lettuce, cut into bite-sized portions
15g coriander leaves picked with some stem connected
1 massive avocado, stoned, peeled and reduce into skinny slices
1 small purple onion, peeled and sliced into thin rounds (use a mandoline, preferably)
½ lime
For the dressing
200g ripe mango chunks (ie, from 1-2 mangoes)
75ml sparkling lime juice (ie, from three-four limes)
60ml olive oil
2 anchovy fillets, drained and more or less chopped
1½ tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 purple chili, deseeded and finely chopped
Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/fuel 5. Lay the prosciutto on a large oven tray covered with greaseproof paper and roast for 15 mins, or until it’s far starting to crisp up, then go away to chill absolutely.
Meanwhile, boil the eggs in boiling water for seven minutes, then drain and run under the cold faucet until cool. Peel and cut every egg into 4 wedges, sprinkle gently with salt and pepper, and set apart.
Now for the dressing: place the mango, lime juice, oil and anchovies in a blender and blitz easy. Transfer to a bowl and stir within the coriander, chili, a third of a teaspoon of salt and a very good grind of pepper.
Put a teaspoon and a half of-oil in a huge saute pan on a medium-excessive warmness. Once warm, upload the asparagus, 1 / 4-teaspoon of salt and an amazing grind of pepper, and prepare dinner for four mins, turning a couple of instances, till softened and charred, then transfer to a plate.
Pour every other tablespoon of oil into the identical pan, upload the corn kernels, 1 / 4-teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, and cook, stirring sometimes, till softened and charred in places – about four mins – then transfer to a bowl. Pour some other tablespoon of oil into the pan, turn the heat to excessive and, once it’s particularly warm, upload 1/2 the prawns, half of the garlic, 1 / 4-teaspoon of salt and an amazing grind of pepper, and cook dinner, turning every now and then, for three minutes, until just cooked via and browned. Transfer to a separate bowl and repeat with the final prawns and garlic.
In a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with a pinch of salt and pepper and a teaspoon and a half of oil.
In a huge bowl, toss the lettuce, coriander, a third of the dressing, 1 / 4-teaspoon of salt and a great grind of pepper. Spread out on a large platter. Top the lettuce with separate piles of tomato, avocado, onion, corn, asparagus, eggs, prosciutto, and prawns. Squeeze the half-lime over the entirety, drizzle half of the closing dressing on pinnacle and serve the rest alongside.
Steak and cheese tacos with jalapeño and orange
