Watercress, pickled peach & fennel salad with lemon dressing

with pomegranate and almonds (vegan friendly)

Prep time: 40 minutes plus half an hour cooling time Cooking time: 10 minutes Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 x 85g bag watercress

• 2 x peaches

• ½ a head fennel

• 50g almonds, toasted and roughly chopped

• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

• Vegetable oil

For the pickle:

• 50g caster sugar

• 100ml white wine vinegar

• Pinch coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed

• 1 star anise

For the dressing:

• 50ml extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tsp chopped tarragon (or substitute for 1 tsp dried)

• ½ tsp lemon zest

• Squeeze lemon juice

• Salt

Method

First make your pickle by adding the sugar, vinegar, coriander and star anise in a pan and bringing to the boil along with a pinch of salt. Set aside and allow to cool.

Halve the peaches and cut them into wedges. Take a char-grill pan and place it on a high heat. Brush the peach segments with oil, then cook in the char-grill pan for a minute or so, turning once, until lightly charred on both sides. Place the peaches into the cooled pickling liquor and leave to pickle for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Make the dressing by whisking together the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil and tarragon. Season to taste, adding more lemon juice if required

Trim the fennel, finely slice, and add into a large bowl. Remove the peached from their liquid and add into the bowl along with the watercress. Drizzle with the tarragon dressing then toss to coat.

Arrange the dressed salad on two plates, then scatter over the almonds and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.