Nashi, Radish, Ginger and Cashews - Chef Recipe by Peter Gordon

Ingredients

1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 spring onion (scallion), thinly sliced
4 Tbs tahini
2 Tbs pomegranate molasses
1 Tbs finely chopped or grated ginger
2 Tbs sunflower oil
2 nashi pears (or use 3 apples)
3 celery stalks from the inside of the head, thinly sliced, plus any good-looking young leaves
1 handful baby radishes (or use 8 larger ones, quartered)

Cashews:

100 g (3 1/2 oz./ 2/3 cup) cashews (untoasted)
1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)
1 Tbs sugar (any type will work)
1 tsp coriander seeds

Method

Cashews:

Put them in a medium saucepan with the chilli flakes, sugar, 400 ml (1 cups) of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle boil and cook for 15 minutes. Don’t let the liquid drop below the level of the nuts. If it does, top up with boiling water. Leave to cool in the pan, then drain in a colander and leave for 15 minutes. Tip into a baking dish lined with baking parchment and leave at room temperature overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F/Gas mark 3) and bake the cashews until golden, about 45 minutes. Add the coriander seeds and cook until they’re aromatic, about 5 minutes. Take from the oven and leave to cool. (Alternatively, you can deep-fry them, see pages 14–16.) Pound in a mortar and pestle to roughly smash them up. They can be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Place the red onion in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of fine salt. Firmly rub the salt into the onion, then leave at room temperature for 20 minutes. Rinse in a sieve under cold water and drain. Rinse the spring onion (scallion) in a sieve under gently running cold water for a minute, then drain.

Stir the tahini with 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) of cold water until emulsified. Mix in the pomegranate molasses, ginger and sunflower oil. Season with salt to taste. Cut the nashi into quarters, remove the core, then cut into fat batons, or slice 3 mm (1/8 in.) thick, and put in a bowl. Add the celery, celery leaves, red onion, spring onion (scallion), half the cashews and the dressing. Toss everything together, then sprinkle with the remaining cashews and the radishes.

Credits: Recipe and Images from Savour by Peter Gordon (Jacqui Small) $49.99

Photo Credits: Recipe and Images from Savour by Peter Gordon (Jacqui Small) $49.99