When I first set out to whip up a classic caesar salad, I decided to shake things up a bit. What if I swapped out the anchovies for chorizo and created a zesty coriander-pesto mayo instead of the usual dressing? Pretty soon, my humble side salad transformed into a hearty main course, far from its original roots. If you’d like a vegetarian version, simply use vegetarian parmesan and substitute the chorizo with a generous spoonful of smoked paprika and a pinch of sea salt flakes for that same smoky depth.
Crispy Butter Bean, Chorizo & Cos Salad with Coriander
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
50ml olive oil, plus 1 tbsp for roasting
100g chorizo, cut into 1cm cubes
400g tin butter beans, drained and rinsed
150g Tenderstem broccoli, chopped into 1cm pieces
50g fresh coriander, including leaves and stems
20g parmesan (or vegetarian parmesan)
25g pumpkin seeds
1 egg yolk
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp salt
2 little gem lettuce, roughly shredded
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Toss the chorizo and butter beans with one tablespoon of olive oil on a shallow tray, then roast for 20–25 minutes until the beans are golden and crisp.
2. While those roast, blanch the Tenderstem broccoli in a bowl of just-boiled water for two minutes, then drain thoroughly.
3. To make the dressing, combine coriander, parmesan, pumpkin seeds, 50ml olive oil, egg yolk, lemon juice, and salt in a blender. Blitz until you have a smooth, slightly textured, pale-green sauce—almost as thick as mayo. Taste and tweak the seasoning if needed.
4. When ready to serve, toss the shredded lettuce and broccoli with a third of the dressing in a large bowl. Divide between two plates, drizzle over the rest of the dressing, then top everything with the crispy butter beans and chorizo. Enjoy straight away.
