A fresh spin on salads: Salmon, citrus kale and black rice salad 

You can adapt the vegetables in this salad according to what you have in the fridge: cucumber, spring onion and steamed broccoli all work well.

SERVES 2

100g uncooked black rice (or about 200g cooked black rice)

100g frozen edamame beans

30g kale, thick stems removed (keep the stems to chop into stews or blend into smoothies)

juice of 1 tangerine or mandarin

2 tsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp soy sauce

½ avocado, diced

100g raw, sliced sushi-grade salmon (see tip)

CRISPY SHALLOTS

90ml sunflower oil

2 banana shallots, halved and quite thinly sliced

• Put the rice in a large saucepan and cover with triple the volume of water. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 40-45 minutes (top up with water if necessary) until tender; drain and spread out on a plate to cool.
• In a separate pan of boiling water, simmer the edamame for 3-4 minutes, or until they’re all floating on the surface; drain, rinse under the cold tap and set aside.
• Meanwhile, tear the kale leaves into bitesized pieces. Place them in a mixing bowl, add half the tangerine juice and massage the leaves to soften them. Set aside.
• Put the remaining tangerine juice in a jar with the sesame oil and soy sauce. Seal with a lid and shake to make a dressing.
• To make the crispy shallots, place the oil and shallots in a cold saucepan, set over a medium-low heat and sprinkle with salt. The aim is to cook them slowly until they crisp up and turn a medium golden colour; this should take 10-15 minutes. Drain through a sieve, reserving the oil for dressings and marinades, then transfer the shallots to a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.
• Toss the cooled rice with the kale and divide between two plates. Spoon a little dressing over each. Scatter over the edamame and avocado, then arrange the salmon on top. Spoon over the rest of the dressing, then scatter with the crispy shallots to serve.

TIP You can buy sushi-grade salmon from Japanese supermarkets or online. Alternatively use smoked salmon (try thicker-cut tsar fillets), cooked king prawns or fresh white crab meat.