Red Cabbage, Walnut and Pear Salad

Method

1. Place the raisins in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Place the dates in a separate bowl, cover with boiling water and set aside.
2. Remove the tough outer leaves from the cabbage half and cut in half through the stalk. Cut out the core from each of the two sections and then shred each piece finely along the short length.
3. Top and tail the spring onion and shred thinly. Chop the celery into half inch pieces.
4. Wash the coriander and chop leaves and stalk leaving a few whole leaves to decorate.
5. Roughly chop the walnut halves, again, leaving a few whole to decorate.
6. In a large bowl combine the cabbage, walnuts and celery.
7. To make the sauce, drain, stone and finely chop the softened dates. Mix in a blow along with the walnut oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and seasoning.
8. Grind the caraway seeds using a pestle and mortar or spice grinder and stir into the sauce.
9. Core the pear and cut into slices or small chunks. If you aren’t going to serve the salad straight away then you can use a little lime or lemon juice to stop the pear from browning.
10. To serve, drain the raisins. Pile the cabbage mixture onto a serving platter and scatter over the raisins and coriander. Arrange the pear on top and spoon over the date and balsamic sauce.