I first tasted this salad at a restaurant years ago and immediately fell in love with it. Originating in Valencia, this is a regional Spanish dish that didn’t travel far beyond its home. Traditionally it uses eel, which is hard to find outside the region because eels must be sold alive—the meat deteriorates quickly. When prepared by a fishmonger, the pieces are often left connected by a thin strip of skin that holds them together; during cooking the skin will split when the fish is perfectly done. If eel is unavailable, you can substitute other firm white-fleshed fish such as monkfish, hake, or conger.
INGREDIENTS
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200 g watercress or lamb’s lettuce
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1 small punnet raspberries (about 150 g)
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2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 morcilla de Burgos (blood sausage), sliced into 1-cm rounds
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200 g soft goat’s cheese, sliced into 1-cm rounds
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For the dressing
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1 teaspoon honey
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3 tablespoons olive oil
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1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
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Rinse the watercress or lamb’s lettuce and spin or pat it dry. Place in a large bowl and gently toss with the raspberries and toasted pine nuts.
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Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the goat’s cheese rounds on one side only until they develop a golden crust—this should take a couple of minutes. Remove the cheese and set aside on a plate lined with kitchen paper.
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In the same pan, fry the morcilla slices for about 2 minutes on each side until warmed through and lightly crisped. Transfer them to the paper towel to drain. Arrange the warm goat’s cheese and morcilla on top of the salad.
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Make the dressing by whisking together the honey, olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, and pepper. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake vigorously until emulsified.
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Dress the salad just before serving and toss gently to coat. Serve immediately so the warm cheese and morcilla contrast with the cool greens and juicy raspberries.
This salad balances sweet, savory, and tangy flavors with a variety of textures: creamy goat’s cheese, rich morcilla, crisp watercress, and delicate raspberries. It works well as a starter or a light main course and can be adapted with different nuts, seasonal berries, or alternative soft cheeses to suit your taste.