Supper Salad With Dorset Blue Vinny
So called because the croutons and blue cheese make this summery dish more of a main course than a side-salad! Serves 4.
Method
To make the dressing, put the vinegar in a mixing jug or bowl, crush in the garlic and add the mustard and honey. Whisk in the oil a little at a time until well blended, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Next, rip the bread into approximately 1.5cm pieces, then place a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a good splash of oil. When the oil is hot, add the bread pieces and cook, turning every so often until the bread is golden and crisp all over (you may need to work in batches, adding a little more oil as you go). Transfer the cooked croutons to a plate lined with kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt, then set aside to cool.
Wash the radishes and the celery. Top and tail the radishes and the celery sticks (save any nice-looking celery leaves for garnishing later), then slice them thinly and put the slices into a large salad bowl. Wash the rocket and the salad leaves, then shake off any excess water (or use a salad spinner) and add the leaves to the salad bowl. Give the dressing a quick stir-through, then add half of it to the bowl and toss everything together gently, ensuring everything is well coated. Put all the croutons into the bowl and crumble over half of the cheese, then toss again, adding a little drizzle more of the dressing. To finish, roughly chop or tear the parsley and celery leaves and scatter them over the top of the salad; crumble over the rest of the cheese, then serve, with the remaining dressing alongside.