New York Salad (Sandwich)

This is meant to be a salad, but I can see that the boy is looking at this as the perfect sandwich filling. It’s a New York recipe which will only increase the attraction for him.

6 marinated artichoke hearts (in jars), drained & sliced

½ small fennel bulb, chopped quite small

1 stalk celery chopped

5tbsp olive oil

1 bunch rocket, torn

1 small head radicchio, torn

55g parmesan shavings

2tbsp balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper

Hardly a recipe – mix everything. Delight the boy by stuffing the mix into buttered baguettes with thick slices of Wiltshire or York ham. A little of the oil from the artichoke jar is going to replace a tablespoon of the olive oil in this version. We don’t have baguettes, but those big Turkish loaves that are about an inch and a half thick and a foot long. I always pick out the ones with sesame seeds on them. Like my Mum I have a real preference for slightly burned bread. The boy never seems to notice this

.I do like that we can get these all from our local Turkish grocer, rather than the supermarket and that the boy brings jute bags so we never use plastic. Notice that he always picks up a bar of the pistachio chocolate at the counter.

So, mix everything in a bowl and if you're not serving this as a salad, stuff it in the bread. The boy will be overjoyed. Serve with watercress and radishes. I think something sharp and crisp would work best. Feel good about letting him get away with a sandwich meal and getting so many good things into it at the same time.