Ghana Salad

iNGREDIENTS

200 g whole fresh sardines, scaled, gutted and washed, or substitute canned

200 g fresh tuna steaks, or substitute canned

1 round iceberg lettuce, shredded

4 tomatoes, deseeded and sliced

2 red onions, finely sliced

175 g green beans, topped and tailed, sliced and steamed, then chilled

100 g fresh garden peas, lightly blanched, then drained and chilled

200 g drained good-quality canned organic cannellini beans, chilled

150 g smoked salmon, cut into strips or

150 g substitute flaked canned salmon

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper

4 -6 large eggs, soft-boiled, shelled and quartered

salad cream or mayonnaise, to taste

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the grill to medium. Place the sardines and tuna steak on the grill rack and grill for 10 - 15 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking time. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge before adding to the salad.

Place the lettuce, tomatoes and onions in a large bowl, then add the green beans, peas, cannellini beans and smoked salmon.

Flake the grilled tuna and add to the salad, season with the sea salt and black pepper and mix together carefully. Add the grilled sardines and garnish with the soft-boiled egg quarters. Cover and chill before serving. When ready to serve, dress with salad cream or mayonnaise to taste and serve with warm toasted baguette, ciabatta or hard dough bread.

Tips: I used to drown my Ghana Salad in salad cream – guilty pleasures – but if you want a healthier option, make a vinaigrette of 3 parts olive oil to 1 part balsamic vinegar and season with sea salt and black pepper, then add to the salad before serving. Hard dough bread (also known as 'butter bread') is a white loaf that is slightly sweet. It can be bought sliced or unsliced.