Lotus salad

Years ago, my cousin part-owned a funky café-gallery called The Whip, in what was then a pretty scruffy part of east Vancouver.

The first time I ate there, I ordered the intriguingly named lotus salad – baby spinach tossed with blue cheese, dried cranberries and sunflower seeds, drizzled in a blackberry vinaigrette.

It was love at first bite, and I’ve been making my own version ever since.

It’s important to toss the salad ingredients then drizzle the dressing over the top. (Once that blackberry vinaigrette spreads round, it’s not the prettiest sight.)

Lotus salad
(serves 4)

For the blackberry vinaigrette:

• 1 cup fresh blackberries
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 1 Tb rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar (or to taste)
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3 Tb sunflower oil

For the lotus salad:

• 300g baby spinach, washed and patted dry
• ½ a small red onion, sliced in thin half moons
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds, toasted
• ½ cup blue cheese, crumbled

1. In a mini chopper, blend together the blackberries, shallot, rice vinegar, sugar, salt and mustard.
2. Add the sunflower oil, and blend again until it comes together as a dressing.
3. Toss the spinach with the onion, cranberries, sunflower seeds and blue cheese.
4. Drizzle the blackberry vinaigrette on top, and serve with extra on the side.

Tags: blackberries, blue cheese, gluten-free, North American food, spinach, vegetarian