'A New Way to Food' cookbook: Recipes from plantain tacos to spring roll salad

The magic of this week-night meal is the mix of sweet plantain with savoury cauliflower – it’s a fabulous combination. With the creamy avocado and bright, tangy pesto dressing, the entire taco is a real winner. Don’t let the fact that I use two baking sheets to roast the veg stop you from giving this recipe a try. If you want, use one very large sheet and keep the vegetables separated so you can scoop either one off the sheet easily the moment it’s ready.

Instead of cauliflower, you may opt for broccoli or even thickly sliced cabbage wedges – just slice the core of the cabbage out after it roasts and before you assemble the tacos. Plantains are starchy and slightly sweet, which I likely adore because they were the early morning breakfast candy of my childhood. But if you don’t want to mess with them for any reason, a white yam works beautifully too. It delivers the same texture and taste sensation.

Buy an avocado about two days in advance so it ripens in time. If you opt to buy versus make your tortillas, please scrutinise the ingredients on your tortilla packaging. Most tortillas sold everywhere contain sugar. Search for an all-natural version that only uses corn, water, and lime. Save your sugar for dessert.

Serves 2

1 small head cauliflower, broken into small florets 
2tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼tsp smoked paprika
½tsp sea salt, divided
1 large ripe plantain or 1 small white yam, peeled and sliced into coins
4 tortillas, homemade or any natural, sugar-free corn tortillas
¾ cup, lemony pesto dressing (see below)
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
1 small bunch coriander (about 10 sprigs), stems cut and discarded (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

On one baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 1tbsp of the oil, the smoked paprika, and ¼tsp of the salt. On the other baking sheet, toss the plantain with the remaining 1tbsp of oil and the remaining ¼tsp of salt. Make sure everything is well coated. Roast both baking sheets for about 20 minutes, until the veg is fork tender and begins to pick up a little golden colour.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook each tortilla for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side. Store within a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.

To serve, divide the veg between the tortillas. Drizzle 1-2tbsp of dressing on each pile of veg and garnish with avocado and cilantro leaves, if desired. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to three days, assembling meals as needed.

This dressing is incredibly versatile, so much so that I often double it to use all week. Pour it over everything – a bowl of beans, a pile of pasta, a slab of roasted squash or fish. And if you add a bit more oil and water, it loosens up into a lovely salad dressing.

Makes about ¾ cup

1 small bunch coriander (about 8 sprigs), stems cut and discarded, plus extra for garnish
1 large bunch basil (about 12 sprigs), stems cut and discarded
2 small garlic cloves, peeled
4tbsp lemon juice (from about 2 medium lemons)
3tbsp water
½ cup of extra-virgin olive oil
½tsp fine sea salt

Add the coriander leaves, basil leaves, garlic, lemon juice, water, oil and salt to a powerful blender. Blend until pureed, vivid green, tasty and bright. Adjust the salt to your taste. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

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Don’t let the light nature of this dish fool you. This spring dinner salad is hearty and filling. The salmon offers a satisfying richness; the couscous adds heft; and the creamy dressed vegetables feel indulgent but aren’t in the least. If you are using a very thin piece of salmon, check it early and often so it doesn’t overcook. As a little surprise, I tuck strawberries between each of these elements to add a sweet, tangy pop.

This recipe does have multiple steps so make sure you have the time to bring the final dish to life. But once made by your hand, tossed and tucked together, this salad will serve 4 as a cool dinner and even more when placed on a brunch buffet or added to a multi-course lunch.

Serves 4 to 6

1lb salmon fillet (about 1in thick), pin bones removed
1tsp sea salt, divided, plus more for serving
12 twists of freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving
2tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 limes, halved
1 cup pearl couscous
1¼ cups (300ml) water
Herby yoghurt dressing (see below)
⅓ small head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large fennel bulb, core and fronds removed, thinly sliced (reserve a few fennel fronds for garnish)
2 cups strawberries, washed and quartered 

Herby yoghurt dressing

4½oz unsweetened, plain plant-based yoghurt 
½ cup (120ml) extra-virgin olive oil
4tbsp lime juice (from about 2 limes)
4tsp light honey, like clover
½tsp sea salt
24 twists of freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch chives (about 20 sprigs), any dry tips removed, finely diced#>

Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the salmon, skin side down on the parchment. Sprinkle with ½tsp of the salt and the black pepper. Drizzle the oil over the salmon. Roast in the preheated oven for 12-18 minutes (longer for thicker salmon), until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the fish registers about 115-120F (46-49C). I check for doneness at 12 minutes and every few minutes thereafter. Remove the fish from the oven and tent a piece of foil over the salmon until ready to serve, giving it at least 5 minutes to come to medium rare or 125F (52C).

While the salmon roasts, toast the couscous until it browns on most sides in a medium pot set over medium-high heat. Stir or swirl the pot frequently to ensure even browning. This should take 6 to 7 minutes, but watch carefully so it doesn’t burn. Once golden brown, pull the pot off the heat and carefully add the water and the remaining ½tsp of sea salt – be careful, it may splash up a little. Stir until combined and return to medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium low. Cover and allow to cook until all the water has been absorbed and the couscous is light and fluffy and just a touch al dente, about 7 minutes. Check it once or twice to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and let the couscous cool before handling. My faster cooling method is to spread it on a large plate or baking sheet, with a touch of olive oil to prevent clumping, and let it rest away from the stove.

Make the dressing. Add the yoghurt, oil, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper to a medium size bowl. Whisk together until fully emulsified. Stir in the chives. Chill until ready to use.

On a large platter, toss together the cooled couscous, cabbage, and fennel with two-thirds of the dressing until everything is well coated. Add the strawberries to the salad and gently (with your hands) tuck them in and around the veg to get touched with the dressing – be gentle, as they may get mushy or moist if handled too roughly. Break up the salmon with a fork or your fingers and place small 2in chunks across the veg. Drizzle with the remaining dressing. Sprinkle with extra salt and pepper. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve.

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This raw tangle of vegetables, noodles, and a barely-there dressing is my upgrade on a fresh spring roll but in salad format. The only work is getting the ingredients prepped and in their place before tossing everything together; you’ll end up with about a pound of prepared vegetables. This dressing recipe is best made in a powerful blender or food processor (as it breaks down the ginger nicely) and makes enough dressing for the first pass at the salad and enough for a second pass the next day. The whole mess is quite refreshing and zingy but as comforting as the inside of a fresh spring roll.

Serves 4

4 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
1½oz pack of rice vermicelli noodles
1 yellow pepper, cored and very thinly sliced
2 medium carrots, very thinly sliced lengthwise 
1 quarter head Napa cabbage, very thinly sliced 
1 medium fennel bulb, cored, stalks removed, and very thinly sliced, or 1 watermelon radish, thinly sliced
1 large bunch coriander (about 20 sprigs), stems cut and discarded
5 full sprigs fresh mint, stems removed and discarded, leaves torn into quarter-size pieces
4in knob ginger, peeled and minced
4tbsp lime juice (from about 2 limes)
2tsp sriracha sauce
1tbsp light honey, like clover
2tbsp soy sauce
6tbsp toasted sesame oil 
Sea salt
3tbsp Crispy Shallots for garnish 
1 red Thai chilli, thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)

Put the scallions into a bowl of water for 20 minutes to crisp up; drain and set aside.

Cook your noodles according to the package instructions or as follows. Place the noodles in a deep bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let sit for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse, and cut into short lengths (about 2in) with kitchen scissors. Transfer the noodles to a shallow bowl of cold water to cool while you assemble the rest of the salad.

Combine the pepper, carrots, cabbage, fennel, coriander, and mint in a large bowl. Toss until it looks like pretty confetti. Add the noodles and the reserved scallions, and toss again.

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Blend the ginger, lime juice, sriracha, honey, soy sauce, and sesame oil together in a powerful blender or food processor.

This makes about ⅔ cup dressing. Spoon 6tbsp of the dressing over the veg and noodles. Gently toss with your clean hands until the dressing is well dispersed. Taste and add more dressing or salt, as you desire. Serve with extra dressing, crispy shallots (for a nice crunch and added salt), and chilli slices, if desired.

Extracted from ‘A New Way to Food’ by Maggie Battista. Reprinted in arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications. Photographs by Kristin Teig, £23