Ben's Watercress Salad

April 24, 2001

There was great excitement in our house at the weekend - our elder son Ben returned from overseas. For the past two years he has been living in the UK and having a wonderful time making new friends and following his music interests.

The boy who left home having just turned 20 was sometimes a problem to cook for. While he was a great carnivore, his vegetable likes were somewhat limited. He liked potatoes, silver beet, frozen peas and carrots. That was about it.

The 22-year-old man who returned proudly told me he would now eat any vegetable except Brussels sprouts. I was staggered. "Even aubergines," he said before I started asking the question. "And courgettes."

I have yet to find out what caused this major miracle. I suspect it had something to do with working in the hospitality industry and eating at work. I doubt there was much in the way of silverbeet and frozen peas in some of these places.

Anyway, it's been great to think I don't have to limit my cooking endeavours once more to suit picky eaters. But even better, I find there is now another chef in the house. After relishing some good old Kiwi steak, "real meat" sausages and a roast pork dinner, he volunteered to make a meal.

As we'd been out exploring his new hometown and had stopped for a substantial snack lunch at a seaside Irish bar, we decided on something light.

And so, today's recipe is one of his creations.

Ben's watercress salad

1 bunch watercress
1/2 cup walnut pieces
3 limes
1 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper

Pick the leaves off the watercress, rinse and pat dry. Place in a bowl with the walnut pieces and the peeled, diced avocado. Take the flesh from two of the limes and chop into small pieces and add to the salad bowl. Squeeze the remaining lime and place the juice in a small bowl with the vinegar, oil, some salt and freshly ground pepper and the honey (which has been warmed through to runny in the microwave.) Whisk well, pour over the salad and serve immediately.

We had this with thin slices of smoked chicken breast and it was the perfect light meal.