London lunch box: a recipe inspired by Boundary restaurant and Leiths

Chef Laoise Casey creates cheap, easy-to-cook lunch boxes inspired by things she has eaten in some of London's best restaurants #Boundarylunchbox
Simple: Laoise Casey's winter salad inspired by Boundary
Laoise Casey23 July 2015

Boundary and Leiths Lunch Box: a winter salad of sweet honey roasted parsnips, blood oranges and toasted hazlenuts.

Last week, Laoise made a little French lunch box inspired by Le Beaujolais. This week, she goes down the classic route with a warming winter salad:

Leiths is currently running a training programme with Boundary where selected students can gain invaluable behind the scenes experience working with head chef Frederick Forster. Leiths and Boundary share a classical approach applied to contemporary recipes. Some of my favourite memories of Leiths are learning the classical techniques, like the simple beauty of a handmade béarnaise.

Before I went to cookery school I dreamed of nonchalantly conjuring up fancy treats at home like: prosciutto gougères to kick the week off on a Monday; a little lemon sole meunière of a Tuesday; Quiche Lorraine on a Wednesday ( with homemade pastry of course - I'm scandalised you even asked); a quick Omelette Arnold Bennett for Thursday's dinner; And just because it's Friday, how about a spatchcocked poussin? No, no trouble at all. Some more Hollandaise with your Eggs Benedict darling? Don't worry, the boned Dover Sole is on the way, I just got held up spinning sugar.

Or that's how I imagined it would be. The reality was a lack of time and a lot of toasted cheese sandwiches. And now, working in kitchens, I'm always short on time, so I'm always on the lookout for quick simple recipes. This week's lunch box takes inspiration from Boundary's classical menu. No boning necessary. A winter salad with sweet honey roasted parsnips, blood oranges and toasted hazelnuts makes an ideal quick lunchbox.

What you will need

3 parsnips

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. honey

2 sprigs thyme

1 blood orange

1 tsp. wholegrain mustard

Handful baby spinach leaves

Small handful hazelnuts, toasted

Sea salt, black pepper to season

Equipment

Peeler

Knife

Baking tray

Bowl

Whisk

Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes

Cost per portion: £2.50

How to make it

Preheat oven to 190C. Peel and slice the parsnips into chunks. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a baking tray. Toss the parsnips in the oil, thyme, sea salt and lots of black pepper. Roast for 20 minutes then drizzle with 1 tsp. of the honey and roast for a further 10 minutes until golden brown. Meanwhile prepare the blood orange vinaigrette. Cut the orange in half. Slice 1 half into segments. Juice the other half and whisk the juice in a bowl with the rest of the honey, olive oil and mustard. Season with sea salt and pepper. Mix the orange segments, roast parsnips, spinach, toasted hazelnuts and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

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