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Pomegranate, caramelised Walnut and baby Kale salad

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The first time I discovered Hotel Chocolat was when my friend, fellow book worm, tea enthusiast, and impromptu hogging fest companion ND and me collapsed into a warm cosy corner of the beautiful Hotel Chocolate cafe’/ shop at Borough Market ( why not read about what we did, what we ate and discover the sights and sounds of our visit with my blog posts here?)

It was love at first taste for me and ever since I have adored the fabulously creative chocolates from Hotel Chocolat. But did you know that they also make a whole range of delicious products like spreads, drinking chocolates, pasta, pesto, sauces, and even chilli oil all infused with cocoa and chocolate? There is a whole world of both sweet and savoury dishes that can be prepared by adding an extra touch of elegance and decadence with Hotel Chocolat products.

I was sent a bottle of the Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic packaged in a  beautiful  bag for review.

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I made a filling, colourful wintery salad using some fresh ingredients and the result was this gorgeously delicious salad!

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Here is my easy recipe for :

Pomegranate,caramalised Walnut and baby Kale salad with Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic

Serves : 2

Ingredients:

  1. 1 small red onion sliced lengthwise
  2. 5- 6 smoked ham sliced fine
  3. 1/2 a pack of baby kale leaves
  4. 1/2 a pack of baby spinach leaves
  5. 1 small or 1/2 a big avocado
  6. 2 heaped tbsp pomegranate seeds
  7. a small handful of walnuts
  8. 2 tsp heaped Gran Luchito Chilli Honey
  9. Generous sloshes of Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic
  10. 1 small juicy red tomato sliced into circular discs
  11. Handful of cherry tomatoes
  12. Smoked austrian cheese
  13. 1 boiled egg

Feel free to substitute the smoked ham with shredded chicken or chicken sausages, for a vegetarian version why not add in boiled baby potatoes halved instead of meat.

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Method:

  • In a small vessel add enough water to place the egg into to boil.
  • Heat a pan on medium heat, when pan is hot add the chilli jam and throw in the walnuts, stir with a wooden spatula to coat the melting chilli jam on the walnuts. Reduce the flame to a minimum, DO NOT allow the chilli jam to smoke or burn. The caramalised walnuts are done in under a minute. Set aside to cool.
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  • Remove the egg from the boiled water, hold under running water, when the egg shell has cooled, peel it, halve and set aside.
  • Chop the red onion length wise, the tomato into circular discs and the halve the cherry tomatoes.
  • If the baby kale and baby spinach leaves are not washed , add them to a sieve and wash under running tap water.
  • Then put the leaves in a huge salad bowl and add generous sloshes of Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic.
  • On a huge plate or platter place the seasoned leaves and then place the smoked ham and cheese slices.
  • The place the avocado slices, tomato discs and cherry tomato halves.
  • Scatter the pomegranate seeds and the caramalised walnuts on top.
  • With a wooden spatula , scrape off the remaining caramalised Gran Luchito chilli honey and scatter on the salad.
  • Again drizzle the Hotel Chocolat Cocoa Balsamic on top of the salad and serve immediately.
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The tender roasted cocoa nibs soaked in Italian balsamic vinegar, create a rounded flavour that’s fabulous with avocado, tomatoes, smoked ham and smoked cheese. The caramalised walnuts and fresh pomegranate seeds give this winter salad a great crunch and the chilli honey plays hide and seeks with your taste buds. The baby kale leaves have a mild and plesant taste and the spinach works as the good stuff for blood purification thanks to high iron content.

This salad is fresh , wholesome and healthy as kale is associated with a whole host of health benefits. It contains Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, fiber and carotenoids and 45 — different flavonoids with a variety of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

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Now for the fabulously FESTIVE GIVEAWAY OF A GOODY BAG  FROM HOTEL CHOCOLAT

One lucky winner gets a  beautiful Hotel Chocolat gift bag with the following products:

  • Hotel Chocolat Chilli and cocoa oil
  • Hotel Chocolat cocoa pasta
  • Hotel Chocolat cocoa pesto

Hotel Chocolat Chilli and cocoa finishing oil

A special recipe used by Hotel Chocolat chefs in their Boucan restaurant in Saint Lucia – extra-virgin olive oil rounded by rich notes of cocoa nibs and beans, with a kick of red chilli. Shake to wake the chilli flakes, then drizzle and dress lightly over chicken, fish, pasta, pizza and roast vegetables. Try crushing the cocoa for some fabulous bread-dipping.

Hotel Chocolat cocoa pasta

Durum wheat penne with unsweetened cocoa, as made by chefs at our Boucan restaurant in Saint Lucia and recommended by Nigella Lawson. Ideal for adding a thrill to dishes both savoury and sweet. As used by Nigella Lawson in her chocolate pasta with caramel and pecans recipe , and Hotel Chocolat’s very own Chocolate Pasta with Pesto recipe.

Hotel Chocolat cocoa pesto

Outstanding with pasta, risotto, salad, blinis, crusty bread, cold meats or straight from the jar as a dip: rough-chopped basil, crunchy pine nuts, Italian cheese and nutty roast cocoa nibs. A favourite from Hotel Chocolat’s Boucan kitchen in Saint Lucia.

1-Hotel Chocolat Balsamic Vinegar salad RESIZED

How to enter the giveaway:

You too could WIN a GOODY BAG from Hotel Chocolat PACKED with exciting products from the cocoa cuisine range, all you have to do is :

  1. Like my Facebook page and leave your Facebook name as part of your comment.
  2. Follow me on Twitter – @manjirichitnis
  3. Tweet out the following – #HOTELCHOCOLATGIVEAWAY #WIN @HotelChocolat GOODY BAG with @manjirichitnis, winter salad recipe bit.ly/1smP3Kv
  4. Leave a comment below telling me which type of chocolates do you like most and your Facebook name used to like my FB page. I will find you on Twitter via the hashtag so it’s not required for you to mention your Twitter handle in the comments. Do not share your email id in the comments, please.

Please have a read through the Terms and Conditions below:

  • Winners will be picked using Random Number Generator.
  • Deadline for entering this contest is 8th January’ 2015 midnight GMT.
  • Entry is open only to residents of the U.K except for Scotland and Ireland.
  • All entrants must be 18 years old and above.
  • ONE lucky winner will be chosen using a random number generator.
  • The giveaway prize is as mentioned in the post. Neither Hotel Chocolat, nor I am liable for any damage to the hamper and/or its contents in transit.
  • Please allow a minimum of 25 days for delivery of the prize, which may reach earlier or later. The goody bags will be sent directly by Hotel Chocolat.
  • The prize is as stated: no cash alternatives are available.
  • I retain the right to DISQUALIFY any entrant who does not complete all the 3 steps mentioned above.
  • The winner will be notified on 9th January’ 2015  on Twitter by me and here on my blog post. I shall tag the winner on Twitter via their twitter id. If you are declared as the winner you agree to allow me and Hotel Chocolat to contact you via email id to arrange for the goody bag to be sent out to you.
  • If the winner fails to respond by 15th January’ 2015  then another winner will be chosen via Random Number Generator.

CONGRATULATIONS to the LUCKY winner of this fabulous GIVEAWAY of a GOODY BAG from Hotel Chocolat PACKED with exciting products from the cocoa cuisine range !!!

AND The lucky winner is: *DRUMROLLS* …….

Mark Johnson – Twitter id 

Please get in touch with me at fruitsnveg@yahoo.com

THANK YOU to everyone who participated and keep following my posts for more exciting competitions!

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*With thanks to Hotel Chocolat and the  PR team for arranging the fabulous gifts and beautiful Hotel Chocolat goody bag and sending me a sample of Hotel Chocolate Cocoa Balsamic for review. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. References Wiki & Herald Tribune.

While you are here why not have a look at the other giveaways on my blog and increase your chances of winnings cool freebies!?!

  • CLOSED Win one of TWO Goody Bags from KNORR packed with 2x of EACH Knorr flavour pots and stock cubes to participate click here – CLOSED
  • CLOSED Win a box of Chef Inspirations Saveurs Du Monde Box of 16 chocolates from Godiva, to participate click here– CLOSED
  • CLOSED WIN 5 delicious sauces from the WORLDFOODS Asian Fusion Flavour Sauces, to participate click here CLOSED

Comments

  1. Now, I was commenting on your recipe, but I’m really tempted by the chocolate pesto, so…I’m Fiona Maclean on FB and Londonunattached on Instagram (though you haven’t asked me to do anything there)…and I’ve tweeted…and I’m now VERY hungry

    Reply

  3. Your salad looks colourful and delicious and your candied walnuts are a fabulous idea. I would love to win this bag of delights to carry on my savoury chocolate experiments. My favourite chocolate is a very dark milk chocolate 50-60%. I’m choclette8 on Instagram (but I’m not quite sure why you want to know that as you’ve not asked us to do anything with it). I’ve tweeted and I’m Choclette Cacao on Facebook.

    Reply

    • Thank you Choclette for your kind compliments, we are crazy fans of Hotel Chocolat and cannot wait to experiment with all their savoury chocolate offerings! Also love Gran Luchito range and am currently adding the candied walnuts on all my salads 🙂

      Reply

  4. I’m intrigued by the Chocolate Balsamic, how delightful. I love the salad, it looks so delicious. I like most chocolate, probably prefer dark, but good milk chocolate when I’m in the mood for it. I like white chocolate in boxes of chocs but otherwise find it too sweet. I’m FarmersgirlCook on Instagram and Janice Pattie on Facebook 🙂

    Reply

  5. I like proper chocolate so my favorite is Valhrona … the balsamic looks just divine and different
    I already follow you on all channels and fb is Kellyjo Walters x

    Reply

  7. The chocolate pesto sounds very interesting – I wish I’d known about it a week sooner, as it would have made a great birthday present for a friend. My Facebook name is Jane Willis

    Reply

  8. Last year I had a box of Heston Blumenthal chocolates from Waitrose. They were outstanding! Wonderfully smooth chocolates with different, subtle flavours. My Facebook name is Maya Russell.

    Reply

  10. Champagne truffles are my favourite chocolates, liked on facebook – Natalie Gillham, and following and tweeted the message on twitter @nataliegillham 🙂 x

    Reply

  15. Hi, I love lots of different types of chocolates. My favourites are Thornton’s continentals though. @19lottie

    Reply

  16. Hello there! I’m Kunai Shah on Facebook – I would have to say my favourite chocolate is chilli infused chocolate, a combination of my two favourite ingredients.

    Thank you 🙂

    Reply

  17. Thank you for chance to win. Tweeted as Liquorice13. Liked on Facebook as Louise Jazz Smith. I love chilli chocolate and pralines

    Reply

  18. I love Belgian milk chocolates or coffee cream chocolates I love them both equally have tweeted @chrin60 and on facebook I am Christine Northrop

    Reply

  26. Thanks for the chance to win the lovely prize-the salad recipe above has made me very hungry will definitely give this a try.
    My favorite chocolate has to be very dark 70% with sea salt.
    My FB like is Tessa Davies and my twitter forcompsonly.

    Reply

  27. I love Fry’s Chocolate cream. It’s unique and there isn’t even anything close to it. My facebook name is Andrew Petrie

    Reply

  34. I love toffee/caramel truffles – theyre the best!
    followed on facebook as ‘faye huntington’

    faye.

    Reply

  36. I love dark chocolate, chocolate with cherries in and anything with marzipan! Facebook – Emily Anne Hutchinson

    Reply

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