Adam Liaw’s Valencian salad

Name: Adam Liaw’s Valencian salad
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4-6 as a side dish
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 2 eggs; 2 heads baby cos lettuce, roughly chopped; 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges; ½ red onion, thinly sliced; ½ cup green olives, drained; 6 radishes, quartered, optional; 2 tbsp good-quality sherry or red wine vinegar; 3 tbsp good-quality extra virgin olive oil; salt and pepper, to season

Adam Liaw

June 3, 2025

This simple Valencian salad is all about contrasting textures.William Meppem

easyTime:< 30 minsServes:4-6 as a side dish

This simple Valencian salad doesn’t need a fancy dressing – just good vinegar and olive oil, seasoned well with salt and pepper.

Ingredients

2 eggs
2 heads baby cos lettuce, roughly chopped
2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
½ red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup green olives, drained
6 radishes, quartered, optional
2 tbsp good-quality sherry or red wine vinegar
3 tbsp good-quality extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to season

Method

Step 1
Bring a small saucepan of water to a simmer. Prick a hole in the base of the eggs and boil them for 9 minutes. Remove from the water and shock them in iced water to stop cooking. Peel the eggs and cut them into quarters lengthways.
Step 2
Arrange the lettuce on a serving plate and on top place the tomato, onion, olives, radishes and eggs. Drizzle with the sherry (or vinegar) and olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Adam’s tip: I prick a hole in the base of my eggs when boiling them – using an egg pricker or even a thumb tack. This allows air to escape so they won’t crack when you put them into hot water. It’s the expanding air that cracks the eggs.