salad recipes

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Salads


Salads


Puy Lentil Salad with Cranberries, Bacon & Gorgonzola Grilled Peach, Mozzarella & Prosciutto Salad with Orange Blossom Dressing Summer Salad with Toasted Pistachio Dressing Bread, Tomato & Olive Oil Salad Salad of Pickled Pears, Walnuts, Rocket & Gorgonzola Broad Bean & Peas with Mint & Feta French Beans & Mange tout with Hazelnut & Orange Couscous with Barbecued Calamari, Mint, Lemon & Chilli Couscous with Dried Apricots & Butternut Squash Red Onion, Pancetta & Balsamic Salad Green Bean Salad, with roast Red Onion & Parmesan Warm Spinach Salad with Pine Nuts & Balsamic Vinegar Chicory, Fennel & Orange Salad Rocket, Fennel & Blood Orange Salad Pan-fried Cavolo Nero, Salami & Borlotti Beans Artichoke, Lemon & Borlloti Bean Salad Radish & Broad Bean Salad Caesar Salad Fig, Buffalo Mozzarella & Basil Salad Figs with Young Pecorino & Honey Moroccan Broad Bean Salad True Summer Delight Summer Chickpea Salad Thai Watermelon Salad Watermelon & Ricotta Salad Seared Beef Slices with Plum Sauce & Mint Salad Shaved Fennel, Orange, Red Onion & Black Olive Salad Squid, Chorizo & Chickpea Salad Rocket, Fennel & Parmesan Salad Fennel & Lemon Salad Fennel & Feta with Pomegranate Seeds & Sumac

Salads


If someone was to ask me what my favourite type of dish was, I would immediately answer with “salad”. In

my opinion salads are a complete meal. There is no end to the amount of ingredients that can be thrown

together to constitute a salad. Growing up in Australia, we lived on salads in the summer. Most people think

of leafy greens, diets or a rabbit when they think about salads, but today salads are fashionable and can

contain a plethora of ingredients such as meats, seafood, pulses, cheeses, nuts and seeds. They can be

served hot or cold and contain just about any fruit, vegetable or ingredient which you can think of.

Salads


Puy Lentil Salad with Cranberries, Bacon & Gorgonzola

Serves 4 as a starter

Ingredients

125g Puy lentils

2 bay leaves

2-3 shallots, finely chopped

3 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp water

1 tsp castor sugar

60g dried cranberries

70ml red wine vinegar

8 streaky bacon rashes

80g baby spinach

120g creamy gorgonzola cheese

Salt and pepper

Method

Wash the lentils under cold running water and then drain. Transfer to a saucepan and add enough water to

cover them 3 times their height. Add the bay leaves, bring to the boil and then simmer for about 20

minutes, until the lentils are al dente. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the shallots in a pan with 2 tbsp of

the olive oil and sauté over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until golden. Add the water, sugar,

cranberries and vinegar and continue simmering over a low heat for 8-10 minutes, until you get a thick

sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Drain the lentils well and immediately add them to the sauce

so they can soak up all the flavours. Stir together, taste and adjust the salt again. it will need quite a lot, but

remember you are adding bacon and gorgonzola later, which are salty. Set aside and cool down. Heat the

remaining olive oil in a saucepan and fry the bacon in it for 3 minutes on each side, until it turns quite

crisp. Transfer to a piece of kitchen paper to cool. Tear the bacon into large pieces and add the lentils, then

add the spinach and stir well. Taste and see if the salad needs any more oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to

serving plates and dot with broken chunks of gorgonzola.

Salads


Grilled Peach, Mozzarella & Prosciutto Salad with Orange

Blossom Dressing

A substantial starter, this salad is just summer bliss, offering contrasting textures and aromas. Use the very

best ingredients as it is crucial to this salads success. Taste the peaches; they mustn‟t be floury, but sweet

and deliciously juicy. Yellow-fleshed peaches are normally less watery that the white variety, to they will

char-grill more readily. Grilling though, is not essential. It will add to the presentation and give a slight

smokiness but you can chose to skip this step and leave the peaches as they are.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

5 ripe peaches

1tbsp olive oil

2 red or white endives, leaves separated

50g watercress

50g baby chard leaves or other leaves such as rocket

100g thinly sliced prosciutto

1 large buffalo mozzarella, carefully ripped apart into small pieces

Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Dressing:

3 tbsp orange blossom water

1 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp maple syrup

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones. Slice each half into 3 wedges, place in a bowl and add the

olive oil and some sea salt and pepper. Toss well to coat each slice. Place a ridged griddle pan over a high

heat and leave for a few minutes to heat. Place the peach wedges on the pan and grill for a minute on each

side. You want to get nice charcoal lines on all sides. Remove the peaches from the pan and leave to cool.

Place all the dressing ingredients apart from the oil in a bowl and whisk to combine. Trickle the oil in slowly

while you whisk to get a thick dressing. Season to taste. On a serving platter, arrange layers of peach,

endive, mozzarella, watercress, chard and the prosciutto. Spoon over enough dressing to coat all the

ingredients but not to drench them. Serve straight away.

Salads


Salads


Summer Salad with Toasted Pistachio Dressing Serves 4

Ingredients

2 Lebanese (short) cucumbers, finely sliced

90 (1 cup) bean sprouts

1 red capsicum, julienned

1 orange, segments removed and finely sliced in half lengthways

30g (1 bunch) chives, chopped into 2cm lengths

2 handfuls baby rocket leaves

1 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoons wasabi

4 tablespoons olive oil

130g (1 cup) raw pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped

Method

Put the cucumbers, bean sprouts, capsicum, orange, chives and rocket into a large serving bowl and toss to

combine. To make the toasted pistachio dressing, put the ginger, honey, lemon juice, wasabi and olive oil

into a small bowl. Stir well to combine the ingredients and season with a little sea salt and cracked pepper.

Add the pistachios then pour over the salad.

Bread, Tomato & Olive Oil Salad Serves 4 Panzanella

Ingredients

500g ripe tomatoes

1 large red onion, halved and finely sliced

500g 2 day old white, country style bread

2-3 stalks celery, about 250g using pale inner stalks, trimmed and finely sliced

4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

About 10 basil leaves, roughly torn

About 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 tablespoons of red vine vinegar

Method

Cut the tomatoes into small chunks and put them into a colander sprinkled with a little salt for about 10

minutes to drain away their juices. Put the onions into a small bowl of cold water sprinkled with a little salt

and a splash of vinegar. If your bread is not already in slices, break it up into chunks and put into a bowl

with enough cold water to just cover the bread. Leave it for about 10 minutes to soften. Squeeze the bread

thoroughly with your hands, and finely crumble it into a large serving bowl. If the bread is not squeezed

enough the salad will be soggy. Put the tomatoes, drained onions, celery, parsley and the basil into a

separate smaller bowl and dress with salt and pepper. Mix well and then add to the bread. Mix through well,

adjusting any seasoning to taste and serve.

Salads


Salads


Salad of Pickled Pears, Walnuts, Rocket & Gorgonzola Serves 6

Ingredients

200ml red wine

2 bay leaves

1 small thyme sprig

4 juniper berries

50g castor sugar

2 firm, ripe pears (comice or conference)

100g freshly shelled walnuts

Bunch of rocket leaves

200g young gorgonzola cheese

3 tbsp balsamic roasted red onions

Method

Pour the red wine into a saucepan and add the bay leaves, thyme, juniper berries and sugar. Slowly bring to

a simmer over a medium heat. Meanwhile peel, quarter and core pears then cut each quarter in half

lengthways. Add to the pan and poach for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave the pears to cool in

the liquid. Their flavour and beautiful ruby colour will intensify as the poaching liquid cools. In the

meantime, shell the walnuts, wash and pat dry the salad leaves. Slice the gorgonzola into long, fine shards.

For the dressing, put the mustard, wine vinegar and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk in the walnut

oil, followed by the olive oil. To assemble, dress the salad leaves lightly with 1 tbsp or so of the dressing.

pile into the centre of each serving plate and arrange the cheese, pears and roasted red onions attractively

around the top of the leaves. Scatter over the walnuts and drizzle a little more of the dressing over the top.

Serve.

Salads


Broad Bean & Peas with Mint & Feta Serves 4

Ingredients

175g freshly podded broad beans

175g freshly podded peas

Small bunch of mint

Juice of ½ lemon

50ml extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

175g Greek feta

½ cup balsamic roasted red onions

2 tbsp basil oil

Finely grated zest of ½ lemon

Method

Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the broad beans, allow the water to come to the boil and cook for

45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to a colander and refresh under cold water. When cool, slip off

the dull greenish grey skins to reveal the limey green beans inside and place these in a bowl. To blanch the

peas, drop them into the same boiling water, return to the boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain and refresh

under cold water, then pat dry and add to broad beans. Tear the mint and toss through the peas and beans.

Squeeze over the lemon juice and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine and season with a

grinding of pepper and perhaps the tiniest amount of salt (as the feta will be salty). Slice the feta into long

shards, or crumble it between your fingers if you prefer. Pile the salad into serving bowls and surround with

the feta. Spoon the roasted onions over the salad. Drizzle with basil oil and sprinkle with lemon zest to

serve.

Salads


French Beans & Mange tout with Hazelnut & Orange Serves 6

Ingredients

400g French Beans

400g Mange tout

70g un-skinned hazelnuts

1 orange

20g chives, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp hazelnut oil (or another nut oil)

Seas salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180. Using a small sharp knife, trim the stalk ends off the French beans and the mange

tout, keeping the 2 separate. Bring plenty of unsalted water to the boil in a large saucepan – you need lots

of space for the beans, as this is crucial for preserving their colour. Blanch the French beans in the water for

4 minutes, then drain into a colander and run them under plenty of cold water until cold. Leave to drain and

dry. Repeat with the mange tout, but blanch for only 1 minute. While the beans are cooking, scatter the

hazelnuts over a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Leave until cool enough to handle, and

then rub them in a clean tea-towel to get rid of most of the skin. Chop the nuts with a large sharp knife.

They should be quite rough, some can even stay whole. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the

orange in strips being careful to avoid the bitter white pith. Slice each piece of zest into very thin strips. You

could also just use a citrus zester. To assemble the dish, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, toss

gently, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

Salads


Salads


Couscous with Barbecued Calamari, Mint, Lemon & Chilli Serves 6

Ingredients

1½ cups instant couscous


3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

2 small red chillies, sliced

2 spring onions, sliced

10 sprigs mint, torn

8 sprigs flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons gherkins, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, chopped

1 bunch asparagus, char grilled for 3-4 minutes and slices

1 lime, juiced and zested

1 lemon, juiced and zested

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

500g calamari, cleaned, scored and cut into diamonds

60ml olive oil,

Method

Place couscous in a large bowl, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and pour over 500ml boiling water. Stir,

cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small pan over low

heat. Add garlic and chilli and cook for 2-4 minutes or until aromatic. Add garlic mixture to couscous and

stir with a fork to break up grains. Add spring onions, mint, parsley, gherkins, capers and asparagus.

Combine lime zest and juice and lemon zest and juice in a small bowl with remaining olive oil. Mix well and

season. Toss calamari in extra olive oil. Cook on a preheated char grilled or barbeque plate over high heat

for 3-5 minutes or until cooked and lightly coloured. Pour citrus dressing over calamari, toss well and

combine with couscous. Serve immediately.

Salads


Couscous with Dried Apricots & Butternut Squash Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large onion, thinly sliced

6 tbsp olive oil

50g dried apricots

1 small butternut squash (about 450g) peeled, seeded and cut into 2cm dice

250g couscous

400ml chicken or vegetable stock

A pinch of saffron strands

3 tbsp roughly chopped tarragon

3 tbsp roughly chopped mint

3 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Grated zest of ½ lemon

Sea salt and black pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 180. place the onion in a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of the oil and a pinch of

salt. Sauté over a high heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until golden brown, set aside.

Meanwhile pour enough hot water from the tap over the apricots just to cover them. Soak for 5 minutes,

then drain and cut into 5mm dice. Mix the diced squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and some salt and

pepper. Spread the squash out on a baking tray, place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until

lightly coloured and quite soft. While waiting for the butternut squash, cook the couscous. Bring the stock

to the boil with the saffron. Place the couscous in a large heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling stock,

plus the remaining olive oil. Cover with cling film and leave for about 10 minutes, all the liquid should have

been absorbed. Use a fork or whisk to fluff up the couscous, then add the onion, butternut squash,

apricots, herbs, cinnamon and lemon zest. Mix well with your hands, trying not to mash the butternut

squash. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve warmish or cold.

Salads


Salads


Red Onion, Pancetta & Balsamic Salad Serves 6

Ingredients

10 small to medium red onions

3 thick slices of pancetta, diced

4 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar

½ cup pine nuts

2 handfuls rocket leaves

Method

Slice the end off the red onions, trying to keep the stalk still intact so the onions will keep hold together

when cut. Cut onions in half and then peel the skin off. Cut halves into 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size.

Place onions, pancetta and balsamic in a baking tray and roast in over for 20 minutes. Keep checking

onions don‟t burn, you may want to cover with foil. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small pan, stirring

constantly. When onions are soft, combine with pine nuts and rocket in a serving platter, toss together and

serve with parmesan shavings if preferred although optional.

Green Bean Salad, with roast Red Onion & Parmesan You can prepare the onions for this salad a few hours before you need them – or even the day before – to

improve the flavour. It is important that they are quite soft, not crunchy.

Ingredients

2 large red onions

300ml red wine vinegar

1 tbsp sugar

100ml extra-virgin olive oil

240g fine green beans

2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan, plus extra for shavings

2 banana shallots, sliced thinly

Small bunch of chives, chopped

Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 220. Leaving their skins on. Wrap the onions in foil and bake in the oven for about an

hour until soft. While the onions are cooking put the vinegar into a small pan and boil until reduced by a

third. Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar until dissolved, then stir in the extra-virgin olive oil to make a

vinaigrette. When the onions are cooked, unwrap them and peel off their skins. While they are still warm,

cut them in half, separate the layers and season with salt and pepper, and then put them into the

vinaigrette. Blanch the beans in plenty of salted boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain. Place in a

bowl, sprinkle with grated parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the onion layers on your

serving plates. Place the beans on top and sprinkle over the chives and shallots, drizzle some more red

wine vinegar over the beans and then shave over some more parmesan. Serve.

Salads


Warm Spinach Salad with Pine Nuts & Balsamic Vinegar Serves 2

Ingredients

1 large bunch of spinach

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely sliced

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped

1 tbsp pine nuts

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Method

Rinse the spinach thoroughly in cold water, then drain and set aside. Select a large frying pan or wok. Heat

the oil over a low heat. Sauté the onion, garlic and chilli until the mixture is soft and translucent. Raise the

heat to medium. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden. Turn the heat to high and add the spinach. Cook

very briefly, just until the leaves begin to wilt. Then add the balsamic vinegar. Stir to ensure the leaves are

coated well with the vinegar. Transfer the spinach to a bowl and serve warm as a starter or side dish.

Salads


Chicory, Fennel & Orange Salad Serves 6

Ingredients

1 lemon, juice only

35 ml extra-virgin olive oil

1 young chicory or endive

½ unpeeled orange, thinly sliced

½ baby fennel bulb, thinly sliced

Method

Whisk lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl,

season to taste, set aside. Wash chicory or

endive, drain well, coarsely chop, set aside

in a serving bowl. Scatter with orange and

fennel slices, drizzle with lemon dressing,

season to taste and serve.

Rocket, Fennel & Blood Orange Salad Serves 2

Ingredients

1 blood orange

½ fennel bulb

2 handfuls rocket

10 mint leaves

10 flat-leaf parsley leaves

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Sae salt and cracked black pepper

Method

Grate the orange zest using a zester. Squeeze the orange just enough to release a little juice and add the

zest to the juice. Peel the pith from the orange and cut the flesh into segments. Remove the outer touch

layers of fennel. Slice the fennel as thinly as possible – you can use a potato peeler for this – then soak the

pieces in iced cold water. Rinse the rocket, mint and parsley leaves. Dry the leaves. To make the dressing,

place the olive oil, orange juice and zest and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and stir gently to combine.

Place all salad ingredients into a bowl and then drizzle the dressing over the leaves, toss and serve.

Salads


Pan-fried Cavolo

Nero, Salami &

Borlotti Beans

This is perfect as a side to roast

chicken but also hearty enough to

enjoy as a meal in its own right.

You‟ll need to begin this recipe a

day ahead.

Serves 4

Ingredients

200 gm dried borlotti beans,

soaked overnight in cold water

60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

80 gm piece of Italian salami, cut into 1cm pieces

1 small dried red chilli, finely chopped

200 gm young cavolo nero

Method

Drain borlotti beans, place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a simmer over medium heat and

cook until tender (45-50 minutes). Drain, set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium

heat, add garlic and sauté until golden (2-3 minutes). Add salami and chilli, sauté until salami colours (3-4

minutes), add cavolo nero and cook until wilted (3-4 minutes). Toss through beans, season to taste and

serve immediately.

Salads


Artichoke, Lemon & Borlloti Bean Salad For 12

Ingredients

6 Sicilian lemons + juice of 4 lemons

18 small or 10 large artichokes

300g blanched almonds, toasted

8 tbsp runny clear honey


4 tbsp thyme leaves

Method

Put 5 of the lemons in to a snug fitting pan with 100g sea salt and cover with water. Put a lid on, upside

down to keep the lemons submerged and bring to the boil. Boil for 20 mins or until the lemons can be

pierced easily with a fork. Drain and cool. Halve the other lemon and add to a large pan with your

artichokes and cover with boiling salted water. Boil for 20 mins or until the inner leaves can be easily

pulled from the stem. Drain and cool. Remove the tough outer leaves and then slice in to halves or

quarters, depending on size and remove any chokes (furry bits!). Put in a large serving bowl and season.

Cut the lemons in half and scoop out the flesh. Tear the peel in to quarters and add to the artichokes along

with the toasted almonds. Combine the honey, lemon juice and olive oil with some salt and pepper and the

thyme leaves and stir this in to the salad.

Salads


Radish & Broad Bean Salad Serves 4

Ingredients

500g shelled broad beans, fresh or frozen

350g small radishes

½ red onion, very thinly sliced

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander

30g preserved lemon, finely chopped

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp chopped fla-leaf parsley

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

To serve:

200ml green tahini sauce (see basics)

4 think pita breads

Salt and black pepper

Method

Place the broad beans in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 1-2 minutes, depending on size. Drain

through a large colander and rinse plenty of cold water to refresh them. Remove the beans from their skins

by gently squeezing each one with your fingertips. Cut the radishes into very thin circles and mix with

broad beans, onion, coriander, lemon juice and preserved lemons, parsley, olive oil and cumin. Season with

salt and pepper to taste. To serve, pile a mound of salad in one corner of each serving plate, pour the tahini

sauce into a small bowl and stand it next to the salad. Set a pita bread next to them and Enjoy!

Salads


Salads


Caesar Salad Serves 6

Ingredients

250 gm piece flat pancetta or smoked bacon, cut into lardons

3 slices sourdough bread, crusts removed, cut into 2cm pieces

3 baby cos lettuces, leaves separated

150 gm parmesan, shaved using a vegetable peeler

6 drained anchovy fillets, halved lengthways

Caesar dressing

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

2 egg yolks

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

4 drained anchovy fillets

3 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 cup olive oil

Method

For Caesar dressing, process garlic, 1 tsp of sea salt, yolks, vinegar, mustard, anchovies and Worcestershire

sauce using a food processor until combined. With motor running, add olive oil in a slow steady stream

until dressing is thick, then season to taste with a pinch of sugar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Fry pancetta pieces in a large frying pan over high heat until crisp and golden, then, using a slotted spoon,

transfer to an absorbent paper-lined plate. Add bread to pan and fry in the pancetta fat until golden, then

transfer to plate with pancetta.

Place lettuce leaves, parmesan and enough dressing to coat in a large bowl and toss well to combine. Divide

among serving bowls and scatter with pancetta and croutons and top with anchovies. Serve immediately.

Salads


Salads


Fig, Buffalo Mozzarella & Basil Salad Figs are my favourite thing to put in salads. They are a flavour I associate my childhood with. Used to pick

my Nonno‟s figs straight off the tree in his backyard and devour it before it had even been in my hand 1

minute. The sweet flesh, still warm from the heat of the day would burst into my mouth and I would grin,

ear to ear with my Nonna and Nonno, proud as punch next to me.

Serves 6

Ingredients

12 fresh, ripe purple or green figs

1 bunch fresh basil leaves

6 buffalo mozzarellas or 2 large Buffalo mozzarella

50g Rocket or chard


Juice of 2 lemons

Extra virgin olive oil

Method

Wash the figs and cut off the stem. Break each fig in your hands into quarters. Pick the best basil leaves

from their stalks and wash, then dry them. Tear the mozzarella into pieces. Place the fig, rocket, mozzarella

and basil on individual plates then season with salt and pepper. Mix the lemon juice and 3 times the volume

of olive oil. Pour over each plate and serve immediately.

Figs with Young Pecorino & Honey This is a recipe that is not worth making without perfectly ripe figs. Use black or green figs or a mixture,

just as long as they are ripe, sweet and heavy. Remember figs are very illusive. Somehow, the better they

look, the more tasteless they are. Fresh young pecorino is a subtle delicate flavour. Its soft texture

complements that of the figs well. Equally a good quality Mozzarella will do for this recipe.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tbsp good quality honey

3 tbsp olive oil

600g ripe green or black figs

300g young pecorino or mozzarella

15 thinly sliced prosciutto

80g rocket, preferably wild

10g basil leaves

Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Whisk together the honey and olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Cut the figs into

quarters. Use your hands to tear the cheese into large chunks. Arrange the figs, prosciutto, cheese, rocket,

basil in layers on individual serving plates or a large platter. Drizzle over honey dressing and finish with

some freshly cracked black pepper.

Salads


Salads


Moroccan Broad Bean Salad

This is a really great combination of flavours, colours and textures and, of course its best made with fresh

broad beans in season. The smaller beans can be used as they are, but the mid to large ones, with tougher

skin, will have to be peeled after cooking. Just pinch the skin between your nails and the bean will pop out –

simple! I think my broad bean combination is pretty much perfect, but you can try it with fresh cannellini

beans as well if you fancy a change.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 large handfuls of podded broad beans

2 lemons


sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

a handful of fresh mint, leaves picked

1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp cumin seeds, bashed

A pinch of dried chilli

A handful of stale breadcrumbs

285ml creamy live yoghurt or sour cream

Method

First of all pod your beans, put the larger beans in a different bowl as they will need different cooking times

to the smaller ones. Blanch the beans in unsalted boiling water of a couple of minutes, giving the larger

ones a bit longer (don‟t add salt, as this will toughen the skins). Drain the beans and lay them flat on a tray

to cool down slightly. This salad always works best when the beans are eaten slightly warm. If your making

it in advance though, you could always give them a quick flash in the microwave just before serving.

Remove the skins from the larger beans if necessary. Place in a bowl and dress with the juice of 1 lemon

and 3 times as much olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a little more lemon juice if needed

– feel free to adjust to your taste. At this stage I like to finely slice half the mint and add it to the beans

while they sit and marinate for a little while. In a shallow pan, on a medium heat, fry the chopped onion,

cumin seeds and chilli in a little olive oil. Stir and cook until softened. As the onions start to colour, add

your breadcrumbs and mix these really well into the onions. Continue to cook until the crumbs are crispy

and golden, them season them to taste and put to one side. To serve, divide the yoghurt or sour cream

between four plates or bowls. Give the broad beans a final toss, add the rest of the mint leaves and divide

between plates on top of the yoghurt. Finally sprinkle over the warm spiced crunchy bits. Sometimes I like

to zest a bit of lemon over the top to give it a little edge. Fantastic served with grilled chicken or as a tapas

or antipasti. Also goes great with flat breads such as pita.

Salads


A

Salads


True Summer Delight

Only make this salad when the mangoes are silky smooth and not at all stringy. You should be able to cut

through them like butter.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 coconut

2 red peppers

4 punnets of cress

1 bunch of spring onions

2 ripe mangoes, peeled

For the dressing:

A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled

Zest and juice of 3-4 limes

7-8 tablespoons of olive oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

First of all crack open the coconut. Once you have got into your coconut, cut the peppers into quarters,

remove the stalks and seeds, then finely slice. Trim your cress directly from its punnet. Trim your spring

onions and finely slice them. Cut the mango flesh off the stones and finely slice it. get your pieces of

coconut and grate them finely. Put all these ingredients into a large salad bowl. Finely grate the ginger and

lime zest into a small bowl, and then add the lime juice and olive oil. Season to taste and add more oil as

necessary to balance the flavours of your dressing. Limes can be different strengths depending on their size

and juiciness. Dress the salad just before serving, saving a little extra dressing for another day. Serve onto

plates with a little extra grated coconut on top and eat straight away. Great just as it is or with some grilled

prawns or satay chicken.

Salads


Summer Chickpea Salad Serves 4

Ingredients

1 small red onion, peeled

1-2 fresh red chillies, deseeded

2 handfuls of ripe red or yellow tomatoes

2 lemons



1x410g jar of tinned chickpeas, drained or around 4 large handfuls of soaked and cooked chickpeas

A handful of fresh mint, chopped

A handful of fresh green or purple basil, finely ripped

200g feta cheese

Method

First of all, finely slice the red onion. Then finely slice the chillies then roughly chop the tomatoes, mixing

them in the onion and chillies. Scrape all of this and the juice into a bowl and dress with the juice of 1 ½

lemons and about 3 times as much good olive oil. Season to taste. Heat the chickpeas in a pan, then add 90

per cent of them to the bowl. Mush up the remaining chickpeas and add these as well. – they will give a nice

creamy consistency to the salad. Allow to marinate for a little while and serve at room temperature. Just as

your ready to serve, give the salad a final dress with the fresh mint and basil. Taste one last time for

seasoning – you may want to add the juice from your remaining lemon half at this stage. Place on a nice

serving dish and crumble over the feta cheese.

Salads


Thai Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

Quarter of a Watermelon

2 handfuls of fresh coriander, leaves picked

2 handfuls of rocket

2 handfuls of fresh mint, leaves picked

1 small bunch of radishes, finely sliced

A handful of peanuts or sunflower seeds

115g feta cheese or ricotta

For the dressing:

A thumb sized piece of ginger, finely grated

1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced

2 tablespoons soy sauce


1 tsp sesame oil

Juice of 3-4 limes


Method

Remove the skin from the watermelon and cut the flesh into small cubes, removing as many seeds as you

can be bothered to. Place coriander, rocket, mint, watermelon and radishes into a bowl. Put the ginger,

chilli, soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil into a smaller bowl and add just enough lime juice to cut through the

oil. Season to taste and make sure the dressing is well balanced. Place the peanuts or sunflower seeds in

the oven or in a pan and warm through, then roughly pound them up in a pestle and mortar. Dress the

salad really quickly. Divide between the plates, sprinkle over the hot peanuts or sunflower seeds and

crumble the feta or ricotta cheese over the top.

Salads


Watermelon & Ricotta Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

¼ of a watermelon, cut into 2cm pieces

2 large kiwifruit, cut into wedges

½ small red onion, sliced

60g baby rocket leaves

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons hazelnut oil

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper

200g ricotta

Method

Combine watermelon, kiwifruit, red onion, and rocket leaves in a large bowl. Whisk sherry vinegar, hazelnut

oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently. Divide the salad between

plates and crumble ricotta over.

Seared Beef Slices with Plum Sauce & Mint Salad Serves 4

Ingredients

4 tablespoons plum sauce


1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns

4 spring onions, finely sliced

400g sirloin steak, trimmed

100g bean sprouts

1 butter lettuce

80g mint leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped raw cashews

Method

Put the plum sauce, olive oil, vinegar, ground Sichuan peppercorns and spring onions into a bowl. Stir to

combine. Heat a frying pan over a high heat and sear the steak for 2 minutes on both sides. Remove from

the heat and allow to rest in the pan. Divide the bean sprouts and butter lettuce between 4 plates. Top with

a scatter of mint leaves. Finely slice the beef and lat it over the salad. Spoon over the plum sauce mixture

and scatter with the cashews. Serve with a warm baguette.

Salads


Shaved Fennel, Orange, Red Onion & Black Olive Salad

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large fennel, trimmed and very finely sliced

1 orange, zested, cut into segments and juice reserved

2 large blood oranges, zested, cut into segments and juice reserved

1 small red onion, finely sliced

Cup of black olives

4 small gherkins, finely chopped

100ml olive oil

Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

6 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

Combine fennel, orange segments, onion, olives and gherkins in a large bowl. Combine orange zest and

juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour dressing over the salad and set

aside for 15 minutes. Serve with scattered parsley.

Salads


Squid, Chorizo & Chickpea Salad Serves 4

Ingredients

8 small squid (about 40gm each)

70 ml olive oil

1 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tsp smoked paprika

Juice of 2 lemons

400 gm canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

4 chorizo, thickly sliced diagonally

2 cups (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely torn

25 ml sherry vinegar

Method

Remove and discard head and insides of squid, including cartilage, then rinse well under cold running

water. Use a sharp knife to open out body lengthways. Scrape out and discard membrane, then score flesh

lightly in a cross-hatch pattern and cut into strips. Combine squid, 50 ml olive oil, onion, garlic, paprika

and lemon juice in a bowl and marinate for 20 minutes. Place chickpeas in a heatproof serving bowl. Heat

remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add chorizo and cook, tuning once, until crisp

(2-3 minutes). Add to chickpeas and return pan to heat. Drain squid from marinade, add to pan and cook

quickly until squid just turns opaque (1-2 minutes), then add to chorizo mixture. Add marinade to pan,

cook briefly until onion is tender (1-2 minutes), season to taste, then pour over squid and chorizo mixture.

Add parsley and sherry vinegar, toss to combine and serve immediately.

Salads


Salads


Rocket, Fennel & Parmesan Salad

Serves 10

Ingredients

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

80 ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil

4 bulbs of fennel, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandolin or V-slicer

200 gm wild rocket

200 gm shaved Grana Padano

Method

Place vinegar and 1 tbsp sea salt in serving bowl and, using a fork, mix to combine and dissolve salt then

add olive oil, a little at a time, whisking to emulsify. Season to taste with freshly ground back pepper. Add

fennel, rocket and Grana Padano, toss and serve immediately.

Fennel & Lemon Salad Fennel and lemon mixed with cumin make a startlingly different tasting salad.

Ingredients

1 lemon

3 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced crosswise.

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

Salt

Freshly ground green peppercorns

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Method

Peel the lemon, carefully removing all the white membrane. Cut crosswise into very thin slices and remove

any seeds. Combine the fennel and lemon slices in a salad bowl. Add the cumin seeds and salt and ground

green peppercorns to taste; mix well drizzle the olive oil and mix well let stand for 10 minutes for flavours

to blend then serve.

Salads


Fennel & Feta with Pomegranate Seeds & Sumac

Ingredients

½ pomegranate

2 medium fennel heads

1 ½ tbsp olive oil

2 tsp sumac, plus extra to garnish

Juice of 1 lemon

4 tbsp tarragon leaves

2 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

70g Greek feta cheese, crumbled

Sea salt and black pepper

Method

Start by releasing the pomegranate seeds. The best way to do this is to halve the pomegranate along its

„belly‟ (you only need half a pomegranate here), then hold the half firmly in your hand with the seeds facing

into your palm. Over a large bowl, start bashing the back of the fruit with a wooden spoon. Make sure you

don‟t hit it too hard, as you will bruise the seeds and break the skin. Magically, the seeds will just fall out.

Pick out any of the while seeds which fall into the bowl. Remove the leaves of the fennel, keeping a few to

garnish later and trim the base, making sure you leave enough of it still attached to hold the slices

together. Slice very thinly lengthways. In a bowl mix the olive oil, sumac, lemon juice, herbs, and some sea

salt and pepper. Add the fennel and toss well. Taste for seasoning but remember, the feta will add

saltiness. Layer the fennel, then the feta and then the pomegranate seeds onto individual plates. Garnish

with fennel tips, sprinkle over some sumac and serve immediately.

Salads


salad recipes

Documents

fennel orange salad

mozzarella prosciutto

plum sauce mint salad

chorizo chickpea salad

opinion salads

tbsp olive oil

g puy lentils

pomegranate seeds sumac