For most, the mere mention of “salad” and they suddenly feel like a “rabbit”! Perhaps if you’re eating your mundane lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber and if you lucky a drop of cheese! For me salads are nothing short of BRILLIANT! They scream excitement, flavour and fun! (not to mention they look simply gorgeous)! The thing to remember, and what I try to teach is that you need to experiment with your combinations and flavours. Don’t be afraid to try something new just because its not in the “recipe”.. we are not baking a cake here so have FUN!
Anglo-Asian Lamb Salad
Ingredients
| 2 teaspoons garlic oil |
| 1 lamb loin, approx. 250g |
| 1 packet (approx. 180g) salad leaves |
| 3 x 15ml tablespoons chopped mint |
| FOR THE DRESSING |
| 2 x 15ml tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla) |
| 1 x 15ml tablespoon redcurrant jelly |
| 2 x 15ml tablespoons rice vinegar |
| 1 teaspoon soy sauce |
| 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped, or 1/4 teaspoon crushed chillies |
| 1 spring onion, finely sliced |
Method
| 1. | Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan, and cook the lamb for 5 minutes on one side, and then turn it over and cook for another 2 1/2 minutes on the other. |
| 2. | Wrap the meat in foil, making a baggy but tightly sealed parcel, and let it rest for about 5 minutes. |
| 3. | In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. |
| 4. | Open the foil parcel, and empty the meat juices into the dressing. Cut the lamb into very fine slices or strips and add them too; the acid in the dressing will “cook” the lamb a little more while it steeps. If the meat is not rare, I’d leave it for just a short time, but for a longer time if it seems undercooked. You want it still gorgeously pink to sit on its salad. |
| 5. | Divide the salad leaves between 2 (or 4) plates and then arrange the soused lamb with the dressing over each one. Finally scatter the chopped mint on top. |
Smoked Chicken and Mango Salad
Ingredients
250g Smoked Chicken sliced
1 lg Mango sliced
125g roasted sunflower seeds
1pkt Salad Greens
1sml red onion sliced
½ punnet rosa Tomatoes sliced
1 stem spring onions chopped
½ red pepper sliced
Method:
Arrange all the above ingredients in a salad bowl, serve drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil
Fig and Parma Ham Salad
Ingredients
Figs
Parma Ham
Mozzarella sliced
Fresh Basil
Dressing:
6 Tbls Olive Oil
3 Tbls lemon juice
1 Tbls Honey
salt and black pepper
Method:
Criss-cross the figs but not quite to the bottom – 1 fig per person is always a good start. Then, using your thumbs and forefingers, squeeze the base of the fig to expose the inside. At this point you’ll think, ‘Oooh, that looks nice, I think I’m quite clever …’ or at least I do. More importantly, it allows your dressing to get right into the middle of the fig. Then arrange the parma ham, mozzarella and fresh roughly chopped basil on the plate. Combine the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the salad. Serve with fresh bread rolls.
Roasted squash, prosciutto and pecorino salad
Ingredients
1 butternut squash
olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small dried red chilli
1 heaped teaspoon coriander seeds
20 slices of prosciutto or Parma ham
4 handfuls of rocket
6 tablespoons extra virgin
olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 small block of pecorino or Parmesan cheese
Method:
Preheat your oven to 190°C. Carefully cut your butternut squash in half, keeping the seeds intact. Remove the two ends and discard them. Cut each half into quarters and lay in a roasting tray. Rub with a little olive oil. In a pestle and mortar pound up a flat teaspoon each of salt, pepper and your chilli and coriander seeds. Scatter this over the squash. Roast the squash for half an hour or until soft and golden. Allow to cool a little.
Lay your prosciutto on 4 plates — let it hang over the rim of the plates and encourage it to twist and turn so it doesn’t look neat and flat. Tear up your warm squash and put it in and around the ham. Sprinkle over the seeds and the rocket. Drizzle over the olive oil and balsamic, add a tiny pinch of salt and pepper, and use a vegetable peeler to shave over the Pecorino.
Crab & Avocado Salad with Japanese Dressing
Ingredients
| 2 x 15 ml tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine) |
| 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste |
| 1 x 15ml tablespoon rice vinegar |
| few drops sesame oil |
| 1/2 teaspoon Maldon salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt |
| 1 long red chilli pepper, deseeded and finely chopped |
| 200g crab meat |
| approx. 1 teaspoon lime juice |
| 150g rocket salad |
| 1 ripe avocado |
| 1–2 teaspoons chopped chives |
Method:
In a bowl that will take the crab meat later, whisk together the mirin, wasabi paste, rice vinegar, sesame oil and salt. Then remove about 4 teaspoons to another big bowl large enough to fit your salad. 2.To the first, more generous amount of dressing, add the finely chopped chilli and then the crab meat, and fork through to mix thoroughly. 3.To the small amount of dressing in the other bowl, add the lime juice and then the salad leaves and toss well to mix, before arranging on four plates. 4.Spoon a quarter of the mixture into a metal American 1/3-cup measure, or a small ramekin, squishing down to get it all in, then unmould in the centre of a salad-lined plate. 5.Just turn over, tap and the crab meat should fall out. Repeat with the remaining crab meat and the 3 other plates. 6.Using a rounded teaspoon measure, scoop out curls or humps of avocado and dot around on top of the salady bits. Spritz with a little lime juice. 7.Sprinkle the chopped chives over the mounds of crab and take the plates to the table.
Ricotta and tomato tart with Basil and Rocket
| Ingredients: The filling Depending on your rosa/cherry tomato sizes, about 30 tomatoes cut in half The pastry |
Method:
Let’s start with the pastry base; making your own puff pastry is fussy and time-consuming, so stop on your way home from work and pick up a frozen puff pastry from your local store. We won’t tell if you don’t! Pre-heat your oven to 160ºC while the pastry is defrosting. Once ready, gently roll it out onto a floured surface until it is about 1cm thick, keeping its rectangular shape.
Tip: work quickly with the pastry when uncooked so it doesn’t soften and stretch.
Cut the pastry to roughly a 30cm by 20cm rectangle. Lightly grease a cold baking tray and carefully line it with the pastry. Use a fork to pierce the pastry in the centre, leaving about a 2cm border unpierced all the way around the rectangle. Now baste the border of the base with the eggwash.
Now to fill the centre of the tart: sprinkle the ricotta evenly, excluding the unpierced border. Chop and sprinkle half the basil on top of the ricotta cheese. Now fill the entire centre with the tomatoes, making sure the skins face upwards. Season well with salt, pepper and sugar.
Place in the oven for about 30 minutes, until the tart sides have risen and are golden brown. The tomatoes skins should be cooked and half caramelized. Yummy!
Once ready, serve straight onto your chosen serving platter. Sprinkle the leftover chopped basil and whole leaves of rocket evenly over the tart and dress with extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately!
Tip: by using a large coffee cup to cut the pastry into smaller tarts, you can create individual portions that present really beautifully!
Quinoa and Avocado Salad with Dried Fruit, Toasted Almonds, and Lemon-Cumin Vinaigrette
Ingredients
3 Tbs. raisins (preferably a mix of dark and golden)
2 Tbs. dried apricots, thinly sliced
1 cup red or white quinoa, rinsed well
Kosher salt
1 large lemon
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
2 medium firm-ripe avocados pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 medium scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
2 to 3 Tbs. coarsely chopped toasted almonds
Freshly ground black pepper
Method:
In a medium bowl, soak the raisins and apricots in hot water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water, the quinoa, and 1/2 tsp. salt to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. (The outer germ rings of the grain will remain chewy and white. Some germ rings may separate from the grain and will look like white squiggles.) Immediately fluff the quinoa with a fork and turn it out onto a baking sheet to cool to room temperature.
Finely grate the zest from the lemon and then squeeze 1 Tbs. juice. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon zest and juice with the olive oil, coriander, cumin, paprika, and 1/4 tsp. salt. In a large bowl, toss the vinaigrette with the quinoa, raisins, apricots, avocado, scallions, and almonds. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Sweet n Sour Sirloin Stir-Fry with Ranch Mashed Potatoes.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable, peanut or canola oil
1 small head red cabbage, shredded
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Method:
Heat the oil in large skillet over high heat. Stir-fry the cabbage for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the vinegar and honey, sesame seeds and oil. Serve warm.
Grilled Hot-and-Sour Shrimp with Watermelon-Watercress Salad – Rachel Ray
Ingredients
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon mustard sauce (2 packets) or any other hot mustard
3 cups bite-size seedless yellow or red watermelon chunks (about 1 1/3 pounds)
2 bunches watercress, coarsely chopped
4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with the tails on
2 tablespoons duck sauce (3 packets)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (2 packets)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Juice of 1 lime
Method:
In a salad bowl, combine the rice vinegar, honey and mustard. Add the watermelon, watercress, scallions and bell pepper and toss; season with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat the oil, two turns of the pan, over high heat. Add the shrimp and stir fry until pink and firm, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the heat and stir in the duck sauce, soy sauce, hot pepper sauce and lime juice; toss to coat. Serve on top of the salad.
Open-Face Smoked Salmon and Avocado Sandwiches
Ingredients
1-1/2 firm-ripe medium avocados, cut into medium dice
1 medium scallion, thinly sliced
3 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro; whole leaves for garnish
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 to 1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeño
salt and pepper
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. toasted coriander seeds, coarsely ground
1/4 tsp. (scant) finely grated orange zest
8 oz. thinly sliced cold-smoked salmon, cut into 1-1/2 -inch-wide strips
4 slices sourdough bread (each 6-1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch thick), toasted very crisp
1 medium clove garlic, halved
Method:
In a medium bowl, gently mix (don’t mash) the avocado, scallion, chopped cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, and 1/4 tsp. salt. In another medium bowl, mix the oil, coriander, and orange zest. Toss the salmon with the oil mixture. Rub the toasts lightly with the cut sides of the garlic clove. Divide the avocado mixture among the toasts. Pile the salmon strips on top. Garnish with the cilantro leaves and serve immediately so the toast stays crisp.
Ingredients
5 medium blood oranges
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium head radicchio, washed, cored, and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces (about 5 loosely packed cups)
1 medium head butter lettuce,washed, cored, and cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces (about 4 loosely packed cups)
3/4 cup blanched hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
chunk Parmigiano-Reggiano or aged goat cheese
Method:
Finely grate 1 tsp. of zest and then squeeze 2 Tbs. juice from one of the oranges. In a medium bowl, whisk the zest and juice with the olive oil, vinegar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
Using a sharp knife, trim off the peel and white pith from the remaining 4 oranges and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices; remove any seeds.
In a large bowl, toss the radicchio and butter lettuce with the hazelnuts and just enough dressing to lightly coat (about 1/4 cup). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the salad among 6 serving plates and top each with 3 or 4 blood orange slices. With a vegetable peeler, shave a few shards of cheese over the top.
Greek Salad
Ingredients:
lettuce or endive leaves, washed and shredded
6 small tomatoes, cubed
1small cucumber, peeled and cubed
175g feta cheese, cubed
100g black olives
a bunch of fresh marjoram
SALAD DRESSING
15ml lemon juice
salt and pepper
45ml olive oil
Method:
Line a shallow serving dish with the lettuce or endive leaves. Put the cubed tomatoes, cucumber and cheese on the bed of lettuce and scatter the olives over. Make the salad dressing by combining the lemon juice, salt pepper and olive oil together, shake well in a screw-top jar. Pour the dressing over the salad and scatter the marjoram leaves, mixing lightly.
Pear, Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 medium shallot, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup olive oil
Salad
1bag mixed baby greens
2 large ripe pears, halved, cored, thinly sliced lengthwise
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 cup walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped
Method:
Whisk first 4 ingredients in small bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Toss greens in large bowl with enough dressing to coat. Divide greens among 6 plates. Top with pear slices, dividing equally. Sprinkle with cheese and walnuts. Drizzle lightly with remaining dressing and serve.
Happy HEALTHY Cooking! 
Firstly I love a baby spinach, strawberry and pine nut salad with avocado and drizzled lightly with balsamic vinegar. The sexy flavours of the strawberries mixed with the textures of the pine nuts and blue cheese has you thoroughly enjoying this meal! Served with fresh mini Italian rolls, or seed loaf simply a match made in heaven!
