Tag: salad

Victory Day

It’s VE Day this week (Thursday 8 May) and up and down the country will be street parties, starting today in London, with a flyover of Buckingham Palace, and other communal events. It’s a time of celebration and coming together of communities and to give thanks for those who gave their lives so that we may have the space and freedom to love our lives, peacefully.

With the thought that somewhere, some of you may be asked to contribute to a buffet table I’m posting some ideas for sandwiches, a pudding cake and a non-alcoholic drink to wash it all down with.

There are so many breads and wraps out there, I am leaving the hard bit of what to use up to you – I’m just going to give you the fillings, a meat, fish and veggie one.

Meat and Pickled Cucumber

  • Meat of your choice – leftover roast, specially cut ham, even fish meat will do
  • ½ cucumber, thinly sliced                    
  • 2 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • Mayonnaise

Combine the cucumber, vinegar, olive oil, sugar and salt and pepper in a bowl then pile up the meat, cucumber mix and mayo on top.

Smoked Salmon and Salad

  • smoked salmon, chopped
  • 2 tablespoon mayonnaise                         
  • 2 tablespoon chopped celery
  • Dill/chives/red onion to taste (one or other or all three!)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (you can zest the whole lemon, squeeze the juice and freeze separately – or you can make yourself a gin and tonic!)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and pile up your bread with a dusting of Aleppo pepper.

Beets, Spinach and Goats Cheese

  • 1 small cooked beetroot                              1 dessertspoon olive oil
  •  good handful of spinach                            1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 ounce goats cheese

Cook the spinach in a tiny bit of water until wilted, stir in the vinegar and cool. Layer up the sliced beetroot, spinach, cheese – and munch!

Apple Sharlotka

  • 6 large, tart apples
  • 3 large eggs
  • 200 grams granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 125 grams plain flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Butter the paper and the sides of the pan. Peel, halve and core your apples, then chop them into medium-sized chunks. (I cut each half into four “strips” then sliced them fairly thinly — about 1/4-inch — in the other direction.) Pile the cut apples directly in the prepared pan. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using an electric mixer or whisk, beat eggs with sugar until thick and ribbons form on the surface of the beaten eggs. Beat in vanilla, then stir in flour with a spoon until just combined. The batter will be very thick. Pour over apples in pan, using a spoon or spatula to spread the batter so that it covers all exposed apples. (Spread the batter and press it down into the apple pile. The top of the batter should end up level with the top of the apples.) Bake in preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a tester comes out free of batter. Cool in pan for 10 minutes on rack, then flip out onto another rack, peel off the parchment paper, and flip it back onto a serving platter. Dust lightly with ground cinnamon and icing sugar

Rhubarb Cordial

  • 450g rhubarb, chopped
  • 225g sugar (I know it seems a lot, but remember you are going to dilute it and don’t need a lot)
  • 300ml water
  • 1 orange, zest and juice
  • 1 lemon, zest and juice

Put the sugar and water into a large saucepan.  Add the rhubarb, zests and juices and bring to the boil.  Cook until the rhubarb is completely mushy (technical term!).  Put a piece of muslin over a large bowl (I secure mine with an elastic band) and pour the liquid and fruit into it.  Leave it to drip through overnight. Bottle and keep in the fridge. I have no idea how long it will last as it seems to go as fast as I can make it, but I would think about 1 week to 10 days.

PS if you want to make more, I work on a ration of half sugar to weight of rhubarb and up the water slightly. 

Winter Salads

AS we head towards the time when we turn the clocks back and Autumn seems to be rain and cold and grey, try to remember the foods of summer, their freshness and greeness. Whilst the weather often dictates that stews and comfort food are what we want/need to eat, don’t forget winter salads – but with a hint of warmth to keep out the chill. You can eat them on their own – but they will easily sit happily alongside lamb or pork chops or baked fish – and give you a quick boost of Vitamin C and all things sunshine!

Mushroom and Wild Rice Salad

  • 125g chestnut mushrooms, halved
  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1/2 unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest only
  • 75 – 100g mix of brown basmati and wild rice, cooked (you could use one of the ready made pouches )
  • 200ml hot vegetable stock
  • 1 pomegranate, seeds only
  • 3 – 6 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 50g watercress, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • fresh coriander, roughly chopped               
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice  
  • Salt and pepper                                         

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Place the mushrooms, onion, garlic, lemon zest, rice and vegetable stock in a casserole dish or small, deep roasting tin. Cover tightly with kitchen foil or a lid and cook for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, to make the lemon and coriander dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside. Stir the dressing, half the pomegranate seeds, half the spring onions and the watercress into the rice. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed. Garnish with the remaining pomegranate seeds and spring onions. Serve immediately.

Thai Vegetable Salad with Crispy Noodles (Optional)

  • 2 carrots, peeled and pared into ribbons
  • 1/2 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 2 – 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 little gem lettuce
  • Bean sprouts
  • small can of water chestnuts, drained and halved (you can freeze what you don’t need for another time)
  • 1 red chilli
  • 1 garlic clove
  • Add chopped mushrooms (raw), sliced peppers, radishes, cashew nuts, coriander, sliced cabbage, seeds of your choice

Dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil                                       
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable/sunflower oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger                                  
  • 1 teaspoon castor sugar
  • 1 dessertspoon sherry vinegar                           
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water

Deseed and finely chop chilli; peel and slice garlic. Heat the oil and fry the chilli, garlic and ginger for 30 seconds.  Add the sugar, vinegar, soy sauce and water and simmer for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and cool. Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Serve at once with a scattering of sesame seeds

Try topping with Crispy Noodles (soak half a sheet of dried Chinese egg thread noodles, drain and dry thoroughly. Heat some oil in a deep pan and deep fry the noodles for 1 -2 minutes until crisp and golden.

Pear Salad

  • 3 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 pears, quartered lengthwise and cored
  • salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar or sherry vinegar, divided
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 1 /2 head of a romaine or other crispy lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces
  • crumbled blue cheese or feta
  • seeds and/or walnuts (optional)

In a large pan, over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil until just smoking. Add pears in a single layer cut side down and cook, flipping halfway through, until golden brown on both cut sides, 4 to 6 minutes total; season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low and add 1/2 tablespoon vinegar. Gently stir until liquid is thickened and coats pears, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer pears to a plate and let cool. Halve each piece of pear lengthwise.

In a large bowl, whisk honey and remaining oil and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Fold in greens, gently tossing to combine. Top with pear slices and blue cheese.  You can also add your favourite seeds and/or walnuts.