Salads

Bulgur is a magical wheat that needs only soaking, no cooking, and the flavour of the tomatoes concentrated and sweetened by roasting. You could throw in olives, chopped cucumber or capers as well if you have them.

Preparation time: 15min, plus 30min soaking; cooking time: 15min
266cals per serving; serves 6

175g (6oz) bulgur wheat
700g (1½lb) cherry tomatoes or baby plum tomatoes
8 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
A handful each of mint and basil roughly chopped, plus basil sprigs to garnish
3-4tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 bunch spring onions, sliced

Can omit step 2 by using Sainsburys Sunblush Tomatoes.

Put the bulgur wheat in a bowl and add boiling water to cover by lcm (½in). Leave to soak for 30min.
Put the tomatoes in a small roasting tin, drizzle with half the extra-virgin olive oil and add half the mint. Season with salt and ground black pepper. Roast at 220°C (425°F) gas mark 7 for 10-15min or until beginning to soften.
Put the remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a large bowl. Add the warm pan juices from the roasted tomatoes and the soaked bulgur wheat.
4 Stir in the remaining chopped herbs and spring onions; check seasoning. (You may need a little more balsamic vinegar depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes.
Carefully toss in the tomatoes and serve garnished with basil sprigs.

Roast Tomato Salad

12 large toms
lots of basil
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
Seasoning & olive oil
Olives

Skin toms cut in half, season, sprinkle on garlic and drizzle olive oil over them, Tear up basil & put a piece on each tom. Coat the leaves in oil first.

Roast 50 mins to 1hr until begin to blacken. Allow to cool. Dress with 2 tbsp olive oil and a good balsamic, top with black olives and serve with crusty bread perhaps ciabatta.

Fig, Ham & Pistachio Salad

For 4

10 slices of medium sliced ham
4 ripe figs
150g rocket leaves
2 tbsp pistachio nuts

Dressing:

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp walnut oil (or hazelnut)
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp cold water
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Sea salt & black pepper

Slice ham into narrow strips. Quarter figs. Wash & dry rocket leaves.

For dressing – whisk oils, vinegar, water, mustard, salt and pepper. Put ½ of this into a small bowl.

Toss rocket in remaining dressing. Divide almost all the leaves between 4 dinner plates. Reserve some for a garnish. Strew ham over ricket leaves, arrange figs on top. Keep it loose and casual. Scatter with pistachio nuts and drizzle on rest of dressing. Scatter over other rocket leaves and serve.

Gruyere, Chicory and Apple Salad

Mix chicory, gruyere cubes, 9 granny smiths and lambs tongue lettuce with pecan halves. Dressing of Dijon mustard, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, 2tbs of crème fraiche, olive oil and seasoning.

A delicious first course.

Radicchio, Fennel & Fig Salad

2 heads red radicchio
1 fennel bulb
4 ripe figs
20 mint leaves
8 prosciutto ham
150g fresh white cheese – e.g. ricotta or goat cheese

Dressing:

2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs balsamic
1 tsp cold water
Salt & pepper

Trim radicchio, separate leaves, wash, then tear in two or three. Trim fennel and finely slice across the bulb. Quarter fish.

Make dressing. Toss leaves and fennel, arrange on 4 plates. Figs on top, tuck in prosciutto. Rough chop cheese, scatter. Drizzle rest of dressing. Serve with Italian bread.

Chilean Salad

Serve with lamb or chicken.

1 large or 2 small green chilli – de-seeded, chopped finely. Leave to marinate in lemon juice.

Slice 2 red onions finely.

Add 1 lemon zest and juice. Chop up red pepper (or yellow).

Lots and lots or coriander.

Mix with a little olive oil.

Serve with pitta breads.

Mum note: Ace dish by Steven.

Feta cheese salad

Makes a good starter

Puy lentils, quantity to suit.
Roast some red peppers and skin
Make a very lemony dressing add black pepper and lots of fresh mint
Dice up feta cheese, add to salad. Serve cold.

Add some fried slices of Parma ham on top. Serve with brown bread.

Mums note: My own recipe & really delicious

Potato, gorgonzola and walnut salad

Feeds 4. Takes 40 min.

A light lunch or supper in itself, with the potatoes providing a cushion for the biting saltiness of the cheese.

4 waxy potatoes
2tbsp red wine vinegar
1tsp Dijon mustard
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Bitter green leaves e.g. curly endive
200g gorgonzola cheese
4tbsp walnuts, roughly chopped

Cook potatoes in simmering salted water for 30 minutes until tender, but not falling apart. Allow them to cool off a bit, then slip off the skins and cut into thick slices.

Combine vinegar, mustard, sea salt and pepper in a bowl and slowly whisk in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning. Carefully toss the potatoes in the dressing and distribute among four dinner plates. Toss the bitter green leaves and walnuts in the remaining dressing and scatter, on top. Top with crumbled gorgonzola.

Delicious Salad Dressing

4tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tsp honey
2 tsp Dijon mustard
240ml extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Shake in jar. Keep in fridge 2-3 days.

Tomato and Onion Salad

Serves 6 as an accompaniment

6 firm, ripe, tomatoes
1 large red Spanish onion
4 tbsp (60ml) French dressing
1 tbsp(15ml) red wine
1 tbsp (15ml) finely chopped fresh coriander

Put the tomatoes into a large bowl, cover with boiling water, allow to stand for one minute, slide off the skins, then thinly slice the tomatoes. Peel and thinly slice the onion. Arrange the tomatoes and onions in overlapping slices on a large round serving dish. Mix the French dressing and red wine together and spoon over the tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle the chopped coriander over the top. Chill well before serving.

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