Tabbouleh Salad
Ingredients
400gms ripe plum tomatoes, finely diced
2 tsp kosher salt, divided, plus more for seasoning
2 cups finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
¼ cup dry coarse bulgur wheat
1 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves (about 1 bunch)
2 scallions, white & light green parts only, finely chopped
5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh juice from 1 lemon
¼ tsp ground coriander seeds (optional; see notes)
Pinch ground cinnamon (optional; see notes)
Freshly ground black pepper
Romaine lettuce leaves, for serving
Method:
Season tomatoes with 1 teaspoon salt & toss to combine. Transfer to a fine-mesh strainer or colander set in a bowl & allow to drain for 20 minutes. Reserve liquid.
Season parsley with remaining 1 teaspoon salt & toss to combine. Transfer to a large mixing bowl linedwith paper towels & let stand for 20 minutes. Blot parsley with towels to remove excess moisture.
Bring ½ cup reserved tomato water to a boil, then pour over bulgur in a small heatproof bowl & let stand until bulgur is softened, about 1 hour (bulgur may still have a slight bite, but will continue to soften in the salad). Drain bulgur of any excess liquid & pat dry with paper towels.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together tomatoes, parsley, mint, bulgur, scallions, olive oil, lemon juice, ground coriander seeds, & cinnamon until well combined. Season with salt & pepper. Serve tabbouleh with romaine leaves.
Watermelon Salad w/ Mint Vinegarette
Ingredients
For the Salad:
500gms watermelon peeled & diced
1 small red onion thinly sliced
225gms feta cheese
For the Dressing:
⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup chopped of fresh mint
sea salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper
Method:
For the Salad:
Put all the salad ingredients in a large bowl, set aside.
For the Dressing:
Put all the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl, & whisk to combine. Pour over the salad, & lightly toss.
Fig, Melon, & Prosciutto Salad w/ Basil
Ingredients:
1 each of honeydew & rockmelon, peeled & seeded
12 Black Mission figs, split in half lengthwise
100gms thinly shaved prosciutto
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
small handful fresh basil leaves
Method:
Arrange melons, figs, & prosciutto on a serving platter. Drizzle with olive oil & sprinkle with salt. Scatter with basil leaves & serve.
Tomato & Feta Salad
Ingredients
6 to 7 medium ripe tomatoes, sliced into wedges
1 medium red onion, halved, then thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 packed cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 packed cup chopped fresh dill
2 ½ tsp sumac
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
1 lemon, juiced
2 tsp white wine vinegar
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Feta cheese, to your liking
Method
Add the fresh ingredients. In a large salad or mixing bowl, gently toss together the tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley, & dill.
Season the salad. Add the sumac & season with salt & pepper to taste. Add the lemon juice, white wine vinegar, & extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine. Taste & adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Serve. Transfer to a serving platter or bowl. Top with large pieces of quality feta cheese.
Caprese Salad
A simple salad, but how majestic can you get with essentially just three ingredients that offer an exquisite colour combination & a complexity of flavours that complement each other to a tee.
Ingredients:
675gms ripe tomatoes, mixed sizes, at room temperature
340gms fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into bite-size pieces
extra-virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt
ground fresh black pepper
6 to 8 fresh basil leaves
Method
Cut tomatoes & mozzarella balls into slices & arrange on a large plate in a single, slightly overlapping layer. Drizzle generously with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt & black pepper. Tear basil leaves into small pieces & spread evenly. Serve immediately
Baked Goat Cheese Salad
Ingredients:
230 gms goat cheese
100 mls extra-virgin olive oil
3 thyme sprigs
100gms panko breadcrumbs
½ tsp dried thyme
Vinegarette:
75 mls red wine vinegar
75 mls olive oil
1 tsp French mustard
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
100gms loosely packed lettuce leaves
garlic croutons
Method:
Divide goat cheese into 4 or 8 equal portions & shape into rounds. Place goat cheese rounds in a shallow dish; drizzle with ¼ cup olive oil, & turn to coat completely. Top with thyme sprigs. Cover & refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Stir together breadcrumbs & dried thyme in a small bowl. Remove cheese rounds from oil, & coat thoroughly with the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown & bubbly, 10 to 12 minutes.
Vinegarette: Place vinegar, olive oil, mustard. salt & pepper in a bowl & whisk to emulsify.
Toss lettuce leaves with vinaigrette to lightly coat. Mound dressed lettuce on each plate & top with warm goat cheese rounds. Serve immediately with garlic croutons.
Caesar Salad
Ingredients
105mls extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 cups Ciabatta or Baguette, large dice
100gms finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg yolk
1 tbsp (15ml) juice from 1 lemon
2 to 6 anchovies or anchovy paste
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (see note)
80mls canola oil
2 heads romaine lettuce, inner leaves only
sauce, pressed garlic, & ¼ cup Parmesan cheese in the bottom of a cup that just fits the head of an immersion blender or in the bottom of a food processor. With blender or processor running, slowly drizzle in canola oil until a smooth emulsion forms. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in remaining ¼ cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil. Season to taste generously with salt & pepper.
To serve, toss lettuce with a few tablespoons of dressing, adding more if desired. Once lettuce is coated, add half of remaining cheese & three-quarters of croutons & toss again. Transfer to a salad bowl & sprinkle with remaining cheese & croutons. Serve.
Niçoise Salad
Ingredients
4 small waxy potatoes, such as young Yukon Golds
½ medium onion
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 medium cloves garlic
½ cup kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
900gms string beans, trimmed
4 large eggs
225gms ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
10 anchovy fillets, in oil
250gms, about can oil-packed bonito tuna
¾ cup pitted small black olives
2 tbsp drained brined capers
20 torn fresh basil leaves
4 cups lettuce such as mesclun mix
freshly ground black pepper
Method
For the Vinaigrette: Combine shallot, garlic, mustard, anchovies, vinegar, & water in a large bowl & whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in olive oil. Alternatively, place all ingredients in a tightly sealing jar, seal, & shake vigorously until emulsified. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
For the Salad: In a large saucepan, cover potatoes with at least 2 inches of water. Add onion, thyme, & garlic. Stir in ½ cup salt & on medium-high heat, bring to a simmer & cook until tender
Remove from heat & drain potatoes, allow to cool to room temperature, then crumble & set aside. If making 1 day ahead, store potatoes in the refrigerator, then revive by gently crushing with the bottom of a saucepan & frying in a cast iron skillet, allow to cool to room temperature, then crumble & set aside.
Meanwhile, fill a large saucepan with water & season generously with salt. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring saucepan of water to a boil. Working in small batches, cook beans until tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Transfer to ice bath to chill. Drain beans & pat dry; beans can be refrigerated overnight at this point. Cut beans into 1 ½-inch length & set aside.
Add 1 tray of ice cubes to another large bowl & fill with water. Add 1 inch of water to a large pot. Place steamer insert inside, cover, & bring to a boil over high heat. Add eggs to steamer basket, cover, & continue cooking 9 minutes. Immediately place eggs in bowl of ice water & allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before peeling under cool running water. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Cut eggs into quarters lengthwise.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, anchovy fillets, tuna (if using), olives, capers, basil, & lettuce greens. Shake or whisk vinaigrette, then drizzle a small amount over greens, tossing gently with & adding more vinaigrette as needed until everything is lightly coated. Season with salt & pepper. Transfer salad to serving bowls & garnish with eggs.
Tuna is an optional ingredient: The anchovies are more than enough to carry this salad, but feel free to mix the tuna in if you like, or even use it in place of the anchovies (don’t add tuna to the vinaigrette, though).
Som Tam Salad
Ingredients
1 green papaya (very firm & dark green)
200gms small fresh shrimps (or 4 tsp dried small shrimps)
3 carrots, coarsely grated
6 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp nam plaa sauce (or nuoc mam sauce)
Juice of 3 limes
2 tbsp palm sugar
6 tbsp unsalted roasted peanuts, crushed
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp tamarind juice
3 red Thai chili peppers, coarsely chopped
Thai cilantro leaves
Method
Peel & cut the papaya in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds. Rinse thoroughly with clean water to rid the fruit of its acidity & grate.
Pound peppers & garlic with a pestle until reaching the consistency of a paste & mix with grated papaya & carrots. Season with palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind juice, & lemon juice & add tomatoes, shrimps & peanuts & combine.
Quinoa & Chickpea Salad
Ingredients
1 ½ cups white quinoa, cooked
1 cup chickpeas, cooked
A big bunch of flat-leaf parsley leaves only chopped roughly
A handful of mint leaves finely chopped
3 spring onions finely sliced
1 juice of a lemon
1 tbsp maple
1 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
Method
To cook the chickpeas, soak 250gms chickpeas to 1½ litres of water with 1 teaspoon of bicarb soda for 18 + hours changing the water at least twice after which thoroughly rinse & drain off all excess water.
Add 1 crushed garlic clove, a little pepper, & a bay leaf to a large saucepan with 3-4 litres of water.
Cook for at least 2-3 hours over high heat with the lid half on.
Remove from heat, season with salt, & leave to completely cool in the cooking water. Refrigerate until required, drain & discard water.
To cook white quinoa, add to a fine mesh colander & rinse under running water for at least 30 seconds. This step removes any bitterness on the outside of the quinoa caused by naturally occurring saponins.
Combine the rinsed quinoa & water in a saucepan. The ratio is usually 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the quinoa reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low & cover the saucepan with a lid. Allow the quinoa to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.
After the water has been absorbed, remove saucepan from heat, cover & let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. The quinoa will actually pop open after the initially steam.
Fluff your cooked quinoa gently with a fork.
Combine lemon juice, maple syrup & olive oil & season to taste
Cut flat leaf parsley & mint chiffonade, combine with quinoa & chickpeas add the dressing & season lightly to taste.
Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
450gms Persian cucumbers, ends trimmed, cut into batons
¾ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 tbsp tahini paste
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice + ¼ tsp grated zest from 1 lemon
2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped plus fronds for garnishing
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
20gms shallots finely minced
Method
In a large bowl, add baton cucumbers & ¼ teaspoon salt & toss to combine. Transfer cucumbers to a colander. Cover & refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Pat cucumbers dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel; set aside discarding any accumulated liquid
Add tahini paste & lemon juice & whisk to combine; the mixture will seize & turn pasty. Add 1½ teaspoons cold water & whisk until a smooth sauce forms. Add remaining ½ teaspoon salt, lemon zest, dill, garlic, & shallot, & whisk to combine. The sauce should very slowly lose its shape if you let ribbons of it drop from the whisk into the bowl (if sauce is too thick, whisk in cold water in ¼ teaspoon increments to achieve desired consistency.
Add cucumbers & toss until evenly coated with sauce. Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with dill, & serve.
Classic Potato Salad
Ingredients
1kg waxy potatoes, such as red-skinned potatoes
1 tsp kosher salt, plus more as needed
¾ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 medium stalks celery
1 large shallot or ¼ small onion or both
¼ cup, fresh parsley, tarragon, & dill, for garnish
3 hard-boiled large eggs (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
Method
Cut the potatoes. Cut 1kg waxy potatoes into large, bite-sized chunks. (Alternatively, boil the potatoes whole, then peel, if desired, & dice them after cooking.)
Prepare for cooking: Place the potatoes & 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a large saucepan, & add sufficient cold water to cover them by about 1-inch.
Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, & cook until the potatoes are tender all the way through when pierced with a fork, 8 to 12 minutes depending on the size & type of potatoes.
Dice 2 medium celery stalks (about ¾ cup), mince 1 large shallot & or ¼ small red onion (about ¼ cup), & chop ¼ cup, fresh parsley, tarragon, & dill (equal proportions). Peel & dice 3 hard-boiled large eggs, if using.
Drain & cool the potatoes. Drain the potatoes in a colander & rinse under cool water. Drain well again, then transfer the potatoes to a large bowl.
Add the dressing. Add ½ cup mayonnaise & 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard to the potatoes, & fold to combine.
Mix in the remaining ingredients. Add the celery, shallots, herbs, & eggs, if using, & stir until thoroughly combined. Taste & season with more kosher salt or black pepper.
Serve the salad while still warm, or cover & refrigerate for up to 1 day before serving.
Tomato-Cucumber Salad w/ Whipped Feta
Ingredients
1 package feta cheese in brine, drained & crumbled (about 1 ½ cups)
1/3 cup reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large clove garlic
1 tbsp cold water
2 tbsp grated lemon zest plus ½ tsp, divided
2 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp dried mint
¼ tsp ground pepper
4 small tomatoes, quartered (about 1 cup)
2 medium Persian cucumbers, chopped (about 1 cup)
¼ cup sliced red onion
2 tbsp roughly torn fresh mint leaves
24 multigrain pita chips
Method
Combine feta, cream cheese, 1 tablespoon oil & garlic in a food processor; & pulse until very smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. With the processor running, slowly stream cold water & lemon juice through the chute; process until the mixture is light in texture & appears whipped, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Place the whipped feta to a bowl; cover & refrigerate until ready to serve.
Whisk 2 tablespoons lemon zest, dried mint, pepper & the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a medium bowl until well combined. Stir in tomatoes, cucumbers, onion & mint leaves; toss to coat.
Arrange the tomato & cucumber salad over the whipped feta. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon lemon zest & serve with pita chips.
Spinach & Smoked Salmon Salad w/ Lemon-Dill Dressing
Ingredients
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped dill
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 cups baby spinach
125 gms thinly sliced smoked salmon, cut chiffonade
1 medium English cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, & thinly sliced
4 radishes, halved & thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Method
In a large bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice & dill & season with salt & pepper. Add the spinach, smoked salmon, cucumber, radishes, & scallions to the bowl & toss well. Transfer the salad to plates & serve.
Lemon Waldorf Salad
Ingredients
½ cup walnut halves
1 tbsp minced shallot
½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
¼ cup plus 2 tbsp canola oil
2 ¼ tbsp walnut oil
½ tsp ground cumin
salt & freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
4 large radishes (halved lengthwise & thinly sliced crosswise
1 ½ cups chopped celery leaves
¼ cup golden raisins
1 Fuji apple (peeled, quartered, cored & thinly sliced crosswise)
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Spread the walnuts in a baking dish & toast for about 8 minutes, until golden & fragrant. Let the nuts cool, & place in an immersion blender & pulse 3-4 times only.
In a large bowl, combine the minced shallot & lemon zest with the lemon juice & vinegar. Whisk in the canola & walnut oils & the cumin. Season the dressing with salt & pepper.
Add the shredded romaine lettuce to the bowl along with the toasted walnuts, radishes, sliced celery hearts, celery leaves, raisins & apple. Toss well & serve immediately.
Mixed-Greens & Herb Salad w/ Figs & Walnuts
Figs are believed to have originated in Western Asia. Archaeological evidence traces figs back to at least 5000 B.C. They arrived in the Mediterranean region, & consequently the rest of the world, through human migration. The fig is the edible fruit of Ficus carica, a species of small tree in the flowering plant family Moraceae, native to the Mediterranean region, together with western & southern Asia, it has been cultivated since ancient times & is now widely grown throughout the world.
Ingredients
½ cup walnuts
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper
125gms dried Black Mission figs, thinly sliced
225gms mixed greens
½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp torn mint leaves
2 tbsp chopped dill
2 tbsp snipped chives
20gms fresh pecorino, shaved
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Toast & coarsely pulse the walnuts as per above recipe.
In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the oil & season with salt & pepper. Add the figs, greens, parsley, mint, dill, chives, pecorino, & walnuts & toss gently. Serve imediately.
Grilled Figs w/ Ham, Walnuts, & Mint Cream
Ingredients
3 mint sprigs
1 tsp lemon zest plus 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided
olive oil
20 walnut halves
10 ripe figs (500gms), stemmed & halved lengthwise
10 shaved ham or prosciutto
1 cup heavy cream
¼ tsp kosher salt
Tabasco hot sauce
1 small lemon
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, sliced chiffonade
Method
Roughly chop leaves & stems of 3 mint sprigs. Place in a mortar & pestle, & grind until thoroughly crushed. Add lemon juice, & let stand 1 hour.
Place cream in a small bowl. Place mint mixture in a fine mesh chinois over cream, & press on mint solids to extract liquid. Season with salt, a drizzle of Tabasco sauce, & lemon zest. Stir until mixture emulsified & smooth. Refrigerate until required.
Preheat a skillet to medium-high & add a drizzle of olive oil.
Gently press 1 walnut half into cut side of each fig half. Wrap each walnut-stuffed fig in shaved ham or prosciutto.
Place stuffed figs on oiled grate, & grill, uncovered, until ham is lightly charred, fat has begun to melt, & figs begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Add lemon juice & zest over warm figs & garnish with chiffonade of mint, & serve immediately with mint cream.
Fresh Roasted Beetroot & Carrot Salad
Ingredients
For the Vinegarette:
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp salt
Beetroot & Carrot Preparation:
6 whole fresh beetroot, trimmed, washed, roasted & refrigerated
12 baby carrots, cut in half with leaves in tact
Garnish:
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
reserved beetroot greens
fresh coriander
1 only thinly sliced lemons
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Beetroot & Baby Carrot Preparation:
Scrub, peel & trim your beets. If the beets still have their leafy tops, remove & reserve for garnish. Wash the baby carrots, season with sea salt & cracked black pepper & drizzle with maple syrup & roast on a separate baking tray to that of the beetroot.
*The baby carrots will only take 20-25 minutes at 200°C as their mass is much smaller than the beets.
Rub the beets in olive oil & season with salt & cracked black pepper. Wrap each beet tightly in foil on a baking sheet & roast until tender when pierced with a knife
Check the carrots for doneness & remove when fork tender; cool & slice in half lengthways. Refrigerate to chill until required.
Allow the beets to stand at room temperature until cool enough to handle. Cut “julienne style” or your preference; to shred offers a great presentation.
For the Dressing:
Whisk oil, orange juice, mustard, maple syrup, vinegar, coriander & salt together in a medium bowl until combined.
To Assemble:
Lay down a bed of reserved beetroot greens, fresh coriander & basil, position the carrots on top & place the beets on top, drizzle with dressing & finish with chives & parsley. Serve immediately.