Hi Everyone!

As we kick off 2021 during this rather wet summer I wanted to share with you five of my favourite salads from 2020.  Whilst it is not a particularly hot summer so far, the rain has made it very muggy and the perfect weather for a yummy fresh salad, so here they are.

My number one all time favourite:  Thai Beef Salad from Marie Claire

“At Marie Claire we believe good food is a combination of fresh ingredients and uncomplicated layers of flavour.  When you start with quality produce, a few simple flavours will complement and contrast with your base ingredients to create the perfect taste experience.  Think of food with passion, not anxiety, and feel free to substitute and add ingredients as you please.  This is often how personalised culinary masterpieces are created.”

I absolutely love this quote from the front of the Marie Claire book simply called Cooking.  It is so very true that people get so overwhelmed with the whole deciding, shopping, cooking thing that they forget to allow themselves to be in the moment.  I say that without being some amazing and fabulous cook, I just like doing it. (most of the time)

Anyway, this salad is great for anytime of the year, even though we automatically think that salads should only be served in the summer.  I have made various Thai Beef salads over the years but this one just hits the spot.  I did, as suggested and added and subtracted.  I added blanched asparagus, mango, avocado and beautiful little tomatoes.  I only used one chilli instead of two. Give it a go and add your own creativity to the dish.

Hope you enjoy these salads this summer….

From my table to yours with love x

Thai Beef Salad

Feel free to add all sorts of lovely things to this delicious salad

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 450 g Rump steak
• 3 tsp Soy sauce
• 2 cloves Garlic crushed
• 2 tbsp Lime juice
• 150 g Assorted salad greens
• 1/3 c Mint leaves
• 1/3 c Basil leaves
• 1/4 c Coriander leaves
• 1 Cucumber sliced
• 2 Red chillies chopped
• 3 tbsp Soy Sauce extra
• 2 tbsp Lime juice extra
• 2 tsp Palm sugar
• 2 Kaffir lime leaves shredded

Method

 

1. Place steak, soy sauce, garlic and lime juice in a bowl and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Cook steak on a preheated hot char grill for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cooked to your liking. Cover steak and set aside. Arrange lettuce, mint, basil, coriander and cucumber on serving plates. Slice beef thinly and place on top of salad.
2. Combine all ingredients and give a good shake to dissolve sugar and mix the flavours. Pour dressing over the salad and serve.

Vietnamese Prawn Salad

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tbs white sugar
• 2 limes rind finely grated, juiced
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 2 long red chillies sliced (use one if this will be too hot)
• 2 kaffir lime leaves finely shredded
• 500 g cooked king or tiger prawns peeled, deveined
• 1 lebanese cucumber
• 60 g baby rocket or mixed salad greens
• 250 g grape tomatoes halved
• 1 french shallot peeled, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp toasted chopped peanuts
• 1/2 c coriander leaves

Method

 

1. Combine fish sauce and sugar in a shallow bowl and stir to dissolve sugar. Add lime rind, juice, garlic, chilli and kaffir lime leaves. Add prawns and toss well. Cover and refrigerate for 15 mins.
2. Meanwhile, halve the cucumber lengthways and scoop out the flesh. Slice on an angle
3. Combine rocket, cucumber, tomato, shallot and coriander on a platter. Add prawns and drizzle with the marinade. Top with peanuts.

Summer Chicken & Melon Salad

A salad to which you can add many extras eg. grapes, mango, mandarine segments, nuts

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 6 chicken breast fillets
• 1 c white wine
• 1 c water
• 2 -3 whole black peppercorns
• 2 sprigs celery leaves
• 2 sprigs parsley
• 2 sticks celery finely chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley finely chopped
• 1/2 rockmelon peeled, seeded and cut into 2cm pieces
• any extra fruit you may like to add
• 1/2 c egg mayonnaise
• 1/2 c light sour cream
• grated rind of one lemon
• 1/3 c lemon juice
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

Method

 

1. Place chicken fillets, wine, water, peppercorns, celery leaves and parsley in a frying pan. Cover and heat to simmering point. Poach chicken gently for 5-8 minutes or until just cooked. Remove chicken from pan and allow to cool. Slice into bit-size pieces and set aside to cool in the refrigerator.
2. For the mayonnaise, combine all the ingredients in a bowl or jug, and mix well.
3. Place sliced chicken, rockmelon, celery and parsley in a large bowl. (and any extra fruit you wish to add)
4. Add mayonnaise and toss gently until evenly coated.
5. Spoon salad onto a large serving platter or bowl and garnish with extra parsley and perhaps some walnuts.

Salmon salad with dill

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 3 salmon fillets each one cut into three
• 2 tbsp greek yoghurt be generous
• 2 tbsp dijon mustard be generous
• 2 tbsp chopped dill

Method

 

1. Salt skin of salmon, mix all other ingredients together. Spread mixture over top and sides of salmon. Refrigerate until ready to BBQ. Cook to your liking, then serve on salad (ingredients of your choice).

Prawn, berry, melon & feta salad

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 24 large green prawns peeled, deveined with tails in tact
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 baby cos lettuce leaves separated
• 500 g seedless watermelon
• 1 125g punnet blueberries
• 1 c mint leaves
• 40 g feta cheese crumbled
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 1 tsp horseradish cream

Method

 

1. Heat a BBQ hotplate over medium-high heat. Place prawns in a bowl and drizzle with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until charred and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
2. Place lettuce in a bowl. Using a spoon, scoop watermelon into bowl with lettuce. Add prawns, blueberries, mint and feta.
3. To make the dressing, whisk oil, lime juice and horseradish together in a jug. Drizzle over salad before serving.