More Amazing Salads

I have always been looking for a good salad recipe to use up left over chicken. This Thai Chicken, Coconut and Coriander Salad with Crispy Shallots is the best one I have found yet. If you don’t have any left over chicken, poach the chicken in the dressing as in the recipe., Coconut and Coriander Salad with Crispy Shallots

Thai Chicken, Coconut and Coriander Salad
1 x 400ml can coconut milk
Fresh or frozen lime leaves
2 Thai birds eye chillis, lightly bashed
Small bunch coriander
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar, or brown sugar
2 chicken breasts, trimmed
40g toasted coconut chips (try Ocado)
½ a cucumber
3 carrots, peeled
1 red pepper, cut into very thin rings
1 lime
3 shallots, peeled
Sunflower oil
Sea salt

Place the coconut milk, fish sauce, the stalks of the coriander (saving the leaves for the salad), the chillis, the sugar, a teaspoon of salt and the lime leaves in a saucepan. Add the chicken breast and bring to the boil. Gently simmer to poach the chicken for 12–15 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken from the pan and rest. Turn up the heat on coconut milk and reduce until a few tablespoons remain. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Strain and add the juice of the lime. Taste and adjust seasoning. It should be fragrant, spicy, sour and sweet.

Meanwhile, shave the cucumber and carrots, leaving just the cores, with a peeler. Put in a large bowl with the coconut chips, the red pepper and coriander leaves. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken.

Slice the shallots as thinly as possible. You can use a mandolin or food processor. Place in a small saucepan and just cover with oil. Over a high heat, stir the shallots frequently until they are golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on kitchen paper. Spread out thinly and allow to cook. Lightly season with salt and fluff up so that the shallots go crispy.

Celery Salad with Dates, Almonds, and Parmesan

When you get to my age and you have been cooking as long as I have, it is really hard to find recipes that are fresh, exciting or different but this simple celery salad is really exciting. I’m not even that keen on fruit or nuts in savoury dishes but the celery, lemon and the chilli really balance out the sweetness. It made a very tasty lunch!

Celery Salad with Dates, Almonds, and Parmesan
Serves 2
½ cup/large handful raw almonds with skins8 celery stalks, thinly sliced on a diagonal, use leaves too
6 dates, pitted, coarsely chopped
Zest of one lemon plus 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chunk of Parmesan, shaved
4 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Very small pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Toss almonds, celery, celery leaves, lemon zest and dates in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Mix the lemon juice and olive oil together well. Add a small pinch of chilli flakes and mix through the salad. Serve with shavings of parmesan.Add the chicken to the bowl with the vegetables and then dress with the dressing (you may not need all of it.) Pile onto plates and top with the crispy shallots.

Warm Salad of Avocado, Baby Spinach and Bacon, Poached Egg

Salad Tiede was all the rage about 10 years ago. Literally translated as “warm salad” it is one of those culinary terms which just sound so much more exciting in French than it does in English. But that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have to taste exciting. Super quick and simple it relies on really great ingredients to transform it into something really special, so use the best bacon, avocados and eggs that you can find.

Warm Salad of Avocado, Baby Spinach and Bacon, Poached Egg
Serves 2
8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, cut into lardons
2 organic, free-range eggs
Large handful or two of baby spinach leaves
2 ripe avocadoes, cut into large chunks
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Splash white wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Put a small pan of water onto boil. Fry the bacon in a little olive oil until really golden and crispy in a heavy bottomed frying pan. Remove the pan from the heat from the heat. Put the spinach leaves into a large bowl with the avocado chunks. Add the red wine vinegar to the pan with the bacon and allow to bubble away. Add a dash of white wine vinegar to the pan of boiling water, turn down the heat and carefully crack in the eggs. Poach until the whites have totally cooked but the yolks are still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon onto some kitchen paper to drain. Stir the mustard into the pan with the bacon. I should have cooled a bit by now. You want the mustard to amalgamate with the bacon fat and the vinegar, not cook. Season and pour the bacon and dressing over the spinach and avocado. Toss well and tip into bowls. Top with the eggs and a good grind of black pepper. Serve straight away.

Beta Than Cider

I recently realised that I was not doing nearly enough exercise. Since the kids have finally both started school, I don't even seem to walk as much I as used to.  No more endless trips to the park pushing buggies.  This lack of exercise is taking its toll - mainly on my hips and although there is absolutely no sign of any warm weather ahead at all, I just know that it is going to catch me out suddenly.  Winter will come to an end one day, the sun will come out and I will be very white, over-weight and un-shaven.  So I decided to take up Bikram Yoga.  Although frowned upon by purist yogis, this variation of yoga is done in a heated room which not only causes you to sweat profusely but you also have to work twice as hard, just to cope with the heat. The idea is it makes you more agile and less likely to suffer injury and the heat makes it more cardiovascular so you burn more calories. In reality, it is really almost unbearable but you feel fantastic when you manage to survive yet another class.

Unfortunately this new exercise regime also coincided with another new discovery. I developed an unhealthy obsession with cider.  Not just any cider by Henney's Frome Valley Cider which is so delicious that I just couldn't get enough of it.  It just seemed the perfect way to re-hydrate and re-tox in the evening after a hard couple of hours detoxing. Unfortunately, it turns out that cider is incredibly fattening and so it was having a very detrimental effect on my attempts to loose weight.  I now appeared to be developing a beer-belly as well, or a cider-belly to be more precise. So, very sadly, the cider had to go. But what could I possibly replace it with?

The only joyful experience about going to Bikram Yoga is that they have a lovely juice bar with deliciously, tempting sounding concoctions.  However, having finished my relatively cheap 30 day introduction offer, the price rose rapidly, especially as they appear to expect you to go every day. However, at around £11.00 a class I really cannot afford to go more that twice a week and it has also forced me to economise on my new juice fix.  So I have turned to making my own.  After a few weeks of experimenting this is my favourite combination. 

First of all it must have beetroot, the ultimate super-food.  So long is it's list of benefits, that it is hard to believe that there is anything that beetroot can't do.  To counteract the sweetness I balance the flavour with celery and fennel and finally add a few carrots and a little apple. The overall list of health benefits of these vegetables on The World's Healthiest Foods website is so long that it would take you a week to read it but what is so amazing is that it tastes so good that you don't really even care.  The kids also love making juice so you can get them to do most of the work however there can be a bit of a battle as to who gets to drink most of the end results  but what better way to encourage your kids towards a healthy diet.

Beta than Cider

I really do recommend organic vegetables for juicing.  Since they are raw and I don't even bother peeling them I just don't want a whole lot of pesticides in my juice.  It is a really good way of using up an Organic Vegetable box which can work out cheaper than buying organic at the supermarket.  If you really want to go for it, add a handful of something green as well.  Spinach, beet-tops or Watercress are all especially good.
2 sticks Celery, washed
2 Carrot, washed and topped
2 Beetroot, topped tailed and well scrubbed
2 Apples
1 head of Fennel

Wash all the vegetables and cut the Beetroot, Apple and Fennel into wedges which will fit into the juicer. Carrots and Celery are usually the perfect juicing size already to fit perfectly into the 
juicer shoot. Mix all the juices together well and drink as soon as possible. I like to keep the vegetables in the fridge to make your drink nice and cold.

If you would like some more juice recipes I highly recommend Thirst by Nigel Slater.

Some Salads for a Summer's Day

When I was a kid in the 70's, America was a really big influence.  We wore baseball jackets and Converse shoes, my favourite TV show was Starsky and Hutch and American Pizza and Burger restaurants were opening all over London.  The thing I loved the most about these restaurants was the choice.  How your food was cooked, what it came served with and side orders galore.  The options seemed limitless. Salads had not one but five different dressings - Italian, French, Blue Cheese, Ranch or Thousand Island.  I thought this was just the most amazing thing, even though I always chose Thousand Island, which I adored.  The salad was different too.  We were used to a limp lettuce leaf, a piece of cucumber and an unripe tomato but this was something else.  Shredded red and white cabbage, grated carrot and sweetcorn.  I loved it so much that it was one of the first restaurant dishes that I tried to create for myself at home.  The beginning of a long road.

Now I like to think my pallet more sophisticated and I tend to avoid mayonnaise based dressing in search of more subtle combinations. So when choosing a salad to accompany my Ribs last week a chose a Slaw but felt it needed a really clean dressing.  Barbecued Ribs are delicious but can be a bit sickly so I wanted something to cut the richness.  I think this one works really well.



For the Fish Marinated with Chermoula I made a monkfish kebab but you could use tuna or salmon instead.  Just make sure it is a firm fish which will stay on the Skewer.  With it I served a Giant Couscous Salad.  The Couscous being giant, not the salad.  I am quite a fan of Giant Couscous mainly due to the fact that when the children eat it, they seem to manage to get slightly more of it in their mouths than on the floor, which certainly cannot be said about the other variety.  This salad is simplicity itself, as you use the Chermoula again as a dressing and with just a few other ingredients thrown in you have yourself a really tasty salad.

Finally with the Steak and Chimicurri I made one of my favourite, quick salads of Avocado, Tomatoes, Coriander and Lime.  It is such a great combination.  Really fresh and vibrant.  Great on a sunny day.  Not that it was !  Avocados are really fantastic right now.  I don't know if they have a season but they just seem so creamy and tasty at the moment and they are super-good for you too.

I have to admit that they are one of my favourite snacks.  I remove the stone and in the cavity and I squeeze a mixture of half mayonnaise, half tomato ketchup and a squeeze of lemon.  I then mix the dressing up in the pear and eat the whole thing standing up by the fridge.  So much for my sophisticated pallet !  I haven't changed a bit.



Slaw for Ribs

1/2 White Cabbage (shredded)
1/2 Red Cabbage (shredded)
4 large carrots (pealed and grated)
1/2 head of Celery (wash and slice fairly thinly through the whole head)
2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
Juice of 2 Lemons

Mix all the vegetables together in a large bowl.. Mix the ingredients for the dressing and add. The dressing should not drown the salad however you do not want it to be dry. If necessary just make up a little more.



Giant Cous Cous with Chermoula

Giant Couscous
Chermoula
Bunch of Spring Onions (finely sliced)
Some Red, Yellow or Orange Peppers (seeds removed, finely chopped)
A Cucumber (seeds removed, finely chopped)
1 Fresh red Chilli (seeds removed, finely chopped)
A bunch of Coriander (finely chopped)

Cook the Couscous in plenty of salted water until soft and pleasant to eat.  If it is not, then it is not ready.  Drain and refresh with a little cold water.  Drain really well.  Add a generous amount of Chermoula until the Couscous is quite green and tastes pretty punchy.  Now add the vegetables and mix well.

Avocado, Tomato, Coriander, Lime and Chilli

One clove of garlic (very finely chopped)

One Fresh Red Chilli (very finely chopped)
2 spring onions (finely sliced)
200g cherry tomatoes (quartered)
2 ripe avocados (pealed and chopped into large bite size pieces)
Juice of one or two limes
Bunch of Coriander (very finely chopped)
Glug of Olive Oil
Good pinch salt
Freshly ground pepper

Mix garlic, chilli, lime juice and olive oil together.  Season well.  Stir in rest of ingredients.  make sure avocado is well coated in lime juice to avoid discolouration.

Finger on the Pulses

Whilst lurking around in an Italian deli last week in Putney, I stumbled upon the whole selection of the Bartolini Range.  Up until that moment I had only known of their Farro Perlato, but it appears that they have a brilliant selection of lovely pulses, pastas and cereals all from Umbria.  I bought some lovely looking Borlotti Beans, Cannellini Beans and Chickpeas as well as Orecchiette and Trofie Pasta.
 

Farro is the Italian word for Emmer wheat. It is a wheat grain, actually a kernel, that resembles barley and is specifically grown in Italy but grows wild in the Middle East.  It is hulled but not "polished" and therefore retains a rustic character both in taste and consistency. Like the other grains in the wheat family, Spelt and Kamut, Farro is botanically closer to ancient varieties of grains and has a high vitamin, mineral and fiber content. 

Anyway, I love the stuff and often put it into all sorts of soups. But the other day my friend Katherine make a lovely Barley Salad for a picnic with Asparagus, Broad Beans, Peas, Feta and Mint and I thought I might see how it turned out with Farro. 


I have to say I am really pleased with the result. I love Barley but Farro has a delicious chewy texture and a stronger, sweet wheat taste which really makes this salad sing and with the addition of some baby spinach leaves tossed through and some crisp Prosciutto on top, I thought it was a winner.



There were also some lentils which caught my eye.  I am just in the process of making Salt Pork for an ambitious blog involving the Sauerkraut that I made a few weeks ago but I have been so busy, what with children on half-term and work, that I am beginning to wonder if it will ever get made. I think my Salt Pork may be heading for a "Petite Sale aux"Lentilles" instead of  "Choucroute Garnie" as I originally intended. 

But in the meantime a made a lovely lentil salad.  This is one of those recipes which really does not sound or look that exciting but always tastes much more than its sum of ingredients.  I think it is the combination of chilli and celery which is such a refreshing mix of hot (spicy) and cold with the nutty lentils which works so well.

Also in the Bartolini range I discovered a ready made soup mix called Zuppa Rapida, clearly as close as Italians in Umbria get to an instant soup, which is a fantastically healthy selection of pearl barley, lentils, green azuki beans, tiny white beans and dried green peas.  On the back is a recipe which translates as "Soup of the Mill" and when I woke up this morning to another wet and cold June day I thought I might give it a try.   However, my soup ended up more of a Bolognese.  I am not saying it wasn't nice, because it was but I can think of better recipes.  Broad Beans and Peas and Asparagus are everywhere now and I think I might make a really fantastic Minestrone with the Borlotti Beans I bought.  When I get some time !



Asparagus, Broad Bean and Pea Salad with Farro, Feta and Baby Spinach, Crisp Prosciutto

1 Bunch of Asparagus, snap off ends and cut the rest into 1 inch pieces
200g podded Broad Beans, (or frozen)
200g shelled peas, (or frozen)
100g Farro
100g Feta
Large handful of Baby Spinach
4 slices of Prosciutto or Parma Ham
Mint
Lemons
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

First cook your Farro in plenty of salted boiling water until cooked and nice and chewy.  Drain and allow to cool.  Whilst still warm dress with a dressing make of some freshly squeezed lemon juice, some extra virgin olive oil and lots of salt and pepper.  Allow to cool completely.

Cook the asparagus in lots of salted boiling water for about 3 minutes, until tender. Remove and refresh in lots of cold water.  Next put the peas in the water.  Bring it back to the boil and cook until tender.  Refresh.  Finally cook the Broad Beans in the water and cook for about 3-5 minutes.  Refresh and shell when cool. Place your slices of Ham on some tin foil and bake for about 10 minutes in a medium hot oven until crisp.  Remove and allow to cool. 

Finally mix the Farro with the asparagus, broad beans, peas and freshly chopped mint.  Check for seasoning.  Just before serving toss through some baby spinach leaves.  Pile onto a large plate.  Crumble the feta on top and finally crumble the crisp ham over.



Lentil Salad with Celery, Carrots, Chilli and Parsley

Make sure you choose Lentils which hold their texture when cooked like Le Puy Lentils or Castelluccio.  There should be much more vegetables in proportion to lentils. You can add other vegetables that you have to hand such as peppers or any colour or fennel. Adjust the amounts of all the ingredients according to your taste.

200g Lentils (see note)
200g carrots, chopped very finely
200g celery, pealed and chopped very finely
200g cucumber, seeds removed and chopped very finely
1 Fresh Red Chilli
Lemons
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Large handful of Flat Leaf Parsley, roughly chopped (or disciplined as Fergus Henderson would say)

Cook the lentils in plenty of salted cold water.  Bring to the boil and simmer very gently for about 20 minutes until just cooked.  Do not over cook as they will not retain their texture which is very important for this salad.  When cooked, drain and allow to cook.  When still warm, mix with the dressing of freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Allow to cool completely before mixing with all the other ingredients.  Adjust seasoning.  Serve scattered with a little more freshly chopped parsley.  Try using some leaves of baby gem lettuce as a "spoon."