 |
| Appetizers (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Because salads don't require cooking, a lot of people imagine that they don't require much consideration, either; they're seen as something to be just tossed haphazardly together with whatever ingredients are on hand. In fact, the making of a successful salad requires real thought. Salad is naked food, and thus the freshness and quality of its raw materials are at least as important as they would be for cooked food.
The value of salads in our diet cannot be underestimated. They provide, first and foremost valuable nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, which are not lost through cooking. They add variety and interest to our diet, color to our table and elevate the most simple meal.
Here are salad recipes that you should know how to toss and present to the hungry mouths around the table. They would surely add interest, color and glow even to a simple family occasion.
WATERCRESS AND PEAR SALAD
You will need:
2 bunches watercress, plucked and washed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp white-wine vinegar
salt and pepper
3 beurre bosc pears, washed
parmesan shavings
Here's how:
1.) Slice pears finely and combine with watercress in a bowl.
2.) Beat oil, lemon juice and white-wine vinegar with salt and pepper until slightly thickened. Drizzle over salad just enough to coat the leaves. Place on a platter and top with shavings of parmesan.
WITLOF SALAD WITH PECANS
You will need:
5 heads witlof (Belgian Endive), washed
1 pc delicious apple, quartered
1 pc green apple, quartered
juice of 1 lemon
200 g (7 oz) young rocket leaves
160 g (5 1/2 oz) pecan nuts, coarsely chopped and toasted
100 g (3 1/2 oz) gorgonzola or blue castello, crumbled
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp walnut oil
4 tbsp sherry-wine vinegar
1 pc large green onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Here's how:
1.) Cut the witlof in half, lengthwise then lay the witlof cut side down on a board and cut the leaves into thin strips.
2.) Toss apples with the lemon juice. Wash the rocket leaves and drain well.
3.) In a bowl, combine witlof, apple slices, rocket, toasted pecans and blue cheese. Beat together walnut and olive oil, sherry-wine vinegar and green onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the salad and toss. Serve immediately.
FAVORITE CAESAR SALAD
You will need:
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil
9 slices achovies
juice of 1 1/2 lemons
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp mustard
1 1/2 tbsp white-wine vinegar
4 pc eggs
2 thick slices country style bread
2 tbsp olive oil
100 g (3 1/2 oz) prosciutto
3 heads lettuce, washed and crisped
50 g (1 1/2 oz) parmesan
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Here's how:
1.) Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C (430 degrees F, gas mark 7). Cut the bread into cubes and toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking pan and bake the cubes for 15 minutes until golden and cool. Crisp the prosciutto on a shallow pan in the oven for 3 minutes.
2.) In a large mixing bowl, place garlic and olive oil. Using the back of a metal spoon, press the garlic into the cooking oil. Add the anchovies and mash into the oil mixture. Beat in lemon juice.
3.) Boil the eggs for 1 minute. Remove immediately and allow to cool. Crack the eggs carefully, separate the yolks and mix well into the ingredients in the bowl.
4. Place lettuce leaves in a mixing bowl and toss thoroughly in the dressing for several minutes until all leaves are coated. Add bread cubes, parmesan, and finish with black pepper and crisp prosciutto. Serve immediately.
APPLE AND WATERCRESS SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE
You will need:
2 pc green apples, cut into wedges
4 tbsp vinaigrette
1 bunch watercress
1/2 spanish onion, sliced
3 tbsp chive, finely chopped
155 g (5 oz) blue veined cheese
Here's how:
1.) Arrange apple wedges in a salad bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette.
2.) Wash watercress, drain well and pat dry in a dishtowel. Break the watercress into small sprigs discarding coarse stems. Add to apples, with onion and chives.
3.) Crumble cheese over salad. Drizzle remaining dressing over top.
JUMBO SHRIMP WITH MANGO SALSA
You will need:
12 raw jumbo shrimp, peeled (tails on)
flour seasoned with salt and pepper for dusting
1 pc egg, beaten
155 g (5 oz) sesame seeds
90 g (3 oz) shredded coconut
1 pc mango, peeled and finely diced
1/2 small spanish onion, finely diced
2 tbsp cilantro
juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp butter or olive oil
150 g (5 oz) mixed salad greens of your choice
lime quarters for garnish
Here's how:
1.) Butterfly the shrimp, cutting along the inner curve, 3/4 of the way through and to the vein. Open out, remove the vein and flatten by pressing down with side of a large knife.
2.) Dip each shrimp into the seasoned flour then into the beaten egg to coat both sides. Place onto the coconut mixture, covering the top also, and pressing down lightly for the mixture to adhere. Place the shrimp on a flat oven sheet and refrigerate 20 minutes or more.
3.) In a skillet, heat the butter or olive oil, add shrimp and fry over a high heat for 1-2 minutes each side until golden. (You may need to apply pressure with a spatula as they cook to prevent them from curling up).
4.) Combine mango, onion, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl and add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, arrange some salad greens on each plate and top with 3 cooked shrimp and a generous spoonful of mango salsa. Drizzle over any remaining salsa juice and serve immediately with lime wedges if desired.
ROCK LOBSTER AND SMOKED OCEAN TROUT SALAD
You will need:
2 lobster tails, cooked
400 g (13 oz) smoked ocean trout
1 continental cucumber
1 carrot
1 green small zucchini
1 yellow small zucchini
100 g (3 1/2 oz) rocket leaves
1 bunch chives, finely chopped
Dressing:
juice of 2 limes
1 tbsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
salt and pepper
Here's how:
1.) Remove the meat from the lobster tails and slice finely. Cut trout into thin strips. Place lobster and trout in a container, cover and refrigerate.
2.) Wash the cucumber, slice half lengthways, Scoop out and discard the seeds. Using potato peeler or vegetable slicer, cut the cucumber and carrot into long thin ribbon. Cut the unpeeled green and yellow zucchini into long thin ribbons. Mix the lobster, ocean trout, ribboned vegetables and rocket leaves gently together in a large bowl.
3.) In a bowl, place the lime juice and palm sugar. Heat in the microwave or over hot water to dissolve the sugar. Beat in the olive oil, add the salt and pepper and beat until it thickens. Toss gently through the salad. Arrange the salad on an attractive platter and sprinkle over chives.
BROILED GOAT CHEESE SALAD
You will need:
4 small fresh goat cheeses
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
cracked black pepper
4 thin lemon slices, halved
300 g (10 oz) mixed salad leaves, washed and crisped
slices of country-style bread, toasted
Here's how:
1.) Place the cheese in a container that will fit them neatly. Strip the thyme leaves from the stalk into a bowl. Add garlic, oil and cracked pepper and mix well. Pour over the cheeses and place lemon slices between cheeses. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours. Turn cheeses in the marinade once or twice.
2.) Preheat the broiler. Broil the cheese for 2 minutes each side and the lemon slices until rosy tinged and softened a little.
3.) Arrange salad leaves on 4 plates. Place a cheese and lemon slice on each and drizzle with marinade. Toast the bread and serve with the salad.
AMERICAN STUFFED TOMATO SALAD
You will need:
8 pc large, round tomatoes
4 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large leek, finely chopped
3 cup (5 g, 1 lb) steamed or boiled white or brown rice
80 g (2 3/4 oz) pine nuts, toasted
110 g (3 1/2 oz) currants
1 handful parsley, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable stock
1/2 cup (125 ml) white wine
500 g (1 lb) baby spinach leaves, washed and drained
Here's how:
1.) Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. With a sharp knife, slice the tops off the tomatoes, scoop out as much flesh as possible without damaging the exterior of the tomato. Chop the removed flesh finely.
2.) Heat the oil in a skillet and cook onion and leek until slightly golden. Add rice, tomato pulp, nuts, currants, parsley, mint, salt and pepper and saute' until the mixture is hot and well flavored.
3.) Fill each tomato with the rice mixture and replace the tops of the tomatoes. Place in a baking pan. Combine garlic, stock and white wine and pour around tomatoes. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven.
4.) Place spinach leaves in a bowl. Spoon some of the hot cooking liquid from the tomatoes over the spinach, discard the garlic, and toss well. Serve a mound of warm spinach on each plate with the tomato placed on top. Drizzle any remaining liquid over and serve.
CARROT AND SHRIMP TAPAS SALAD
You will need:
750 g (1 1/2 lb) carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced
4 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
3 tbsp virgin olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp mild paprika
2 tbsp white-wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
500 g (1 lb) jumbo shrimp, cooked and peeled (tails on)
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Here's how:
1.) Place carrots in a pan of boiling water and boil vigorously for 3-4 minutes until almost crisp-tender. Drain.
2.) Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small skillet and add garlic, rosemary, cumin and paprika. Saute for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from the heat and beat in remaining olive oil and white-wine vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3.) Toss the carrot slices and cooked shrimp with the warm garlic rosemary dressing to coat well. Place in a dish and garnish with fresh parsley leaves.
MELON AND ONION SALAD
You will need:
1/2 (about 1 kg, 2 lb) medium seedless watermelon
2 medium-sized red onions, thinly sliced
Dressing:
4 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
5 tbsp salad oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Here's how:
1.) Slice watermelon thinly, discarding seeds. Using a pastry cutter, cut slices into rounds, about same size as largest onion rings in concentric circle in a large oval pan or entree' place.
2,) Place lemon juice, honey, salad oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Beat. Pour dressing over salad, cover and marinate in refrigerator overnight. Served chilled.
No comments:
Post a Comment