Eat

Modern Salads

Rethink your regular salads and add unexpected ingredients for bold, refreshing flavours

Portrait of Tammy Strobel
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Canned chickpeas or 2 cups of cooked brown rice could be used in place of lentils.

DUKKAH ROASTED PUMPKIN SALAD

Prep and Cook 75 mins | Serves 6

2 tbsps honey
1 cup (100 g) walnuts
2 kg Japanese pumpkin/kabocha squash, cut into 2.5 cm thick wedges
2 large (700 g) red capsicum, deseeded, quartered
1 large (300 g) red onion, cut into wedges
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
400 g canned lentils, drained, rinsed 60 g watercress

1½ tbsps dukkah (available at Redmart and Sasha’s Fine Foods)

YOGHURT DRESSING

½ cup (140 g) Greek-style yoghurt
¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice

1 tbsp honey

1. Preheat oven to 220 C (200 C fanforced). Line three oven trays with baking paper.

2. Bring honey to the boil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add walnuts and 1 tsp dukkah; toss gently to coat. Transfer to a tray; bake for 5 mins; set aside to cool.

3. Place pumpkin on another tray, and capsicum and onion on last tray. Drizzle 2 tbsps oil, and toss remaining dukkah to coat. Bake for 30 mins or until capsicum and onions are tender; remove from oven.

4. YOGHURT DRESSING: Combine ingredients in a small bowl; season to taste.

5. Toss roasted vegetables with lentils, watercress, nuts and Yoghurt Dressing, and serve.
 
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The poaching liquid can be used as a chicken stock for another recipe. Allow to cool; refrigerate and use within 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

KALE CAESAR SALAD

Prep and Cook 45 mins (+ cooling time) | Serves 4

1 litre (4 cups) water
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed
½ medium (70 g) lemon, sliced thinly
400 g chicken breast fillets
12 (100 g) thin slices sourdough baguette
¾ cup (60 g) finely grated parmesan
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 8 (240 g) middle bacon slices
180 g baby kale leaves

4 soft boiled eggs, halved

GREEN MAYONNAISE

¼ cup (75 g) whole-egg mayonnaise
2 tbsps sour cream
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley
1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh chives
2 tbsps water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 drained anchovy fillet, chopped coarsely

1 clove garlic, chopped finely

1. Bring water, thyme sprigs, garlic and lemon to the boil in a medium saucepan. Add chicken, return to the boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 12 mins or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken; cool for 10 mins, then shred coarsely. Reserve poaching liquid for another use (see Tip below).

2. GREEN MAYONNAISE: Process ingredients until smooth and combined; season to taste (makes about ¾ cup).

3. Preheat grill. Toast bread on one side, then turn and sprinkle with half the amount of parmesan; grill croutons until parmesan melts and is browned lightly.

4. Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Then, cook bacon until golden and crisp; drain on paper towel.

5. Meanwhile, place kale and onequarter of Green Mayonnaise in a large bowl; toss to combine. Stand for 5 mins to soften slightly.

6. Add croutons, bacon, remaining parmesan and Green Mayonnaise; toss to combine. Serve salad topped with eggs.

 
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LAMB AND TOMATO SALAD WITH PESTO DRESSING

Prep and Cook 25 mins | Serves 4

8 (550 g) lamb fillets
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 4 baby cucumbers
250 g punnet cherry heirloom tomatoes, halved
150 g cocktail truss tomatoes
180 g baby rocket leaves

½ cup (100 g) soft marinated goat’s cheese

PESTO DRESSING

½ cup (130 g) pesto

¼ cup marinating oil from goat’s cheese

1. Combine the lamb, garlic and oil in a medium bowl.

2. Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin, thinly slice cucumbers lengthways into ribbons.

3. Meanwhile, cook lamb on a heated, oiled grill plate (or grill or barbecue) for about 5 mins on each side, or until cooked as desired. Cover; stand for 5 mins. Slice lamb.

4. PESTO DRESSING: Place ingredients in a small screw-top jar; shake well to combine.

5. Combine cucumber, tomato, rocket and lamb in a large bowl. Season to taste.

6. Serve salad topped with crumbled cheese; drizzle with Pesto Dressing.
 
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CHARGRILLED QUAIL WITH CAULIFLOWER AND POMEGRANATE SALAD

Prep and Cook 1 hour | Serves 4

6 medium (1 kg) quails
1 small (1 kg) cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tbsps olive oil
2 tsps ground coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp fresh lemon thyme leaves
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1½ cups combined micro parsley and mint leaves
1 medium (320 g) pomegranate, seeds removed

¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 220 C (200 C fan-forced).

2. To butterfly quails, cut down both sides of the backbone with a pair of kitchen scissors, poultry shears or a sharp large heavy knife; discard backbone, open quails out flat.

3. Divide cauliflower between two large oven trays; drizzle each tray with 2 tsps of the olive oil, season. Bake for 15 mins or until browned.

4. Place quails on a large oven tray, sprinkle with spices, drizzle with remaining olive oil; season. Place quails, skin-side down, on a heated grill plate (or barbecue); cook, over medium-high heat, for 3 mins or until browned. Turn over, cook for a further 3 mins or until browned.

5. Return quails to oven tray; top with thyme, drizzle with the molasses. Transfer to oven; bake for 8 mins or until just cooked. Cover quail with foil; stand for 5 mins.

6. Meanwhile, place cauliflower in a large bowl with herbs and half the pomegranate seeds. Whisk juice and extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl. Pour dressing over salad; toss gently to combine.

7. Serve quail with cauliflower salad, drizzled with pan juices. Sprinkle with remaining pomegranate seeds.
 
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Instead of pork, you can also use grilled chicken breast or thigh fillets.

BEETROOT, ORANGE AND PORK SALAD

Prep and Cook 40 mins | Serves 4

200 g pork fillet, trimmed
1 (240 g) wholemeal baguette, halved horizontally, halved crossways
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
440 g canned baby beetroot, quartered
3 small (570 g) blood oranges, peeled, sliced thinly
100 g radicchio treviso leaves 8 (160 g) fresh pitted dates, halved
½ cup (60 g) pitted kalamata olives, halved
2 tbsps pepitas, roasted
2 tbsps sunflower seeds, roasted
2 tsps poppy seeds

Red micro radish leaves, to serve

RASPBERRY ORANGE BLOSSOM DRESSING

2 tbsps raspberry wine vinegar
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp orange blossom water
1 small clove garlic, crushed

2 tsps chopped fresh chives

1. RASPBERRY ORANGE BLOSSOM DRESSING: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl; season to taste.

2. Drizzle the pork and bread with oil; season. Cook the pork on a lightly oiled heated grill plate (or grill or barbecue), turning frequently, for 5 mins or until cooked through. Rest for 5 mins before slicing thickly. Place the bread on the oiled heated grill plate for 2 mins each side or until golden. Tear the bread into larger pieces.

3. Place the pork in a large bowl with the beetroot, blood oranges, radicchio, dates, olives and Dressing; toss to combine. Sprinkle the salad with the seeds and micro leaves, serve with the bread.

PHOTOS: JOHN PAUL URIZAR/BAUERSYNDICATION.COM.AU