Interesting salad ideas?

bev00, Feb 1, 8:16am
Interesting salads courtesy of Davidt4 -

Haloumi, Tomato and Green Bean Salad

serves 4

200g fine green beans
400g haloumi in 8 thick slices
8 basil leaves
4 tab extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
50g kalamata olives, stoned
125g red cherry tomatoes
125g yellow cherry tomatoes
1 tab red wine vinegar
2 tab finely chopped mint
ev olive oil to serve

Blanch beans 2 min and cool. Place haloumi slices on a board and top each slice with a basil leaf, drizzle with 1 tab oil, salt and pepper.

Mix tomatoes and beans with remaining olive oil, vinegar, mint, salt & pepper, arrange on serving plate.

Heat frying pan and fry haloumi basil side down 2 min, turn, cook 2 min. Add olives to pan to warm through, remove cheese and basil from pan and arrange on top of salad. Trickle over ev olive oil.

Quotedavidt4 (213 ) 2:33 pm, Fri 1 Feb #4
Salad of Peaches, mozzarella and basil (Nigel Slater)

serves 4

4 ripe peaches, sliced
16 slices parma ham
2 balls mozzarella
4 handfuls salad leaves

dressing:

1 tab white or tarragon wine vinegar
4 tab olive oil
2 tab crème fraiche
20 leaves of basil
pinch of sea salt
black pepper

Make dressing by mixing vinegar and salt, gradually beat in oil and crème fraiche to make creamy dressing, tear basil leaves and add with pepper.

Toss leaves with dressing, arrange on plates, add rest of ingredients.

Quotedavidt4 (213 ) 2:34 pm, Fri 1 Feb #5
Salad of Baked Zucchini (Greek)

1 kg small zucchini
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
10 ml ev olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
½ bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

Heat oven to 180C.

Wash zucchini and make a lengthwise cut along 80% of each, leaving an end uncut. Slide the garlic into the slits.
Arrange in a baking dish, season and add 100 ml water and 50 ml olive oil. Cover and bake 30 min. Turn over and bake a further 30 min.

Remove from oven, remove lid and cool.

Serve at room temp. with remaining oil and lemon juice whisked and poured over, parsley on top.

Quotedavidt4 (213 ) 2:34 pm, Fri 1 Feb #6
Cauliflower, Tomato & Caper Salad

serves 4

1 small caul
300g ripe tomatoes
2 tab capers, rinsed
3 tab ev olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
salt & pepper
parsley to garnish

Cut cauli into small florets, boil 2 min until just tender. Drain well.

Remove seeds from tomatoes, chop roughly, add to cauli. Add rest of ingredients, leave at room temp at least 1 hour to develop.

Quotedavidt4 (213 ) 2:35 pm, Fri 1 Feb #7

ange164, Oct 16, 9:23pm
Bumping to try some of these later

jhan, Oct 16, 9:59pm
I can't have garlic in the house, DH's system can't tolerate it. Salads without such seasoning is fabulous, it's that fresh clean taste that I love with salads. No dousing them in oil or strong herbs, no garlic, just the great taste of virginal vegetables.

crsdbl, Oct 17, 8:09pm
I had a beautiful Broccoli and Bacon salad recently.
it had broccoli, bacon, pine nuts, beans, cranberries and red onion and was mixed together with a mayo. was really good.

rainrain1, Oct 18, 10:28pm
Likewise, but mine had chopped cabbage and grated carrot as well

mazzy1, Nov 23, 3:39am
With our new (well three months ago) diet we are eating heaps more raw veges with nuts and seeds. Today I have made two different salads, although the first one hasn't got any dressing on it yet - ideas would be welcome! Grated beetroot, grated carrot, diced apple, walnut, spinach - needs something nice to finish it off. davidt - you are always great with advice :-)

And then I found this one, thanks google:-
Sesame Peanut Cucumber Salad.
1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
1 large or a few small radishes, cut into matchsticks
1 fresh hot red chile pepper, diced (remove the seeds for a milder salad)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated or finely minced
1 lime, zest and juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons salted and roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Fresh Thai basil, mint, or cilantro or a combination of them, chopped
1. Place the cucumber slices, radishes, and chili pepper in a large bowl, toss to mix.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the garlic, ginger, lime zest and juice, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil, and honey. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the cucumbers and toss until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to deepen.
3. Before serving add the sesame seeds, peanuts, and herbs and toss again.

What are your favourites?

geldof, Nov 23, 4:19am
I had a lovely simple salad the other day.
Grated carrot, slivered almonds, parsley, coriander and a basic vinegarette with garlic and cumin in it.

The other simple one I am enjoying is Avocado and cucumber salad.
2 of each each chopped, Dress with 1 dsp olive oil, 1 dsp rice vinegar and 1 tbsp soysauce. Sprinkle with 1 dsp toasted sesame seeds.

I would probably add a bit of feta to your first salad, but don't know what your dietary restrictions are.

rchelley, Nov 23, 4:28am
My absolute favourite is roast pumpkin, baby beet, baby spinach & feta drizzled with balsalmic vinegar.

Roast vegetable and couscous with a curried dressing is the other one that I make fairly regularly.

dibble35, Nov 23, 4:44am
I just saw an interesting looking one I the new world mailer. Long peelings of Zucchini, tomato, rocket, mint, sunflower seeds and a simple dressing of lemon, oil and garlic. Will have to try it when I get to many zucchini coming from the garden which will be in the next week or 2

baalamb, Nov 23, 5:17am
In really hot weather I often make a watermelon, red onion and feta salad, drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

jia5, Nov 23, 6:35am
That's my favourite at the moment. Though I do sometimes fancy it up by adding large tomato chopped, dijon mustard, garlic flavoured olive oil and chopped mint. Delicious.

davidt4, Nov 23, 6:43am
I don't know what your dietary restrictions are, but if you can eat dairy products then I suggest a creamy, acidic dressing to balance out the sweetness of the beetroot and carrot and the tannins in the walnuts and spinach. How about 1 c Greek yoghurt, 1 tab ev olive oil, juice of a lemon, salt, pepper and shredded fresh mint?

And thanks for the kind words!

bev00, Aug 26, 9:41am
Our Christmas salad of choice is brown rice & cranberry although I'm actually putting pomegranate seeds in it for a bit of variety instead. It's a WW recipe but everyone loves it so who cares!

2 bunch(es) fresh asparagus, trimmed, cut into 3cm lengths
1/4 cup(s) pine nuts, (35g)
1 tsp olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 clove(s) fresh garlic, crushed
1/2 tsp ground all spice
2 cup(s) boiled brown rice
1/4 cup(s) dried cranberries, (35g)
2 tbs fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 tbs fresh mint, chopped
1 medium green capsicum, (250g) thinly sliced
125 g cherry tomato, grape, halved
1 tbs olive oil, extra virgin
1/4 cup(s) lemon juice, (60ml)
1 tsp honey
Instructions
Blanch asparagus in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute or until bright green and just tender. Drain and refresh in a large bowl of cold water. Drain.

Heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and allspice and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant.

Combine rice, asparagus, pine nuts and onion mixture in a large bowl. Stir in cranberries, parsley, mint, capsicum and tomatoes. Whisk remaining oil, juice and honey in a small bowl. Add dressing to rice salad and toss gently to combine. Serve.

Quotesarahb5 (1432 ) 1:37 pm, Sat 22 Dec #7