silly salad season

The silly season may be over for another year but what better way to help us get over the indulgence of the festive season than with delicious and nutritious salads.  With summer upon us - for those who reside in the southern hemisphere - a tasty salad is a great accompaniment to any BBQ or rightfully, a meal on its own.  As this is my first post of 2012 (yes it did take me a while to overcome the excitement of receiving a free trip home), I thought I'd share some of my favourite salad recipes to kick off the new year.

One of my all time favourite summer salads is this Herby Pasta Salad.


Ingredients:

• Pasta (any shape - I've used bows)
• Streaky bacon
• Corn on the cob
• Salad leaves
• Avocado
• Cucumber
• Cherry tomatoes
• Bunch of basil, coriander, parsley
• Lemon juice and zest
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper

Method:

• Fry off bacon pieces and set aside
• Steam corn and set aside - once cool, cut off corn kernels
• Assemble bacon, corn, salad leaves, avocado, cucumber and cherry tomatoes in a large bowl
• To make the dressing: blend the herbs with lemon juice, zest, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste
• Pour the over the remaining ingredients, toss and serve

I have purposely left out quantities as I think that allows the chef to add their own twist. I have made this salad countless times and it always tastes different due to the varying quantities.  But there is something about the freshness of the herbs, along with the sweetness of the corn, together with the saltiness of the bacon, that makes this salad a hit with its eaters every time.  

This Ultimate Healthy Salad is a perfect meal for detoxing and after having it for dinner, this salad made me feel like a million bucks!  This salad consists of salad leaves, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, green mango which adds a delicious sweet flavour and smooth texture.  I pretty much threw anything I had in the fridge together, toasted some nuts and seeds, drizzled it with olive oil and lemon juice, seasoned it and it was good to go.

This Warm Garlicy Pasta Salad can be tweaked to suit different needs.  Leave out the meat to make this a delicious vegetarian meal or substitute for any smoked meats to change the flavour and texture of the meal.  The following serves two - very comfortably.


Ingredients:

• 300g cooked penne pasta
• 1 punnet of cherry tomatoes - halved
• 2 cloves of garlic - finely sliced
• 180g smoked salmon
• Large bunch of fresh basil 
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• Freshly grated parmesan to serve

Method:

• Heat the oil in a pan and very lightly brown the garlic slices until fragrant
• Add the cherry tomatoes and let the tomatoes cook and begin to break down
• Season with salt and pepper - if adding smoked meat do not add too much salt
• Stir through the cooked pasta, the smoked salmon and half the basil until warmed through
• Serve and top with more basil, parmesan and pepper

There may seem like a lot of olive oil in this dish, but this ensures enough dressing to coat the pasta and once the garlic is cooked in this oil, it will smell delicious and adds so much flavour.  This dish is so quick and easy to make and is a perfect light summer meal.  It is even better with a glass of crisp, white, preferably New Zealand, wine.

Hopefully, these salads inspire you to experiment with different combinations to make the salad that is perfect for you.  The beauty of a salad is they can be as simple or complicated as you desire but most importantly it makes a nutritious and filling meal.  Here's to a healthy and delicious 2012!