Plus a recipe perfect for summer
We all know the age-old saying you don't win friends with salad.
Ok maybe it's a quote from The Simpsons but still, you get the sentiment salad is boring, right?
Wrong!
There are plenty of ways to make salads that little bit more exciting; plenty of ways to sex up your salad, especially for summer when we gravitate towards lighter meals. Here's how:
Change up the dressing
Switching up the dressing can completely change the entire salad. While olive oil and vinegar is convenient, why not mix it up with something different like Creamy Tahini, Coconut Lime, Greek yoghurt Ranch or Honey Mustard.
Try some fruit
Adding fruit, fresh or even dried, to a salad can give it that little bit of sweet and also add to the texture. Apple Waldorf is a known favorite but more and more we're seeing watermelon, mango and nectarines pop up in recipes.
Ditch the leaves
It's what we immediately think of when we think of salads but why not try something that avoids the leaves all together. Grilled corn, quinoa and chickpeas all make great salad bases.
Test with textures
Textures are everything when it comes to salad. Add some crunch with croutons or nuts, or, if you’re experimenting with Asian flavours; why not throw in some wasabi peas or fried noodles.
Experiment with cheese
Not every cheese is right for salad but many will add another layer of deliciousness to your dish. A rich Camembert is likely going to be too soft and buttery but a crumbly feta is probably going to be suitable. For salads, you want something with substance that will suit the texture and balance the acidity of the dressing. Halloumi is a delicious cheese that can be grilled or pan-fried and because it will hold its shape, it can be a key feature of your salad.
In this recipe, we have added a nectarine twist to Ottolenghi Simple – Tomato with sumac, onions and pine nuts.
Ingredients
- Shallot, sliced into 1mm thick pinwheels (70g)
- 1/2 tbsp. sumac
- 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 350g mixed tomatoes
- 350g nectarines
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 15g picked basil leaves
- 25g toasted pine nuts
- Salt and pepper
1. Place the shallots in a bowl with the sumac, vinegar and a pinch of salt, mix together and set aside for 30min
2. Slice the tomatoes and nectarines lengthways then place in a large bowl.
3. Pour in the olive oil, gently mix in the basil leaves and shallots, add salt and pepper
4. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle on the pine nuts
5. Serve
This recipe already has fruit and nuts, but feta, mozzarella or burrata would all work well in this dish.
Chris paired this with a crisp glass of Angove Organic Sauvignon Blanc.
