Turkey Rice Salad

Recipe taken from The Ultimate Christmas Cookbook.

A delicious crunchy salad to use up leftover turkey during the holiday festivities.

Serves: 8

Ingredients:
225g (8oz) brown rice, 50g (2oz) wild rice, 2 red dessert apples, quartered, cored and chopped, 2 celery sticks, coarsely sliced, 115 (4oz) seedless grapes, 45ml (3 tbsp) lemon or orange juice, 150ml (¼ pint) this mayonnaise, 350g (12oz) cooked turkey, chopped, Salt and freshly ground black pepper, Frilly lettuce leaves, to serve

Method:

Cook the brown and wild rice in boiling salted water for 25 minutes or until tender. Rinse under cold running water and drain.
Turn the well-drained rice into a large bowl and add the apples, celery and grapes. Beat the lemon or orange juice into the mayonnaise, season with salt and pepper and pour over the rice.
Add the turkey and mix well to coat with the lemon or orange mayonnaise.
Arrange the frilly lettuce leaves over the base and around the sides of a warmed serving dish and spoon the rice on top.

Grapefruit, Fennel and Cucumber Salad

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies, taken from CIBI : Simple Japanese-inspired Meals to Share with Family and Friends written by Meg & Zenta Tanaka.

This combination tastes as beautiful as it looks and goes nicely with baked fish, a mild curry or a meat dish.

Ingredients: (Serves 4-6)
100g (about ½) pink grapefruit, peeled and separated into segments, 100g (about ½) grapefruit, peeled and separated into segments, 1 Lebanese (short) cucumber or ½ telegraph (long) cucumber, cut into thin rounds, then quartered, 400g fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced, 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 90ml Honey Mustard Dressing

Method:

Cut each grapefruit segment in half at an angle.
Cut the cucumber rounds into quarters.
In a bowl, combine the grapefruit, cucumber, fennel and parsley. Add the dressing and mix well.

Sticky Tomato & Olive Aubergines

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and is taken from the book : Salad Feasts: How to assemble the perfect meal by Jessica Elliott Dennison.

The method for this salad is so simple, you can’t go wrong. It pays to take the time to really brown the aubergines, allowing them to pick up a nice colour and go silky soft in the centre.

Sticky Tomato & Olive Aubergines Ingredients (Serves 4):

2 firm aubergines (500g)
90ml olive oil
1red onion
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp capers, drained
400g tin chopped tomatoes
30g sultanas
1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
50g pitted olives (any colour, drained weight)
50g wild rocket
Small bunch (20g) flat-leaf parsley
Small bunch (15g) basil
1/3 lemon
4 slices sourdough bread (300g)

Heat a large frying over a high heat while you cut the aubergines into large chunks (roughly 2.5cm). Add most of the oil to the pan along with the aubergine chucks and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden and beginning to darken on all sides.
Meanwhile, peel and halve the onion then slice into thin half-moons. Peel the garlic and slice into thin slivers. Add the remaining oil to the aubergine pan and reduce the heat to low, then fry the onion for 3 minutes until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add the capers to the pan along with the tomatoes, sultanas, vinegar, olives and a few splashes of water. Increase the heat to high, pop on a lid and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the aubergine is soft in the centre (keep an eye on the pan and add a few more splashes of water if it’s looking too dry). Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Keep in the fridge if you’re making a day or two ahead.
When you’re ready to serve, wash the rocket in a basin of cold water to freshen the leaves, pat dry and place in a large mixing bowl. Tear in the herbs, discarding the stalks, squeeze over the lemon and gently toss. Toast the bread, then divide between four plates or a large serving board, as pictured. Smear over the aubergines then top with the lemony rocket.

Crispy Lamb & Poppadom Carrots

Recipe courtesy of Psychologies Magazine and is taken from the book : Salad Feasts: How to assemble the perfect meal by Jessica Elliott Dennison.

This dish is full of great textural contrasts : crunchy poppadoms, smooth cooling yogurt, creamy chickpeas and aromatic spiced lamb; all of which are brought to life with pink pickled onion and a big dollop of mango chutney.

Crispy Lamb and Poppadom Carrots Ingredients (Serves 4)

½ red onion
2 limes
300g minced lamb (around 15-20 per cent fat)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
½ – 1 tsp chilli flakes (depending on how spicy you like it)
¼ tsp sea salt flakes
4 carrots (a variety of colours is nice if you can get them)
6 small poppadoms
100g radishes, finely sliced
400g tin chickpeas in water, rinsed and drained
Small bunch (20g) coriander
2 ½ tsp olive oil
1 tsp honey
20g fresh ginger, peeled
150g natural yogurt
70g mango chutney

First, peel the onion, slice into half-moons as finely as you can – a mandolin if handy for this – then place in a small bowl. Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime, then set aside to lightly pickle.
Next, put a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the lamb and mustard seeds and cook for 5-6 minutes until caramelised. Reduce the heat to low. Add the ground cumin, coriander and cinnamon, chilli flakes and salt, then cook for a minute. Turn off the heat, but leave the pan on the hob so the lamb stays warm.
Top, tail and peel the carrots then shave ribbon lengths (stop once it gets too hard to peel the core) and transfer to a platter. Roughly crush 2 of the poppadoms and scatter them over the carrots along with the radishes and chickpeas. Pick over the coriander leaves.
At this stage, the onion should be bright pink and nicely pickled. Add the oil and honey to the bowl. Finely grate the ginger, then squeeze in the juice (discard the grated root). Stir to combine.
To assemble, scatter the onion over the carrots and gently toss with your hands, ensuring all the vegetables are coated in dressing (squeeze in more lime if it feels to dry). Spoon over the warm crispy lamb to finish, then serve with the rest of the poppadoms, yogurt, mango chutney and wedges of the remaining lime.

Fattouche (Middle Eastern crunchy salad)

This recipe is courtesy of Easy Living Magazine and taken from the book Arabesque by Claudia Roden.

Serves: 4-6 – Prep time: 25 mins, plus standing time – Cook time: 5 mins
Cals per serving: 161 cals – Fat : 8g

Ingredients:
2 pitta breads or Lebanese breads; Olive oil for brushing; 3 baby cos lettuces; 1 red onion, finely sliced; 4 radishes, sliced; 200g (6 ½ oz) cherry tomatoes, halved; 1 cucumber, peeled and diced; 1 red pepper, finely diced; 4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; 4 tbsp mint, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp ground or crushed Sumac; ¼ tsp allspice; Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

For the dressing: Juice of ½ lemon; 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1 tsp Ras el Hanout (optional)

Method:

Heat the oven to 180^oC (gas mark 4). Split the bread in half and brush each piece with olive oil. Bake for 5 minutes until crisp.
Slice the lettuce crossways into 1cm (½ in) strips and place in a large bowl with the onion, radishes, tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper, parsley and mint. Season well. Sprinkle the sumac and allspice over the top, then drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Toss well and set aside for 10 minutes for the flavours to infuse.
Combine the dressing ingredients in a small screw-top jar and shake to combine.
Pour enough dressing over the salad to lightly dress it, and toss it through. Break the bread into pieces and mix through the salad. Divide the salad between four plates and serve immediately.

Greek Salad Served on Skewers

Ideal accompaniment to a whole barbecued fish.

Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:
8 cherry tomatoes; 6 whole black olives, stoned; 225g / 8oz feta cheese, cubed; 1-2 tbsp chopped, fresh oregano; a little extra virgin olive oil
To serve: shredded salad leaves and crusty French bread

Method:

Divide the tomatoes, olives and feta cheese between 8 small wooden skewers. If using metal skewers, you may need to heat them first or the cheese may crumble.
Place on a nest of salad leaves, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with chopped oregano. Serve with crusty French bread.
If liked, add chunks of cucumber and wedges of red onion to the skewers, too.

Asparagus, Red Pepper and Halloumi Salad

Serves: 4; Takes: 25 mins plus marinating; Calories/Fat: 304 cals /22g; Sodium/Added sugar: 1.2g/0.4g

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 2 sprigs of fresh thyme; 3 red peppers, deseeded and quartered; 400g (14oz) asparagus, trimmed; 1 x 250g Halloumi cheese, thickly sliced; 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce; Salt

Method:

Mix the oil, garlic and thyme and marinade the vegetables and cheese, reserving a little, for at least 15 mins or in the fridge overnight.
Barbecue the peppers first (they can take up to 10 mins), turning occasionally. When the peppers are almost ready, add the asparagus for one min and then the Halloumi for 30 seconds on each side.
Skin the peppers and mix with the cheese and asparagus. Season with salt. Stir the chilli sauce into the remaining marinade and drizzle over the warm salad.

Avocado and Sun-Dried Tomato and Bacon

This dish of avocados with sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella slices, artichoke hearts and crisp bacon is a superb main course salad packed with flavours. The tomatoes can be bought dried, and need soaking in water to soften before use, or in oil in a jar ready for use. Supermarkets stock them.

Serves: 4; Prep time: 20 mins; Cook time: 5 mins

Approximate nutritional values per portion: 600 calories; 17g protein; 50g fat; 10g carbohydrate

Ingredients:
6oz (175g) back bacon, derided and chopped; 1 tbsp oil; 4oz (100g) sun-dried tomatoes in oil; 14oz (400g) canned artichokes hearts; 6oz (175g) mozzarella; 1 avocado; lemon juice

For the dressing:
4 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp white wine vinegar; 1 clove garlic, crushed; ½ tsp Dijon mustard; salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Method:

Fry the bacon in a little oil until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper. Reserve. Cut sun-dried tomatoes into thick strips. Quarter artichoke hearts and cut mozzarella into thin slices. Place these in a bowl with the bacon and tomatoes.
Peel and coarsely chop the avocado. Drizzle with lemon juice, then add to bowl.
Shake all the dressing ingredients together in a screw-top jar then pour over contents of the bowl. Toss gently to avoid damaging the avocado. Serve immediately.

Visit my shop to download this and 9 other Ham, Gammon and Bacon recipes in the Ham, Gammon & Bacon Volume 1 book. A recipe card is also available for download here.

Carrot Salad

A Moroccan dish

Ingredients:
450g carrots, peeled and cut in julienne strips; 1 clove garlic; ½ tsp each of cumin and coriander seeds;
2 dsp’s fresh coriander, chopped; olive oil; 1 lemon; salt and pepper

Method:

Cook the carrots and unpeeled garlic clove in salted boiling water until just cooked. Drain, refresh under cold water and remove garlic. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and grind with a mortar and pestle or the back of a wooden spoon. In a bowl, combine the spices with the carrots. Add fresh coriander and enough oil to coat the carrots. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.