Chinese Cabbage Salad [vegetarian]

A few weeks ago we had some friends over for dinner. I was planning to make a Peking duck for the main course, and I knew what dessert I was going to make, but somehow I was stuck with a starter. I wanted to make a light salad without any meat or seafood, as having duck for main was already very meat-y. And this was when I realized that I had probably never made a Chinese salad fulfilling these requirements. I looked through some books and finally, I found a recipe that seemed just right.

In the book, a regular cabbage was used, so it had to be blanched after it was shredded. I decided to use a raw Chinese cabbage instead. The salad was very refreshing and light, just as I wanted it to be. And it was indeed a perfect starter for Peking duck!

INGREDIENTS (for 4-6 portions):

2 tbsp vegetable oil,

5 shallots, halved and thinly sliced,

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced,

0.5 chilli, thinly chopped,

1 Chinese cabbage (weighing approx. 0.5 kg), shredded,

2 tbsp coarsely chopped roasted peanuts,

Dressing:

2 tbsp fish sauce,

grated rind of 1 lime,

2 tbsp lime juice,

120ml coconut milk.

METHOD:

1. On a medium size frying pan warm up the oil, add the shallots, garlic and chili, and stir fry on a medium heat for 12-15 minutes until the shallots are brown (but not burnt).
2. In a bowl, mix the dressing ingredients.
3. Pour the dressing over the cabbage and stir very well.
4. Transfer the cabbage onto a big serving dish, and sprinkle the top with the fried mixture and the peanuts.
5. Voila!

This recipe is based on a recipe from "The Complete Wok and Stir-Fry Cookbook"

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Vegetable Salad [vegetarian]

Although I realize that outside my country, this salad is often called 'Russian Salad', here we all know it as 'Vegetable Salad'. It was the most popular salad in Poland for many, many years. No party, celebration or social gathering happened without this dish. Even preparing this salad was a bit of a social occasion, as it was always made in big quantities and very often, at least 2 people were cutting the vegetables and chatting while they were doing it. I remember from my childhood that the women from my family were always cutting the vegetables very thinly because we believed that if the cubes were too big, the salad would not taste as good as it should ;) Nowadays, I actually prefer the salad not to be made of such tiny pieces. It still tastes great, but the preparation doesn’t take as long as it used to in the past.

What I also like about this salad is that you end up with a great by-product – good quality vegetable stock that can be used as a base for many different soups. Obviously, it also works the other way around: you cook the stock that you need and then you use the vegetables to make the salad. Whichever way you are going to do it; you will enjoy the two results!

INGREDIENTS (for 4-6 portion):

4 carrots, peeled,

2 parsnips, peeled,

0.25 celery (approx. 200g), peeled and cut into 2 pieces,

1 small leek*,

1 celery stalk*,

2 apples,

3-4 sour gherkins,

1 tin green peas,

3 tbsp mayonnaise,

salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. Put the carrots, parsnips, celery, leek* and celery stalk* to a big pan, pour 1-1.5l of water, add salt and pepper and bring to boil.
2. Lower the heat and cook the vegetables until they are tender (approx. 20 minutes).
3. Take the vegetables out from the stock, cool them down.
4. In the meantime, cut the apples and sour gherkins into 0.5-1 cm cubes. After you chop the gherkins, make sure to squeeze out the liquid.
5. When the cooked vegetables are cool, cut the carrots, parsnips and the celery into the 0.5 -1cm cubes (the celery stalk and leek can be discarded).
6. Put all the chopped vegetables, apples and gherkins to a bowl, add the mayonnaise, seasoning and stir well.

* optional, required only if you are making the stock as well.

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Smoked Salmon and Tomato Salad

Although when I want to have something light to eat in winter months, I usually choose soups, I do fancy salads from time to time. The below recipe is, in my opinion, a great option for a winter salad: it is light but - thanks to the smoked salmon - substantial enough to keep you going and not feeling hungry for a few hours. The tomatoes, capers and lemony, slightly spicy dressing balance out the oily fish so you end up with a pretty refreshing and very delicious salad that can be made in a few minutes and is impressive enough to be served to your guests too.

Smoked Salmon and Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• 50g rocket,
• 150g cherry tomatoes, cut in halves or quarters, if bigger,
• 40g sundried tomatoes, cut into strips,
• 150g hot-smoked salmon, flaked,
• 1 tbsp capers,
• 2 tbsp radish sprouts,
• salt and pepper,
• 1 tbsp olive oil,
• 1 tbsp lemon juice,
• 2 tsp sweet chilli sauce.

Serves 2.

Instructions

1. Arrange on two plates the first six ingredients.
2. Mix the olive oil, lemon juice and sweet chilli sauce in a small bowl till combined to make a dressing and pour over the salad, season.

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Mexican Salad with Avocado, Tomato and Red Beans [vegan]

I called this salad Mexican but in truth it could also be called Guacamole Salad because it uses more or less the same ingredients as the ones that are required to make this well-known dip. However – to make it more filling so it can be a proper, nutritious lunch option - I also added red beans.

Even though I know that eating salads are more associated with spring and summer, this one is still a good option for autumn or even winter, since the addition of red chilies (the amount of which you can always adjust) will surely warm you up ;)

INGREDIENTS (for 4 portions):

2 big tomatoes, cut into cubes,

2 avocados, cut into cubes,

1 can of red beans,

1 small red onion, thinly chopped,

chopped coriander,

red chili, thinly chopped (the amount used depends on you but it is better to start with less at the beginning and then slowly add),

Dressing:

2 tbsp lime juice,

3 tbsp olive oil,

Salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. Put all the salad ingredients to a bowl.
2. Make the dressing by mixing the ingredients.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad, season and stir.

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Quinoa Salad with Raisins and Chickpeas [vegetarian]

When I came across the original recipe for this salad, I straight away knew I was going to exchange the couscous for quinoa. And it is not that I am not keen on couscous – I like it a lot – but using the quinoa turned this salad into a very healthy lunch dish containing complete vegetarian proteins.

But this salad is not only healthy, it is also delicious. It has sweetness of raisins, nutty taste of chickpeas and saltiness of feta cheese. It also contains coriander in two forms: whole seeds that give a crunch and leaves that give wonderful fragrance. This salad can be prepared in the evening and enjoyed for lunch at work or school next day.

INGREDIENTS (2-4 portions):

0.5 cup quinoa,

a drop of olive oil,

1 cup of water,

1 tin chickpeas (or 200g cooked chickpeas),

100g raisins,

2 tsp coriander seeds,

zest of 1 lemon,

2 handfuls of chopped coriander leaves,

200g feta cheese,

Dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil,

2 tbsp lemon juice,

0.5 tsp ground cumin,

Salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. Prepare the quinoa: put it to a fine mesh strainer, rinse it well (for at least 1 minute) under running water and drain well. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pot over a medium heat and fry the drained quinoa for about 1 minute till the rest of the water evaporates. Add water, 0.25 tsp salt and bring to boil. Lower the heat and cook for approx. 15 minutes. Take it out from the heat and let it rest covered for 5 minutes more. Fluff the quinoa with a fork.
2. Put to a bowl cooked quinoa, chickpeas, raisins, coriander seeds and leaves, zest of lemon and stir.
3. Mix the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad, stir well, check the seasoning and if necessary adjust.
4. Serve with crumbled feta cheese on top.

This recipe is based on a recipe from a book "Fresh Flavors from Israel" by R. Oliver, O. Pely-Bronshtein, S. Lipa-Angel

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Salad with Roasted Peppers and Tomatoes [vegetarian]

This salad is all about the wonderful combination of ingredients: tasty tomatoes with sweet roasted peppers, salty anchovies, slightly acidic capers, crunchy pine nuts and fragrant basil. I prefer to finish it off just before serving as I don’t like when the tomatoes go soft from being covered by dressing for too long. But a lot can be prepared much earlier to ease the pressure in case the salad is to be served for guests. The peppers can be roasted, peeled and cut even a day earlier and all the ingredients can be arranged on a serving plate a couple hours before serving so you only have to prepare the dressing.

This delicious, summery salad is an ideal solution, if you are looking for an accompaniment to your grilled or roasted meat for gathering with family or friends but it will also suit a salad buffet very well.

INGREDIENTS (4 portions, if served with other dishes):

3 red peppers,

3 tomatoes (I used raspberry and black tomatoes),

3 anchovies, drained and chopped,

1 tbsp drained capers,

1 tbsp pine nuts,

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced,

Dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil,

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar,

1 tsp lemon juice,

a few basil leaves, chopped,

salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. Preheat grill in an oven.
2. Cut the peppers in half, remove stalks and seeds, cut in half lengthways again and arrange the quarters skin side up on a baking tray; put under the hot grill till the skin chars (this will take approx. 10-15 min. but check frequently as required time depends on a grill).
3. Put the charred peppers to a bowl, cover with cling film and leave to cool.
4. Peel the peppers and cut them into strips.
5. Cut the tomatoes into bite-size portions.
6. In a big bowl arrange the tomatoes, peppers, sprinkle with anchovies, capers, pine nuts and garlic.
7. Mix all the dressing ingredients until combined and pour over the salad, season.
8. Stir the salad before serving.

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Salad with Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Mango

I found a recipe for Prosciutto, Mozzarella and Mango Salad in a magazine about 15 years ago. So much time has passed since then and I lost the original recipe in the meantime but I still make this delicious salad.

There are many reasons why it is among my favorite salad recipes: it requires few ingredients, it is extremely easy to make, light, delicious and it looks fantastic. It can be served as a starter individually plated for each guest or on a big platter to share. And the dressing is really tasty, too!

INGREDIENTS (for 2 portions):

2 handfuls of rocket,

0.5 mango, peeled and sliced,

1 mozzarella, sliced,

3 slices of prosciutto ham,

Dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil,

1 tbsp lemon juice,

1 tsp sweet chili sauce,

1 heaped tsp thinly chopped basil,

salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. On a big plate arrange rocket and then other salad ingredients.
2. Mix well all the dressing ingredients.
3. Sprinkle the dressing over the salad, season.

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Tabbouleh – Healthy Parsley Salad [vegan/vegetarian]

If somebody had told me, when I was a child, that years later I would not only eat but really enjoy a salad in which parsley was a main ingredient, I would have never believed them. My mother added chopped parsley to many soups and sauces and I really didn’t like it. In truth, I didn’t understand why she was doing it. So when I started cooking myself, I would always omit that – unnecessary in my opinion – ingredient.

But a few years ago, I tried Tabbouleh in a Lebanese restaurant and was surprised how delicious a Parsley Salad could be. I also know now how healthy it is: parsley is an excellent source of Vitamins K, C and A as well as folate and iron.

Tabbouleh requires a lot of chopping so a good, sharp knife is very useful but other than that the salad preparation is very straightforward. It can be served along with other mezze (meze) like hummus, olives, babaghanoush, falafel but it also tastes great with grilled or roasted meat.

P.S. In the below recipe I have included ingredients for 2-3 people only because guess what: my daughters don’t like parsley (yet ;-))!

INGREDIENTS (for 2-3 portions):

leaves from 2 bunches of parsley (approx. 40g),

a handful of mint leaves,

300g tomatoes (approx. 2 pieces),

1 shallot,

5 tbsp couscous,

2 tbsp olive oil,

juice from 1 lemon,

salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. Rinse and dry the parsley and mint leaves very well. I dry them in a salad spinner.
2. On a big board, chop them very finely and transfer to a bowl.
3. Chop the tomatoes and shallot finely and put to the bowl with the parsley, add the couscous, stir and leave for 20 minutes.
4. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, seasoning and give it a stir.

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Broad Bean, Egg and Radish Salad [vegetarian]

I remember having broad beans as a snack when I was a child. During the summer, when we visited my paternal grandparents, there would always be a big bowl of broad beans cooked simply with salt waiting for us at the table. We would all help ourselves, pop the beans out from their skins, and eat them while we were talking. Such a simple, yet delicious and healthy snack!

A few years ago my mother started using broad beans in a salad with dill and thin strips of ham. I loved (and still love) that salad a lot but I have a vegetarian at home, so I had to change it slightly. Instead of ham, I use boiled eggs; and because eggs go well with radishes, I also add them to the salad.

INGREDIENTS (for 6 portions):

1 kg podded broad beans,

4 eggs,

10 radishes,

A few dill sprigs,

1 tbsp plain yoghurt,

2 tbsp mayonnaise,

salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. Rinse the broad beans, put them to a pan and cook in salted water for 4 minutes.
2. Cook the eggs for 8 minutes.
3. When the broad beans are cooked, drain the hot water and immediately cover them with cold water. Leave for 2-3 minutes, drain again and squeeze them from their skins.
4. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel them and chop; then add to a bowl with broad beans.
5. Slice the washed radishes and thinly chop the dill; add to the bowl together with yoghurt, mayonnaise and seasoning, mix everything and preferably leave for 30 minutes to cool down.

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Green and Gorgeous Smoked Mackerel Salad

Whenever I make this salad, it always takes me back a few years to the time and place when we (or rather – my daughter) had it for the first time. A few years ago we went away for a couple of  days to a  pretty little town that in season buzzes  with life but when we were there – it was winter – it was pretty quiet and empty. We were a bit concerned, if we would be able to find an open nice place we could eat, but as we walked along we found heaven: a really amazing slow food restaurant. We had many wonderful dishes there, as we obviously would go there every day, but it was this healthy salad that stayed with us as a memory of that short holiday.

The main reason why this dish has been so memorable may be that I was just so happy that my daughter, who at that time hardly ate any raw vegetables, ordered that salad and loved it! So obviously I quickly worked out my own version and included it in menus at our home. We still love it nowadays as it is a pretty straightforward dish made from simple green ingredients (lettuce, apples, fennel)  that work together perfectly despite the fact that combining smoked mackerel and honey may not be the obvious choice!

INGREDIENTS (for 2 big portions):

1 smoked mackerel,

0.5 Iceberg lettuce, thorn into small pieces,

0.5 fennel bulb, thinly shredded,

1 big green apple (e.g. Golden delicious), quartered and thinly sliced,

3 tbsp olive oil,

1 tbsp + 1 tsp acacia honey,

1 tbsp white wine vinegar,

salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. Prepare the mackerel: with 2 forks (or your fingers) open the fish in the middle; take out a bone from the middle and remove all the little bones; separate small pieces of the fish from the skin and put them on a clean plate.
2. In a big bowl mix the lettuce, fennel and apple.
3. Make the dressing by stirring together the olive oil, vinegar and 1 tbsp honey, season.
4. Pour the dressing over the vegetables, mix well and move onto a big serving plate (or 2 small ones).
5. Arrange the pieces of mackerel on top of the salad mix, drizzle everything with the 1 tsp of honey.

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Salad with Figs, Pomegranate and Goat's Cheese (vegetarian)

This is a variation of a recipe I posted some time ago for Grilled Goat’s Cheese Salad with Figs. Although both salads seem to be similar, there are a few major differences. This salad is much lighter - there is less of goat’s cheese in it – so it can be served as a starter or part of a salad buffet as it doesn't have to be arranged separately on each plate. And obviously it takes less time to prepare since no grilling is required. Another difference – pomegranate seeds which not only add a refreshing taste but also make this salad look as it was sprinkled with red rubies. Nevertheless - whichever salad you choose, I am sure you will enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS (4 portions):

6-8   figs cut into quarters,

100g rocket,

50g spinach,

150-200g goat’s cheese (roulade with a rind or a softer cheese that can be easily divided into pieces),

seeds from 2 pomegranates,

Dressing:

3 tbsp olive oil,

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar,

1.5 tbsp pomegranate molasses,

1 tbsp honey,

Salt and pepper

METHOD:

1. In a big bowl mix the rocket, spinach and half of the pomegranate seeds.
2. Arrange the figs and cheese divided into small pieces on top of the salad leaves.
3. Mix all the dressing ingredients, pour it on the salad and sprinkle with the rest of the pomegranate seeds.

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Pretty in Pink Salad with Quinoa (vegan)

When my daughter decided to become a vegetarian, I worried how she was going to get complete proteins without eating meat products. So I was happy when I learnt that certain combinations of plant ingredients (e.g. beans & rice, hummus & pita bread, tofu & rice, beans & tortilla, lentils & bulgur, pea & bread) will provide the complete proteins even if not eaten together at the same meal but within the same day. But I was even happier to learn there are actually some types of plant food that by themselves supply us with all essential amino acids, and quinoa is one of them.

So I serve quinoa quite often now and we all do enjoy it a lot. However due to its natural bitterness, it has to be prepared well before cooking to eliminate this slightly nasty taste. Once it’s cooked properly (as per instructions included in the recipe below), it can be used in this yummy and pretty looking pink salad.

INGREDIENTS (4 portions):

1 cup quinoa,

2 cups water,

0.25 tsp salt,

dash of olive oil,

0.5 cup raisins,

0.5 cup walnuts broken into pieces,

1.5 cup pomegranate seeds (from approximately 1 big or 2 small pomegranates),

0.5 red onions finely chopped,

juice from 1 lemon,

2 beetroots (approximately 300-350g) chopped into 1.5 cm cubes,

3 handfuls chopped parsley,

Salt and pepper.

METHOD:

1. Prepare the quinoa: put it to a fine mesh strainer, rinse it under running cold water rubbing the seeds with each other with your fingers (for at least 1 minute) and drain well. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pot over a medium heat and fry the drained quinoa for about 1 minute till the rest of water evaporates. Add water, 0.25 tsp salt and bring to boil. Lower the heat and cook covered for approx. 15 minutes. Take it out from the heat and let it rest covered for 5 minutes more. Fluff the quinoa with a fork. The quinoa has to be dry, in case there is still some water left, transfer it to a strainer and let it drain completely.
2. While you are waiting for the quinoa to be ready, combine the onion and lemon juice and let it marinate for a few minutes.
3. Combine all the ingredients, add salt and pepper according to your taste and stir gently.

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Grilled Goat's Cheese and Fig Salad (vegetarian)

This recipe was inspired by a grilled goat’s cheese salad I used to have in one of restaurants every time I went there. Their dish was served with Iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers and was very, very good. 

But I decided to make my own version and combine two of my favourite ingredients: salty goat’s cheese and sweet figs. In this recipe I grill the figs along with the goat’s cheese but I am sure it would be equally good with raw figs. The sweet and sour dressing unites all the ingredients and the toasted almonds add crunch so everything together makes a delicious salad perfect for lunch or even lighter dinner!

INGREDIENTS (4 portions):

300- 400 g soft goat’s cheese (for grilling) cut into 4 slices,

4 slices of bread (baguette) cut into the size and shape of the cheese,

6-8 fresh figs cut into quarters,

150g rocket,

4 tbsp sliced almonds,

1tsp honey,

Dressing:

4 tbsp olive oil,

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar,

1tbsp honey,

1tbsp pomegranate molasses.

METHOD:

1. Preheat a grill to high.
2. On a baking tray place slices of bread with slices of the goat’s cheese on top.
3. Smear the cut sides of figs with honey (you can do it with your fingers) and put on the baking tray.
4. Put the baking tray under the hot grill for a few minutes (total time will depend on the grill but it is better to check it after 3 min. to make sure the cheese does not burn).
5. Wash and dry the rocket, divide it into 4 plates.
6. Dry-fry the sliced almonds till golden.
7. Mix all the dressing ingredients.
8. When the top of the cheese is golden, take everything out from the oven.
9. Arrange the grilled cheese and figs on the rocket; pour the dressing over the salad and sprinkle it with the toasted almonds.

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