Salad don’t have to be boring

Four, throw together recipes to lift your salad game

Salads don’t have to be boring or an inconvenient after thought for the time poor. They should be exciting, fresh vibrant, crunchy and delicious.

For me, a great salad should have texture, an interesting bite or crunch, either from the leaves themselves or with the addition of nuts, seeds, fruit and or perhaps some shaved vegetables.

Salads should be tossed together and seasoned just before serving, with enough acid or citrus to give a zing, and olive oil to bring all of the ingredients together- without drowning of course.

The four salads below are certainly a lot more exciting than a limp lettuce. They’re throw together plates of tasty action using lots of herbs, vegetables, lentils, fruits, nuts and a little pancetta.

I’ll often fold proteins through these too, such as anchovies, sardines, or more crispy bacon!

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Shaved fennel, orange, hazelnut and chili

A refreshing quick salad, with crunch and plenty of character (so long as you like fennel!). Also works well with cos, rachichio or witlof.

Recipe

1 small head of oak leaf lettuce (washed and picked)

1 small head of fennel

1 orange

3 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

4 tbsp roasted crushed hazelnuts

1 pinch chili flakes

4 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

Method

Using a mandolin, shave the fennel into a bowl.

Season with orange zest, and juice, a splash of vinegar, mustard and olive oil. This will also prevent the fennel from oxidising.

Just before serving, toss through the leaves, nuts and chili flakes. Season with salt and pepper.

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A little salad of Tomato, nectarines, cucumber and mozzarella.

Also great with blood oranges, mandarins, pears or figs. I like to cut everything up into irregular shapes and slices to make it a little more interesting. Have the tomatoes at room temp before serving.

Recipe

5 tomatoes

1 mozzarella (torn)

2 small cucumbers

3 nectarines or peaches

3 green shallots (sliced)

2 handfuls herbs (mint, parsley, basil, watercress and chives work well)

100ml apple cider vinegar

A good glug of olive oil

1 tbsp maple syrup or runny honey

S&P

Method

Mix the honey into the vinegar. Add onions to quick pickle.

Chop or slice the toms, cucumbers and nectarines.

Gently toss everything in a bowl with torn herbs, mozzarella S&P and plenty of olive oil.

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