Whilst the weather may be keeping us guessing but that doesn’t mean our menus can’t be full of crisp fresh dishes. Tuck in to these super Summer salads and feel summery on the inside.
Yvonne Bishop-Weston’s Power Salad – this salad is delicious and really good for you. Specially designed to give you all those energy giving nutrients you need, it provides at least 3 of your 5 a day and helps boost your levels of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Serves: 1-2 depending on appetite
Preparation time: 10 minutes
You’ll need:
For the dressing:
50g natural organic yogurt or soya yogurt
4g (1 teaspoon) fresh dill - finely chopped
10g (1 teaspoon) horseradish
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For the salad:
2 Omega-3 eggs hard boiled or poached
80g cooked beetroot - chopped
60g yellow pepper - chopped
40g (2 tablespoons) sprouted beans and lentils (supermarket mix)
2 handfuls (40g) of mixed leaves - washed and drained
6 walnut halves
Rock salt to taste
Serve with:
1 slice of rye toast topped with half a small avocado black pepper and lemon juice or with houmous or tahini
What to do:
Mix the dressing ingredients together.
Boil the eggs (we like the yolks to be a little soft and ever so slightly runny but you should cook them to your taste).
Place the leaves on a plate. Mix the beetroot, peppers and sprouted beans and place on the leaves. Cut the egg into halves and place on the beetroot mix with the walnuts
Top with the dressing and serve immediately.
Toast the rye bread and add the topping of your choice
www.lovebeetroot.co.uk
Richard Buckley’s Tenderstem, Horseradish, Pink Lady Apple and Toasted Hazelnut Salad – This salad packs an irresistible tangy crunch.
Richard Buckley, head chef at award-winning vegetarian restaurant Demuths, says: “This Recipe is really quick and a great example of vegetables as comfort food- it’s sweet, satisfying and tangy. Tenderstem works perfectly because it’s got all the depth of flavour of broccoli but a lovely, asparagus-like juiciness. Try to use Pink Lady apples as their juicy sweetness and floral aroma will raise this to another level. This will make a great starter or simply double the quantities for a delicious main course. Cooking the Tenderstem this quickly locks in the flavour and emphasises its natural, succulent freshness.”
Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 1 minute
You’ll need:
50g natural yoghurt (Yeo Valley is best)
25g creamed horseradish sauce
1 tbsp Rapeseed oil
20g toasted hazelnuts
1 Pink Lady apple
16 stems Tenderstem broccoli
1 tsp Rapeseed oil
A pinch of sea salt
100g Watercress
What to do:
Place the yoghurt, horseradish sauce and 1 tbls of rapeseed oil in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Crush the hazelnuts into chunks and set aside.
Core the Pink Lady apple and slice thinly.
Heat 1 tsp of rapeseed oil in a medium sauce pan until very hot and then add the Tenderstem. Immediately cover with a lid and shake it well to turn over the florets.
Cook on full heat for 30 seconds and then shake again.
Cook for a further 30 seconds and remove from the heat. The Tenderstem should have crisp, golden brown bits and be vibrant green. The texture should be al dente. If it is still not gone golden return to the heat in 15 seconds bursts until it is ready.
Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt and toss one more time.
Place a pile of watercress on each plate, lay the Tenderstem over the top and sprinkle the apple and hazelnuts over the top. Dress generously with the horseradish, yoghurt sauce and serve whilst still hot.
www.tenderstem.co.uk
Summer garden salad of traditional beetroot, radish & celery with smoked trout fillets – this salad is Summer on a plate with fresh salad ingredients, a hearty dose of beetroot enhanced by the beautiful flavour of smoked fish.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: none
What you need:
For the horseradish cream dressing:
3 tbsp creme fraiche
3 tbsp greek yogurt
1-2 tbsp horseradish sauce, to taste
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Small bunch chives, snipped
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
For the salad:
3 generous handfuls of mixed salad leaves
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 packs traditional cooked beetroot, sliced
A bunch of radishes, sliced finely
½ head of celery, sliced finely
A small bunch spring onions, finely chopped
4 smoked trout fillets
What to do:
Make the horseradish cream dressing by mixing everything in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
Toss the salad leaves in a little extra virgin olive oil and divide between four dishes. Scatter over the beetroot, radishes, celery and spring onions. Finally, top each with a trout fillet and a generous dollop of dressing. Serve immediately.
www.lovebeetroot.co.uk
Salad Nicoise with fresh British Bean and Peas – this classic French salad is combined with the best of British summer veg for a delicious meal.
Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
You’ll need
200g new potatoes cut in half
4 medium free-range eggs
200g fresh green beans, trimmed
100g fresh peas, shelled
200g tinned tuna, drained
12 black olives
4 anchovy fillets
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 small shallot, finely chopped
Salt and cracked black pepper
What to do:
Place the new potatoes in a medium sized pan, cover with lightly salted cold water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until cooked. Drain and set aside.
While the potatoes are cooking, bring a small pan of water to the boil and cook the eggs in the boiling water for 7 minutes. When cooked, place under cold running water for 5 minutes. Peel and cut in half and set aside.
In the meantime bring a medium sized pan of salted water to the boil, then cook the green beans and peas for 2 minutes, drain and lightly refresh under cold running water. Drain and set aside.
Place the potatoes, eggs, beans, peas, tuna, olives and anchovy fillets in a medium sized bowl.
In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, vinegar and shallot, season with salt and pepper.
Poor the dressing over the salad and mix gently.
Divide between 4 small salad bowls and serve.
Xanthe Clay’s Radish and Pea salad - This is such a simple, fresh and seasonal salad, perfect as a side dish, a quick healthy snack or a light meal in its own right.
It’s so healthy but looks so good, you’ll be inspiring all your guests to re-create this one at home.
Serves: 2-3
Preparation time: 10 minutes
You’ll need:
1 teacupful of fresh peas
10 radishes, thinly sliced
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
3 tbsp crème fraiche
milk
A punnet of cress
black pepper
What to do:
Lightly cook the peas in boiling water, then drain and cool under the tap.
Scatter them over a plate with the thinly sliced radishes and spring onion.
Thin the crème fraiche to single cream consistency with a little milk and trickle it over the salad.
Snip over the cress and season with freshly ground black pepper and serve.
www.loveradish.co.uk
Chickpea, roast shallot & feta salad – finally this salad is a little bit more hearty; great if the summer isn’t quite living up to expectations!
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
You’ll need:
12 Shallots, peeled & cut in half
2 cloves garlic, whole & unpeeled
25g butter, cut into small dice
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
200g feta cheese, crumbled
100g soft round lettuce
for the dressing:
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
I small bunch flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
What to do:
Place the shallots in a roasting tin, cut side up and dot with the butter and a grind of salt and pepper. Add the unpeeled whole garlic cloves to the tin and roast in the oven at 200°C/gas mark 6 for 15 minutes until the onions are soft and golden.
When the onions are cooked remove them to a plate whilst you make the dressing in the roasting tin. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and mash it up with a fork. Add the oil, vinegar and honey and using a small whisk combine with the mashed roast garlic, scraping the bottom of the tin to get off all the caramelized shallot juices. Add the chopped parsley and taste, adding more seasoning if necessary.
Add the chickpeas to the tin and toss to coat in the dressing.
In a serving dish arrange the lettuce with the roast shallots and pour over the chickpeas and dressing. Top with the crumbled feta and serve immediately.
www.UKShallot.com
by Taryn Davies
find me on 
and follow me on 
