Summer Salad ~ COTTAGE CHEESE, MANGO AND PINEAPPLE WITH GINGER VINAIGRETTE ~ PARFAIT OF AVOCADO AND CAJUN SPIKED CHICKEN ~ GREEK SALAD ~ MIXED NON-VEG SALAD

SUMMER SALAD

Ingredients
Broccoli: 100 gm (blanched)      
Mushroom: 75 gm
Baby Corn: 50 gm (boiled)

For Yogurt Dressing
Hung yogurt: 75 ml
Chopped garlic: 10 gm
Fresh cream: 5 ml
Salt/pepper: To taste

For Garnish
Tomato cut into the shape of a flower
Carrot leaf
Asparagus tip
Parsley sprigs

Method
Cut broccoli into florets, dice mushrooms and baby corn. Toss them with seasoning. Arrange fresh lettuce in a salad bowl. Put the tossed mix on the bed of lettuce. Garnish with tomato flower, carrot leaf, asparagus tips and parsley sprigs. Mix the dressing ingredients into a smooth consistency. Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dressing and serve separately over the salad. (Serves 2)

COTTAGE CHEESE, MANGO AND PINEAPPLE WITH GINGER VINAIGRETTE

Ingredients
Cottage cheese: 250 gm
Mango: 350 gm
Pineapple: 250 gm

Dressing
Ginger juice: 30 ml
Lemon juice: 30 ml
Honey: 25 ml
Oil: 60 ml
Salt/pepper: To taste

Method
Cut the cottage cheese, peeled mango and pineapple into cubes. Put them in a bowl and refrigerate. Now take the dressing ingredients, except the oil, and mix thoroughly. Pour the oil in a gentle stream whisking simultaneously till it is completely blended. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve in a bowl garnished with ginger juliennes. (Serves 4)

PARFAIT OF AVOCADO AND CAJUN SPIKED CHICKEN

Ingredients
Avocado: 2
Poached chicken breast: 2
Cajun spice: 1tsp
Double cream: 30 ml
Gelatin: 1 tsp
Parsley: 1 sprig
Thyme: 1 sprig
Basil 1 sprig
Assorted lettuce: ½ cup
Unsalted butter: 60 gm
Olive oil: 15 ml
Balsamic vinaigrette: 2 tsp
Chopped shallot: 1

Method
Melt the butter in a pan till the solids separate and it becomes nutty brown in color. Cook, skim and pour in a blender. Add the olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Whisk in the salt, pepper and chopped shallot. Peel, core and chop the avocado. Add juice of lime, chopped chicken breast and cajun spice and blend to a fine paste in a blender. Fold in the whipped cream, melt the gelatin and add to the mix. Pour it into a bowl and cool. Scoop out the parfait from the bowl and place on a plate. Top it with a mound of lettuce and drizzle with brown butter vinaigrette. Garnish with puff pastry abstracts

GREEK SALAD
Ingredients
Feta cheese: 70 gm
Black olives: 15 gm
Tomato: 35 gm
Onions: 20 gm (sliced finely)
Mixed lettuce: 1 00 gm
Seasoning Fresh oregano: 10 gm
Extra virgin olive oil: 35 ml
Balsamic vinegar: 15 ml

Method
Dice the feta cheese. Slice black olives and tomatoes. Clean the lettuce and tear it into bite-size pieces. Make the herb dressing with balsamic vinegar, olive oil and chopped fresh oregano. Toss the lettuce with all the above mentioned ingredients and the balsemic vinegar-oregano-olive oil dressing. Serve the salad after tossing.

MIXED NON-VEG SALAD

Ingredients
Chicken breast: 1
Prawns: 2
Air-dried ham: 3 rashers
Fresh basil: 1 sprig
Lettuce: few leaves
Black olives: 2
Cherry tomatoes: 2
Grain mustard: ½ tsp
Vinaigrette: 10 ml

Method
Roast the chicken breast and slice it into 4-5 pieces. Set sliced sliced chicken while you boil the prawns. Season the boiled prawns with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Then, arrange the boiled chicken, seasoned prawn and ham with lettuce and basil. Garnish with olives and cherry tomatoes. Mix the grain mustard with vinaigrette and drizzle the mixture over the non-vegetarian salad. Serve on lettuce leaves.

Sunny summer salad in 15 minutes

IngredientsPears sliced, 2             
Strawberries, 1 cup
Oranges with peels left on, 2
Kiwi fruits peeled and sliced, 2
and butter lettuce          

Colourful greens such as cabbage

Toasted coconut, 1/4 cup
Dressing
Plain yoghurt, 1 1/2 cups
Mayonnaise, 2 tbsp
Honey, 2 tbsp
Method
1. Cut orange slices into wedges.
2. On a four salad plate, arrange greens and all fruits into a design.
3. Top with coconut.
4. Serve the honey dressing on the side.
5. Mix well and garnish with fresh mint leaves.

Salmon & Puy lentil salad with olive dressing

               

1. Chop half the olives (set the rest aside), then mix with the remaining dressing ingredients in a bowl.
2. Boil the green beans for 5 mins, then refresh under cold water. Put the eggs in cold water, bring to the boil, then cook for 5 mins. Cool, shell and halve or quarter.
3. Heat the lentils in the microwave for 2 mins per pack. Tip into a bowl and toss with the tomatoes, most of the dressing, the whole olives and green beans. Arrange eggs and salmon on top, scatter with the rocket and finish with remaining dressing. Serve with crusty bread.

Mustard potato salad

                                     

1. Cook the potatoes in a large pan of salted water until just tender, about 10-15 mins. Meanwhile, whisk together the olive oil, mustard and lemon juice in a large bowl. Drain the potatoes and leave to cool for 5 mins, then tip into the bowl along with the spring onions. Toss everything until the potatoes are well coated. Leave to cool. The dish will keep in a covered container in the fridge for up to 2 days. 

Summer lamb with carrot & fennel salad

                                

1. Rub the lamb with a little oil and half the lime juice, then season with salt and pepper. Barbecue or cook in a hot griddle pan for 10-15 mins, turning occasionally. Remove from the heat, cover with foil and set aside to rest.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the remaining lime juice and the fennel seeds together with some salt and pepper and a little olive oil in a large bowl. Add the carrot and red onion, then mix well.
3. Warm the pitta breads on the barbecue or griddle pan, then make a slit in each to form a pocket. Slice the lamb and stuff into the pittas with the carrot salad and lettuce leaves.

Warm artichoke & asparagus summer salad

                             

1. When the artichokes are trimmed, find a pan wide enough to hold them in a single layer. Squeeze in juice from a lemon half and half-fill with cold water. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, the spices, thyme, vinegar, artichokes and a generous pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 15 mins until soft. Turn off the heat and allow to cool (see tips, below).
2. Prepare the asparagus. First, cut off the woody ends, then use a swivel blade peeler to trim the ends, rotating them as you go so they end up the same thickness as the tips.
3. Bring a large pan of salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the asparagus for 2 mins, then drain and tip straight into heavily iced water. Leave until completely cool, drain again, then set aside.
4. To make the dressing, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan , then gently cook the red onion for 5 mins until soft. Turn off the heat stir in the spring onion and chives, then tip into a jug. Drizzle the rest of the oil and the vinegar into the dressing, then season to taste.
5. Get the vegetables ready. Drain the artichokes, then cut each into 6 wedges. Slice each asparagus on the angle into 3 pieces.
6. Wipe out the dressing pan and heat the remaining olive oil. Fry the asparagus with some seasoning until shiny and starting to colour, then scoop onto a plate. Place the pan back on the heat, then cook the artichoke wedges until they start to brown. Turn off the heat and you are ready to plate up.
7. Spoon a puddle of dressing into the centre of each plate. Balance the pieces of asparagus up against each other to circle the dressing. Arrange the artichokes among the asparagus so they're evenly distributed over the plate. Scatter over the salad leaves and drizzle over the remaining dressing.    
   
   TIP
   Micro-leaves (also known as micro-herbs) are tiny little herb and salad leaf shoots. Their intense flavour lifts warm vegetable dishes like this and adds another element to the finished dish. Micro-leaves are now available from some supermarkets, but if you can't find them, scatter over a few wild rocket leaves or tender sprigs of watercress.
   
   TIP
   Once cut, artichokes oxidise very quickly, which makes them discolour. So keep on rubbing the green flesh with lemon to stop this happening, especially the inner part of the artichoke once you have removed the hairy fibres. In my restaurant kitchens, we keep the uncooked, prepared artichokes in water with vitamin C powder (ascorbic acid) added - this doesn't flavour the water - but a squeezed lemon works just as well.
   
   TIP
   To test if the artichoke is cooked, insert a skewer or the point of a small knife into the centre - there should be very little resistance. If it feels a little hard, keep simmering; check again after each minute or so.
   
   TIP
   When you prepare artichokes, the metallic flavour of the raw vegetable is transferred to your fingers. Scrub your hands well afterwards, as the flavour is rather unpleasant.
   
   TIP
   Preparing the artichokes involves a bit of work but they can be cooked and left in the cooking liquid up to two days before. The asparagus can be boiled and chilled the day before and both vegetables can be chopped, ready for frying, several hours before serving. As the dressing contains onion, it is best made just one hour before serving. 

Summer Tomato Pasta Salad

Is the summer heat killing your appetite and making you want to skip your meal day after day? Do you long for something quick to put together and refreshing to munch on? We've put together a bunch of recipes that will make cooking fun and eating pleasurable.



Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups wholegrain dried Penne Pasta (use any pasta you like)

About 3-4 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved (or or any sweet tomatoes)

1 to 1-1/2 cups of cubed fresh mozzarella cheese (You can also use Paneer instead)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Zest and juice of 1 large lemon

A few fresh basil leaves, shredded

Salt and pepper to taste



Method:


1. Use any tomatoes you like.

2. Dessed if required and chop.

3. Cook the pasta according to the package instruction until just tender.

4. Meanwhile, mix together the oil, vinegar, lemon zest and about 1 tbsp lemon juice along with basil leaves.

5. Season with salt and pepper.

6. Add the tomatoes and cheese.

7. Toss it well and let it sit until the pasta is cooked.

8. Drain the Pasta and toss with the tomatoes mixture.

9. Serve it immediately garnished with more basil if desired.

10. Some yummy garlic bread as an accompaniment would make this picture perfect!