The 3 Best Summer Salads I Know

It’s been a while since I last put a recipe up on here, which feels like a real shame because I looooove food and I love sharing any tasty new discoveries. Since the warm weather has rendered many of my favourite comfort foods seasonally inappropriate (nothing will stop me eating chilli but I thought you guys might not want a chilli recipe in July) I’ve been looking to up my salad game.

Every summer I love the idea of eating salads every day, then, when it actually comes to it, I get bored after about a week because I don’t make anything that interesting or all that satisfying. So, this year, I recognised where I went wrong and went on a hunt for salads that would make me feel like I’d had a proper meal rather than just munching on some leaves. I’m sharing three of my favourites here with you today. Two of them are new, and one is an adaptation of a family favourite, but they’re all really tasty and I don’t end up feeling hungry half an hour after eating them.

Each one of these makes 2 portions because I like to make leftovers. Also, none of these recipes are precise, I’m more Nigel Slater than Heston Blumenthal so I normally just go with how I’m feeling.

THE ONE MY MOTHER CALLS BREAD SALAD

MAIN SALAD

• 1 small ciabatta
• 1 mozzarella ball, torn into chunks
• 1 red onion, sliced into half moons
• 125g mixed leaves
• 1 courgette
• Another veggie, I usually go with some cherry tomatoes (roasted with the courgette) or asparagus (steamed) if I’m feeling fancy

DRESSING

• 5 TBSP cup – red wine vinegar.
• 4 TBSP honey.
• 4 TBSP olive oil.
• 2 TBSP lemon juice.
• 1 TSP Dijon mustard (optional, sometimes I don’t have any)
• Salt & Pepper
• Sprinkle of mixed herbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Dice the courgette into 1cm cubes and roast for 20mins at 200C
2. Tear the bread into 2cm chunks or there about, bake until golden and crisp, 10-15mins at 200C
3. Make the dressing
4. Combine – this one is best if you leave it for a couple of minutes so that the bread soaks up the dressing (works well hot and cold)

 

THE WARM ONE

MAIN SALAD

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 100g halloumi sliced (if you don’t eat cheese I like this with aubergine instead of the halloumi as well)
• 125g baby kale leaves
• 30g crushed walnuts (I also sometimes use sunflower seeds if I’m lazy)
• Sprinkle of chilli flakes
• Clove of garlic

DRESSING

• 12 TBSP olive oil
• 4 TBSP balsamic vinegar
• Salt & pepper
• Sprinkle of mixed herbs

DIRECTIONS

1. Dice the sweet potato into 1cm cubes and roast with the chilli and garlic for 25mins (or until slightly brown) at 200C. If you’re replacing the halloumi, do the same with the aubergine but it needs about 5-10 mins less
2. Fry the halloumi for 2-3mins on each side (or until golden) at a medium-high heat
3. Make the dressing
4. Combine, sprinkling the walnuts on top (this one’s best hot, but is still okay cold the next day)

 

THE ONE WITH PEACHES

(FYI Peaches are one of my favourite things about summer and I am currently eating 2-3 a day)

MAIN SALAD

• 2 portions skirt steak, trimmed of fat and sliced (if you don’t eat meat I also like this with sliced Portobello mushrooms, I use 2-3 per portion)
• 2 TBSP Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 clove garlic mined or finely chopped
• 1 TSP sugar
• 1-2 peaches finely sliced
• 125g rocket
• 60g or so of crumbled up feta or goat’s cheese

DRESSING

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 4 TBSP Olive Oil
• Salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a bag, marinate the steak in the balsamic, garlic and sugar for 20mins. If you’re doing this with mushrooms I just fry all of these off together.
2. Fry the steak
3. Make the dressing while the meat rests
4. Combine everything (works well hot and cold)

 

What are your favourite salads? What are you eating now the weather’s that bit warmer?

Natalie