Great Salad Secrets

Sydney Morning Herald

Tuesday January 13, 2009

Kylie Davis

Family first ensures a fresh taste at summer meals, writes Kylie Davis.

ON SUMMER days, or whenever our extended family gets together, my job is to be on Salad Patrol.

It's the result of two things - a childhood being forced to eat iceberg lettuce topped by soggy and tasteless tomatoes, followed by teenage years when I realised that the girl who cooked the meal decided the menu. With this revelation, our family's eating habits changed instantly, as my overworked mum cheerfully handed over the cutting board and I began to explore the idea that Kraft Italian dressing was not necessarily the height of sophistication.

There is something deeply satisfying about making a beautiful salad - the perfect combination of colours, flavours and textures, the crisp crunchiness of in-season ingredients, the way they should be chosen to complement a meal, the use of unexpected ingredients to surprise and delight. I love the tang of fresh herbs, a good vinegar and quality olive oil. But mostly I love the speed that salads can be created so that when catering for the hordes, within an hour you have three or four bowls sitting sparkling on a bright, clean tablecloth with people walking past and saying: "Wow, they look delicious."

The salad obsession began during a period of weight watching by my husband and I, spreading to the rest of the family one Christmas.

We engaged everyone in the idea of a celebratory lunch that did not leave us feeling fat and bloated.

"But I hate salad," Dad said. "It makes me feel cold inside."

"I promise you'll like these ones," I said. "If you don't, I'll cook you some peas."

The turkey was stuffed with couscous made with stock, cranberry, spring onions, pinenuts, sage and parsley. We had a baked vegetable salad with a tahini dressing as the first dish and a rocket, pear and parmesan salad as second. A green bean, mushroom and vine-ripened tomato salad with a dressing made of coriander, soy sauce, ginger and garlic added deep colour to the table, while a potato salad, to cater for the traditionalists, used the Christmas ham and had a dijon mustard and sweetened mayonnaise. Lunch was a huge hit. There was no call for peas. And we all had room for pudding.

Salad Patrol has since become a ritual in my family. The morning after the day-long drive to my parents' home, Mum and I sit up in her bed together, recipe books spread across the bed.

She gives me a rundown on what she's got in the fridge and freezer and, notebook in hand, we flick through the books looking for inspiration. It's rare we follow a recipe to the letter but something will "look nice", or a substitute ingredient will already be in the fridge, and so we mix and match ideas, decide the menu and write up a shopping list. With this plan of action we hit the local supermarket. There is something utterly indulgent about needing two shopping trolleys and lugging the bounty home to spread across the pantry, two fridges and an Esky or two. But we are feeding 12 or more.

And then the creations begin with the contents moving from fridge to chopping board to bowl, to sit on the table awaiting the feast.

There is always an abundance of sous chefs to slice and dice, tasters abound and the table is miraculously set by anyone not in the kitchen. Dad and the boys are in charge of barbeque and bar fridge. On Salad Patrol, everyone has a job - it's my job not to do everything but steer the action - and ensure there's not a limp lettuce or soggy tomato in sight.

Pumpkin, roasted hazelnut and feta salad

1 cup hazelnuts

1.5kg butternut pumpkin, cut into 3cm pieces

Olive oil cooking spray

Salt and pepper

175g marinated persian feta cheese, drained

Honey and balsamic dressing

1/4 cup honey

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat fan-forced oven to 230C (240C if no fan). While the oven is heating, place hazelnuts on to a baking tray, roast for 10-15 minutes until skins crack and nuts are roasted. Transfer to a clean tea towel, wrap to secure. Rub hazelnuts in tea towel to remove skins. Chop nuts and set aside. Line a large roasting pan with non-stick baking paper. Arrange the pumpkin in pan, spray with oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, for 15 minutes or until golden brown and tender. Cool to room temperature. Place dressing ingredients, salt and pepper in a screw-top jar and shake well to combine. Remove lid. Microwave on high (100 per cent) for 10 seconds or until honey is melted. Shake well to combine. Combine pumpkin, hazelnuts and feta on a serving platter, drizzle with dressing and serve.

Serves 10

Warm chicken, avocado and orange tahini salad

1 tbsp olive oil

600g chicken breast fillets

1 continental cucumber, halved lengthways, seeds removed

150g mixed salad leaves

3 oranges, peeled, segmented

2 avocados, halved, stones removed, peeled, thinly sliced crossways

1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Tahini dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 orange, juiced

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp tahini

Salt and pepper

Heat oil in a large, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for five minutes each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate, cover and set aside for five minutes to rest, then thinly slice. Thinly slice cucumber and place in a large bowl. Add salad leaves, orange segments, avocado and warm chicken. For the dressing, place all the ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake until well combined. Pour dressing over salad, add sesame seeds and toss gently to combine. Serve.

Serves 4

From Fast, Fresh & Fabulous by Janelle Bloom, published by Ebury Illustrated, $39.95

© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald

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