Well, it finally looks like we might have some sort of a summer!
So it’s the perfect time to introduce you to a lovely new cookbook: Sensational Salads by Kathy Kordalis.
Kathy shows us that there’s so much more to salad than just a few salad leaves, tomato and cucumber. She takes them to the next level by experimenting with different flavours and ingredients, taking inspiration from all over the world. Mediterranean olive rich recipes, Asian-inspired noodle salads and Middle-Eastern notes will all encourage you to experiment more.
About Kathy
Raised by Greek parents in Australia, Kathy Kordalis’ food style draws inspiration from her Australian and Mediterranean heritage.
A graduate of Leith’s School of Food and Wine, she’s a freelance food stylist and writer.
In her spare time she’s completing a Masters degree in the Anthropology of Food at SOAS and leading Gastronomic Tours in London for Context Travel.
More about the Book
Published by Ryland, Peters & Small at £20, this lovely hardback has over 75 recipes.
There is a section on leaves, taking us through the enormous range of options and hints on making salads more substantial by adding grains, protein and texture, among other suggestions.
To whet your appetite and inspire you, here are some recipes from the book:
BEETROOT, BLOOD ORANGE & HORSERADISH SALAD
A beautiful salad to adorn any table, full of thirst-quenching orange, which pairs beautifully with the earthy beetroot.
The horseradish dressing also works well with any roast beef dish.
1 bunch each purple and golden beetroot, scrubbed, skins left on
2–3 candy beetroot, scrubbed, skins left on
2½ tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3 blood oranges, peeled and sliced into rounds
200 g baby spinach
½ bunch fresh chives, halved
20 g pumpkin seeds, toasted (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
hummus, to serve (optional)
HORSERADISH DRESSING
2 tbsp creamed horseradish
50 ml buttermilk
pinch of fresh thyme, to garnish
SERVES 4
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan/400ºF/Gas 6.
Place the beetroots in a roasting pan and fill with 1 cm/⅜ inch of hot water. Drizzle with 1½ tablespoons of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with foil and roast in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the vegetables. Peel and chop the beets into quarters and set aside.
Meanwhile, warm the remaining olive oil and the butter in a saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the blood orange slices and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side until caramelized, then remove and set aside.
Add the spinach to the pan, season with salt and pepper and allow to gently wilt.
Place the wilted spinach and blood oranges on a platter, then top with the roasted beetroot, chives and pumpkin seeds, if using.
To make the dressing, mix the creamed horseradish with the buttermilk and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, sprinkle with thyme and serve with your favourite hummus, if liked.
SHARING PLATTER: JAMON, PEACHES, ENDIVE, BLUE CHEESE & OLIVE PLATTER
A rustic platter full of delicious ingredients – the griddled peaches pair perfectly with the rich blue cheese to create a nourishing sharing platter for all.
4 peaches, cut into large wedges or quarters
3 tbsp quince paste (or honey)
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 heads radicchio
8–10 slices Ibérican jamon
100 g Danish blue cheese, crumbled
50 g stoned green olives flaky sea salt
TO FINISH
2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
baguette in long shards
SERVES 4
Place the peaches in a medium bowl with a sprinkle of flaky salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Fold in gently with your hands and set aside. You want to keep the peach skin in tact.
Heat a ridged stovetop griddle pan to a medium–high heat and griddle the peaches for 1–2 minutes on each side just to colour them slightly. Set aside.
Heat the quince paste or honey in a small saucepan over a low heat for about 1 minute until loosened. Add the black pepper and swirl the pan around for 15 seconds. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and swirl to combine.
In a shallow, rimmed serving bowl or platter, arrange the radicchio in sections along with the peaches, then add the jamon, weaving it among the peaches. Lastly, tuck in the blue cheese and olives here and there.
Spoon over the quince vinaigrette and sprinkle with the thyme and a little flaky salt. Serve with the baguette shards and enjoy with a chilled glass of white wine, Cava or whatever you like.
BEAN, SMOKED TROUT & NEW POTATO SALAD
This is lovely for a weekend lunch or buffet, alongside a cheeseboard or some lovely fresh bread.
500 g new potatoes
300 g runner beans, trimmed and sliced diagonally
4 spring onions, sliced
½ bunch fresh parsley, roughly chopped
200 g smoked trout
10 g mini herbs, leaves and edible flowers
DRESSING
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp créme fraiche
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp horseradish (optional)
SERVES 4
To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a jar or bowl and shake or mix well.
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes until just tender, then drain, allow to cool slightly, then slice into rounds.
Cook the beans in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes until tender, then plunge into ice water and drain.
Toss the warm potatoes and beans together with half the spring onions and parsley and half the dressing.
Spread out on a platter, then top with the smoked trout. Scatter over the rest of the spring onions, drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve, or leave everyone to help themselves.
