Red Cabbage and Beetroot Salad
Chicory, Fennel and Orange Salad
Roasted Vegetable Salad with Mustard Mayonnaise
Mixed Bean Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Asparagus, Pea and Mint Rice Salad
Endlessly versatile, quick and easy to prepare, as well as mouthwatering, salads can be served as starters, accompaniments, main courses, snacks, lunches or light suppers. A side salad needs to be carefully composed so that the colours, flavours and textures complement the main dish and don’t overpower it. Substantial salads – served with some good bread – are excellent, healthy main dishes, especially in the summer. A satisfying complete-meal salad is generally based around one or two high-protein foods with complementary flavouring ingredients, which offer a contrast in texture as well as taste. A tempting salad, served in moderate portions, is an ideal starter to stimulate the taste buds without taking the edge off the appetite. Warm salads, which are either tossed in a warm dressing or feature warm ingredients, also make perfect starters.
The wonderful array of lettuces and other salad leaves on sale in most supermarkets, quality greengrocers and markets is inspiring. There are soft delicate leaves, such as the familiar round lettuce, lamb’s lettuce (also known as corn salad and mâche), russet-coloured oak leaf and frilly-leafed lollo rosso. Crisper lettuces include cos, iceberg and little gem or, for a crunchy texture, buy Chinese leaves.
In addition, there are deliciously bitter leaves such as dark red radicchio, peppery rocket, crisp chicory, watercress, frisée (curly endive) and tender baby spinach.
Ready-prepared bags of mixed salad leaves are a convenient way of buying salad leaves if you want a selection but only require a small quantity. Leaf salads are simple, refreshing and easily enhanced by the addition of fresh herbs or edible flowers.
When you are choosing lettuces, look for fresh, crisp leaves and a tightly packed head if appropriate. Avoid any with wilted or bruised leaves. Store loosely wrapped in the salad drawer of the fridge.
Pull off and discard any coarse or damaged outer leaves. Tear the leaves into pieces, if necessary. Rinse in a bowl of cold water and pat or spin dry. Assemble and dress just before serving.
Beetroot, carrots, celery, courgettes, cucumber, fennel, mushrooms, peppers, radishes and salad onions are just a few of the many vegetables that are eaten raw in salads. Beans and peas, such as broad beans, French beans and mangetouts, are best blanched for a minute or so in boiling water, then refreshed in cold water first. Tomatoes and avocados are ideal in salads, but they must be at their peak of ripeness and flavour for optimum results. New potatoes are another excellent salad option, especially if they are combined with the dressing while still warm.
Fresh herbs will enhance most salads and it is well worth growing your own supply in the garden or in tubs or window boxes. The flowers from herbs such as borage, chives, fennel and thyme can also be added to salads.
Not all herbs are good in raw salads, but most work well.
Basil is almost indispensable in tomato salads, and it complements leafy salads too. Chervil, chives and flat-leafed parsley will flatter most salads. Coriander is excellent with robust green leaves, bulgur wheat and couscous. Dill and fennel are particularly good in fish salads, while mint combines well with oranges and peas. Oregano is a classic ingredient in traditional Greek salads and, like marjoram and thyme, it works well in cooked salads too. Strongly flavoured tarragon is great with chicken salads; it also enhances creamy salad dressings, particularly those containing mustard.
Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes, plus standing
500g (1lb 2oz) baby plum tomatoes, halved
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
500g (1lb 2oz) plum tomatoes, sliced lengthways
a handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly torn, plus fresh sprigs to garnish
2 beef tomatoes, about 450g (1lb) in total, sliced
100g (3½oz) pinenuts, toasted (see Cook’s Tip)
250g (9oz) medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
salt and ground black pepper
For the dressing
100ml (3½fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
50ml (2fl oz) balsamic vinegar
a pinch of golden caster sugar
1 First make the dressing. Put the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and sugar into a screw-topped jar and season generously with salt and pepper. Shake well to combine.
2 Layer the baby plum tomatoes, spring onions, plum tomatoes, basil, beef tomatoes, pinenuts and finally the medium tomatoes in a shallow serving bowl, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper.
3 Drizzle the dressing over the salad and leave to one side for 1 hour to allow the flavours to mingle. Garnish with basil sprigs to serve.
Simple Tomato and Basil Salad To make this salad, simply omit the spring onions and pinenuts, and reduce the quantity of dressing by one-third.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 450 cals | 40g fat (4g sats) | 16g carbs | 0.3g salt 
Serves 8
Preparation time 10 minutes
3 round lettuce hearts, roughly shredded
100g (3½oz) watercress
2 ripe avocados, roughly chopped
1 box salad cress, chopped
100g (3½oz) sugarsnap peas,
roughly sliced
4 tbsp French Dressing
1 Put the lettuce hearts into a bowl and add the watercress, avocados, salad cress and sugarsnap peas.
2 Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to mix. Serve immediately.
Vary the salad leaves according to taste and availability. Try using treviso, red chicory and baby spinach leaves, for example.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 90 cals | 9g fat (1g sats) | 1g carbs | 0.5g salt
Serves 2
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 5 minutes
225g (8oz) podded broad beans (see Cook’s Tip)
100g (3½oz) feta cheese, chopped (see Vegetarian Cheeses)
2 tbsp freshly chopped mint
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a squeeze of lemon juice
salt and ground black pepper
lemon wedges to serve (optional)
1 Cook the beans in boiling salted water for 3–5 minutes until tender. Drain, then plunge into cold water and drain again. Remove their skins if you like (see here).
2 Tip the beans into a bowl, add the feta, mint, olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper and toss together. Serve with lemon wedges, if you like.
For this quantity of broad beans, you will need to buy about 750g (1½lb) beans in pods. Choose small pods, as the beans will be young and more flavourful than bigger, older beans.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 197 cals | 16g fat (4g sats) | 5g carbs | 1.3g salt
Serves 6
Preparation time 15 minutes
¼ medium red cabbage, shredded
¼ medium white cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, grated
20g (¾oz) fresh flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped
For the dressing
1½ tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp Dijon mustard
salt and ground black pepper
1 To make the dressing, put the vinegar into a small bowl, add the oil and mustard, season well with salt and pepper and mix well.
2 Put the cabbage and carrot into a large bowl and toss to mix well. Add the parsley.
3 Mix the dressing again, then pour it over the cabbage mixture and toss well to coat.
Thai-style Coleslaw Replace the red cabbage with a good handful of fresh bean sprouts, the parsley with freshly chopped coriander, and add 1 seeded and finely chopped red chilli (see Cook’s Tips). For the dressing, replace the vinegar with lime juice, the olive oil with toasted sesame oil and the mustard with soy sauce.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 92 cals | 8g fat (1g sats) | 5g carbs | 0.1g salt
Serves 8
Preparation time 15 minutes
½ red cabbage, finely sliced
500g (1lb 2oz) cooked beetroot (see Cook’s Tips)
8 cornichons (baby gherkins), sliced
2 tbsp baby capers in vinegar, rinsed
For the dressing
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp sherry vinegar
3 tbsp freshly chopped dill
salt and ground black pepper
1 Put the red cabbage into a large bowl. Cut the beetroot into matchstick strips or grate coarsely and add to the cabbage with the cornichons and capers. Toss together well to mix.
2 To make the dressing, put the oil, sherry vinegar and chopped dill into a small bowl. Season well with salt and pepper, then add a splash of cold water to help emulsify the dressing. Whisk together thoroughly.
3 Pour the dressing over the salad and toss everything together well.
• Buy vacuum-packed cooked beetroot or cook it yourself. Beetroot pickled in vinegar is not suitable.
• This salad is particularly good with baked ham.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 150 cals | 10g fat (1g sats) | 11g carbs | 0.3g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 2–3 minutes
1 small fennel bulb, with fronds
2 chicory heads, divided into leaves, or ½ head Chinese leaf, shredded
2 oranges, peeled and cut into rounds, plus juice of ½ orange
25g (1oz) hazelnuts, chopped and toasted (see Cook’s Tip)
2 tbsp hazelnut or walnut oil
salt and ground black pepper
1 Trim the fronds from the fennel, roughly chop them and put to one side. Finely slice the fennel bulb lengthways and put into a serving bowl with the chicory or Chinese leaves, the orange slices and the toasted hazelnuts.
2 Put the orange juice, hazelnut or walnut oil and the reserved fennel fronds into a small bowl, season well with salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly. Pour over the salad and toss everything together.
Put the nuts into a dry frying pan and toast over a medium heat, shaking the pan, until evenly toasted.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 127 cals | 10g fat (1g sats) | 9g carbs | trace salt
Serves 6
Preparation time 10 minutes, plus soaking and standing
Cooking time 10–15 minutes
175g (6oz) bulgur wheat
700g (1½lb) cherry tomatoes or baby plum tomatoes
8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
a handful of fresh mint, roughly chopped
3–4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
a handful of fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus fresh basil sprigs to garnish
1 bunch of spring onions, sliced
salt and ground black pepper
1 Put the bulgur wheat into a bowl and add boiling water to cover by 1cm (½ in). Leave to soak for 30 minutes.
2 Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan oven) mark 7. Put the tomatoes into a small roasting tin, drizzle with half the oil and add half the mint. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 10–15 minutes or until beginning to soften.
3 Put the remaining oil and the vinegar into a large bowl. Add the warm pan juices from the tomatoes and the soaked bulgur wheat.
4 Stir in the remaining chopped herbs and the spring onions and season with salt and pepper. You may need a little more vinegar depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes.
5 Add the tomatoes and toss gently to mix, then serve garnished with basil.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 225 cals | 15g fat (2g sats) | 19g carbs | 0g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes, plus cooling
700g (1½lb) firm waxy potatoes, scrubbed and cut into bite-sized pieces
90ml (3fl oz) extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
grated zest of 1 lemon
2–3 tbsp freshly chopped basil
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
4 spring onions, finely chopped
25g (1oz) pinenuts, toasted (see Cook’s Tip)
salt and ground black pepper
1 Put the potatoes into a pan, add cold salted water to cover, bring to the boil and cook for about 12–15 minutes until just tender.
2 Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic and lemon zest, and fry gently for 5 minutes or until soft but not golden.
3 In a bowl, whisk the remaining oil with the chopped basil, sherry vinegar and seasoning.
4 Drain the potatoes and shake off the excess water. Add to the frying pan and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in the basil mixture and remove from the heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
5 Just before serving, add the spring onions and pinenuts, toss lightly together and season to taste with salt and pepper.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 350 cals | 24g fat (3g sats) | 31g carbs | 0.3g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 15–20 minutes
Cooking time 12 minutes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 thick slices country-style bread, cubed
6 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
1 cos lettuce, washed, chilled and cut into bite-size pieces
700g (1½ lb) cooked chicken breast, sliced
For the dressing
4 tbsp Mayonnaise
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 anchovy fillets, very finely chopped
salt and ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan oven) mark 4. Put the olive oil, garlic and bread cubes in a bowl and toss well. Tip on to a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, turning halfway through.
2 Sprinkle the Parmesan over the croûtons and bake for 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the bread is golden.
3 Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and mix together.
4 Put the lettuce and sliced chicken in a bowl, pour the dressing over and toss. Top with the cheese croûtons.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 482 cals | 27g fat (8g sats) | 8g carbs | 1.4g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes, plus standing
1 red onion, thinly sliced
½ cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
1 green pepper, seeded and finely sliced
3 beef tomatoes, sliced
10 Kalamata olives packed in olive oil with oregano, drained
200g pack feta cheese, chopped (see Vegetarian Cheeses)
juice of ½ lemon
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and ground black pepper
1 Put the red onion, cucumber, green pepper, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese into a large bowl and toss to mix. Season very lightly with salt (as feta is quite salty) and generously with pepper.
2 Drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil over the salad and toss everything together. Leave to stand for about 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavours to mingle. Serve as a starter or light lunch.
Use plain black olives and add 1–2 tbsp chopped oregano to the salad dressing.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 280 cals | 24g fat (9g sats) | 6g carbs | 2.3g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 40 minutes
900g (2lb) mixed vegetables, such as fennel, courgettes, leeks, aubergines, baby turnips, new potatoes and red onions
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
4–5 fresh marjoram or rosemary sprigs
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp flaked sea salt
mixed crushed peppercorns to taste
4 tsp balsamic vinegar
warm crusty bread to serve
For the mustard mayonnaise
150ml (¼ pint) Mayonnaise
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
salt and ground black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan oven) mark 7. For the vegetables, quarter the fennel, chop the courgettes, leeks and aubergines, trim the turnips and cut the onions into wedges. Place the vegetables, garlic, marjoram or rosemary, the olive oil, salt and peppercorns in a roasting tin and toss well (see Cook’s Tip).
2 Cook in the oven for 30–35 minutes until the vegetables are golden, tossing frequently. Sprinkle the balsamic vinegar over the vegetables and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.
3 To make the mustard mayonnaise, mix together the mayonnaise and mustard, then season with salt and pepper and put to one side.
4 Arrange the vegetable salad on a serving dish and serve with the mustard mayonnaise and crusty bread.
It’s best to roast vegetables in a single layer as otherwise they will steam and become soggy. Use two baking tins if necessary so you can spread them out.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 420 cals | 43g fat (6g sats) | 5g carbs | 1g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 2 minutes
250g (9oz) halloumi, sliced into eight (see Cook’s Tip and Vegetarian Cheeses)
1 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp olive oil
200g (7oz) mixed leaf salad
2 avocados, halved, stoned, peeled and sliced
fresh rocket leaves to garnish
lemon halves to serve
For the mint dressing
3 tbsp lemon juice
8 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp freshly chopped mint
salt and ground black pepper
1 To make the dressing, whisk the lemon juice with the olive oil and mint, then season with salt and pepper.
2 Season the flour with salt and pepper, then coat the halloumi with the flour. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the cheese for 1 minute on each side or until it forms a golden crust.
3 Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add half the dressing to the salad leaves and avocado, and toss together. Arrange the hot cheese on top and drizzle the remaining dressing over. Garnish with rocket leaves and serve with lemon halves to squeeze over.
Halloumi is a firm cheese made from ewe’s milk.
It is best used sliced and cooked.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 397 cals | 34g fat (13g sats) | 11g carbs | 2.3g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 40 minutes, plus marinating
Cooking time 30 minutes
450g (1lb) fresh tuna steaks
1 garlic clove, crushed
grated zest of ½ lemon
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to cook
1 fresh thyme sprig
2 small red peppers, halved and seeded
350g (12oz) vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled (see here)
2 large eggs
250g (9oz) podded broad beans
2 large fresh basil sprigs, leaves only
½ cucumber, seeded and cut into chunks
50g (2oz) small pitted black olives
6 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
50g can anchovy fillets, drained and chopped
50g (2oz) rocket or other salad leaves
salt and ground black pepper
For the dressing
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Rub the tuna steaks with the garlic, lemon zest and a twist of black pepper. Put into a dish, spoon over the oil, cover and leave to marinate in a cool place for 3–4 hours.
2 Transfer the tuna to a small pan, add the thyme and enough oil to barely cover the tuna. Bring slowly to the boil, turn the tuna over and remove the pan from the heat. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, then remove the fish with a slotted spoon and leave to cool. Preheat the grill.
3 Grill the peppers, skin side up, until charred. Put in a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave until cool. Thickly slice or quarter the tomatoes. Skin the peppers, cut into thick strips and put to one side.
4 Bring a small pan of water to the boil, add the eggs (making sure they’re covered with water) and simmer for 8 minutes. Cool under cold running water, shell and quarter. Add the broad beans to a pan of boiling water and cook for 2–3 minutes. Drain and refresh in cold water, then slip off the skins.
5 To make the dressing, put all the ingredients into a screw-topped jar, season and shake well until combined.
6 Pound the basil leaves with 1 tsp salt in a wide salad bowl to release their flavour. Flake the tuna and add it to the bowl with the other salad ingredients except the leaves. Season with salt and pepper and add just enough dressing to moisten the salad and toss gently.
7 Serve on a bed of rocket or other leaves as a main course. Hand the remaining dressing separately.
• Instead of fresh tuna, use 2 × 200g cans tuna steak in olive oil. Drain well and add at step 6.
• Add about 12 cooked small new potatoes at step 6.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 570 cals | 41g fat (6g sats) | 11g carbs | 2.8g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 10 minutes
3 × 150g balls mozzarella di bufala, drained (see Vegetarian Cheeses)
1kg (2¼lb) very ripe tomatoes, sliced into rounds
extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
a small handful of fresh basil leaves, roughly shredded
sea salt and ground black pepper
1 Slice the mozzarella into rounds and layer on a serving plate with the tomato slices.
2 Drizzle with the oil, season with sea salt and ground black pepper and scatter the basil over.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 381 cals | 29g fat (17g sats) | 8g carbs | 1.5g salt
Serves 6
Preparation time 15 minutes
400g can mixed beans, drained and rinsed
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 shallots, finely sliced
fresh mint sprigs and lemon zest to garnish
For the lemon vinaigrette
juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp clear honey
8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp freshly chopped mint
4 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leafed parsley
salt and ground black pepper
1 Put the beans, chickpeas and shallots in a large bowl.
2 To make the lemon vinaigrette, whisk together the lemon juice, honey and seasoning. Gradually whisk in the oil and stir in the chopped herbs.
3 Pour the vinaigrette over the beans, toss well, then garnish with the mint sprigs and lemon zest to serve.
• Complete the recipe (but don’t add the herbs or garnish), then cover and chill for up to two days.
• To use, remove from the fridge up to 1 hour before serving and add the herbs. Garnish just before serving.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 265 cals | 16g fat (2g sats) | 22g carbs | 0.9g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes, plus standing
450g (1lb) eating apples
juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp sugar
150ml (¼ pint) Mayonnaise
1 small crisp lettuce
½ head of celery, sliced
50g (2oz) walnut pieces, chopped
a few walnut halves to garnish (optional)
1 Peel and core the apples, slice one and dice the rest. Dip the slices into lemon juice to prevent discoloration, then put to one side. Add the diced apples to the lemon juice with the sugar and 1 tbsp mayonnaise, stir well, then leave to stand for about 30 minutes.
2 Just before serving, line a salad bowl with lettuce leaves.
3 Add the celery, walnuts and remaining mayonnaise to the diced apples and toss together. Spoon into the salad bowl and garnish with the apple slices and a few walnut halves, if you like.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 413 cals | 38g fat (5g sats) | 16g carbs | 0.1g salt
Serves 6
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 20 minutes
175g (6oz) mixed basmati and wild rice
grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon
1 large shallot, finely sliced
2 tbsp sunflower oil
12 fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped, plus extra fresh sprigs to garnish
150g (5oz) asparagus tips
75g (3oz) fresh or frozen peas
salt and ground black pepper
lemon zest to garnish
1 Put the rice in a pan with twice its volume of water and a pinch of salt. Cover the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to very low and cook according to the pack instructions. Once cooked, tip the rice on to a baking sheet and spread out to cool quickly. When cool, spoon into a large bowl.
2 Reserve a little of the lemon zest to garnish. In a small bowl, mix the remaining zest with the lemon juice, shallot, oil and chopped mint, then stir into the rice.
3 Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Add the asparagus and peas, and cook for 3–4 minutes until tender. Drain and refresh in a bowl of cold water. Drain well, then stir into the rice. Put into a serving dish and garnish with mint sprigs and reserved lemon zest.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 157 cals | 4g fat (trace sats) | 26g carbs | trace salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 1–2 minutes
1 bunch of watercress
4 slices goat’s cheese log (with rind) (see Vegetarian Cheeses)
1 quantity Rocket Pesto
50g (2oz) rocket leaves
40g (1½oz) walnut halves, toasted (see Cook’s Tip)
For the dressing
1 tbsp walnut oil
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp balsamic or sherry vinegar
salt and ground black pepper
1 Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Preheat the grill.
2 Trim the watercress and discard the coarse stalks. Lay the goat’s cheese slices on a foil-lined baking sheet and grill, as close to the heat as possible, for 1–2 minutes until browned.
3 Put a slice of goat’s cheese on each plate and top with a spoonful of rocket pesto. Toss the rocket and watercress leaves with the dressing and then arrange around the goat’s cheese. Scatter the walnuts over the salad and serve immediately.
Use halved crottins de Chavignol (small hard goat’s cheese) instead of the log chèvre.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 520 cals | 46g fat (12g sats) | 2g carbs | 1.5g salt
Serves 8
Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time 2 minutes
100g (3½oz) watercress
24 quail’s eggs
24 asparagus spears, trimmed
juice of ½ lemon
5 tbsp olive oil
4 large spring onions, finely sliced
a few fresh dill and tarragon sprigs
salt and ground black pepper
1 Trim the watercress and discard the coarse stalks, then chop roughly. Add the quail’s eggs to a pan of boiling water and cook for 2 minutes, then drain and plunge into cold water. Cook the asparagus in lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes or until just tender. Drain, plunge into cold water and leave to cool.
2 Whisk together the lemon juice, oil and seasoning. Stir in the spring onions and put to one side.
3 Peel the quail’s eggs and cut in half. Put into a large bowl with the asparagus, watercress, dill and tarragon. Pour the dressing over and lightly toss all the ingredients together. Adjust the seasoning and serve.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 127 cals | 11g fat (2g sats) | 1g carbs | 0.1g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 5 minutes
Cooking time 7 minutes
125g (4oz) streaky bacon rashers, rinded and cut into small, neat pieces (lardons)
1 shallot, finely chopped
120g bag mixed baby salad leaves
1 ripe avocado
50g (2oz) pinenuts
4 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and ground black pepper
1 Put the lardons into a frying pan over a medium heat for 1–2 minutes until the fat runs. Add the shallot and fry for 5 minutes until golden.
2 Meanwhile, divide the salad leaves among four serving plates. Halve, stone and peel the avocado, then slice the flesh. Arrange on the salad leaves.
3 Add the pinenuts, oil and vinegar to the frying pan and let it bubble for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
4 Tip the bacon, pinenuts and dressing over the salad and serve at once, while still warm.
Replace the pinenuts with walnuts.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 352 cals | 34g fat (6g sats) | 3g carbs | 1g salt
Serves 4
Preparation time 15 minutes
250g (9oz) cooked (vacuum-packed without vinegar) beetroot, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp white wine vinegar
350g (12oz) potato salad
1–2 tbsp lemon juice
4 peppered smoked mackerel fillets, skinned and flaked
2 tbsp freshly snipped chives, plus extra to garnish
salt and ground black pepper
1 Put the beetroot in a bowl. Sprinkle with the olive oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, and toss together.
2 In a large bowl, mix the potato salad with the lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flaked mackerel and chopped chives, and toss together.
3 Just before serving, pile the mackerel mixture into four serving bowls. Sprinkle the beetroot over the top of the salad and garnish with freshly snipped chives.
NUTRITION PER SERVING 656 cals | 56g fat (10g sats) | 16g carbs | 2.4g salt