3 Big Salads. These are great as a light
meal or as part of a buffet
Easy Caesar salad
A pared-down version of the classic,
this can be knocked up in no time.
Easy/ Prepare ahead – Preparation time:
15 minutes – Cooking time: 10 minutes – Server 4
For the dressing
·
4 salted anchovies (from a can is fine)
·
125g (4½oz) good-quality mayonnaise (we used
Delouis Fils, from Waitrose)
·
Juice ½ lemon
·
1tbsp Parmesan, grated
For the salad
·
200g (7oz) sourdough bread
·
3tbsp olive oil
·
2tbsp grated Parmesan, plus 75g (3oz) shaved
with a vegetable peeler
·
4 Little Gem lettuces, leaves separated
·
12 marinated anchovies
To make the dressing, mash the salted anchovies in a pestle and mortar. Add the mayo,
lemon juice and Parmesan and stir to combine. Check the seasoning.
To make the croutons, tear the bread into large chunks. Heat the oven to 200C, 180C fan,
400F, gas 6, drizzle the bread with the olive oil and scatter with the grated
Parmesan and some sea salt. Bake for 10 minutes until crispy but chewy on the
inside.
To assemble the salad, toss the croutons through with the rest of the ingredients and
dollop the dressing on top.
Per serving:
550 calories, 43g fat (11g saturated), 23g carbohydrate
Beetroot, quinoa and chickpea salad
Pomegranate molasses is a reduced syrup
of pomegranate juice – lovely with strawberries or drizzled over salads or
steak.
Easy/ Prepare ahead – Preparation time:
15 minutes – Cooking time: 40 minutes – Server 4
·
4 raw beetroot, peeled and chopped into wedges
·
4tbsp olive oil
·
250g (9oz) ready-cooked quinoa (we used Merchant
Gourmet Red & White Quinoa)
·
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed juice 1
lemon
·
4tbsp finely chopped parsley
·
250g (9oz) feta, broken into chunks
·
4tbsp pomegranate molasses (from Sainsbury’s or
Middle Eastern food shops)
Heat the oven to 200C, 180C fan, 400F, gas
6. Toss the beetroot wedges with half the olive oil, season and roast in the
top of the oven for 40 minutes, until blackened, crispy and chewy.
Mix the quinoa with the chickpeas, lemon
juice and remaining olive oil, and season well. Toss through the parsley. When
the beetroot is cooked, toss it through the quinoa mix with the feta and
drizzle with the pomegranate molasses.
Per serving:
510 calories, 29g fat (11g saturated), 40g carbohydrate
Slow-roasted tomato, bacon and spinach salad
If serving at a buffet, leave the
dressing on the side so the leaves don’t wilt.
Easy/ Prepare ahead – Preparation time:
20 minutes – Cooking time: 3 hours – Server 4
·
6 vine tomatoes, halved across the middle
·
2tbsp icing sugar
·
2tbsp olive oil
·
200g (7oz) British streaky bacon, grilled until
crispy
·
4tbsp capers in salt, wiped to remove excess
salt but not rinsed
·
100g (4oz) baby spinach
·
4tbsp pitted black olives
For the dressing
·
2tbsp red wine vinegar
·
4tbsp olive oil
Heat the oven 140C, 120C fan, 275F, gas 1.
Place the tomatoes cut side up in a roasting tin, dust over the icing sugar
with a sieve (icing sugar melts more evenly than ordinary sugar),drizzle over
the olive oil and scatter with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 3 hours,
until shriveled and slightly blackened. It’s worth making double of these –
they keep in olive oil for a couple of weeks and are delicious with pasta or
grilled meat.
When the tomatoes have cooled completely,
toss them with the other ingredients. Whisk the vinegar with the oil and
season. Serve drizzled over the salad.
Per serving: 374 calories, 32g fat (7g
saturated), 13g carbohydrate
