Enjoy salads that don’t leave you feeling hungry
Try my 4 favourite summer salads perfect for warm evenings.
What are you meant to drum up for a meal when it’s hot and muggy and you just can’t be bothered…
Salad.
But salads can be boring.
I used to avoid eating salads because they were loud to munch on, hard work (it always felt like I was eating grass).
I never felt a great deal of excitement in terms of ingredients and I always come out feeling hungry.
Times have changed and we now have cookbooks galore on amazing salads we can create.
So, here are 4 of my favourite summer dishes.
4 favourite summer salads
1. Prosciutto, fig, blue cheese, artichoke salad
Ottolenghi is one of the great chefs who have changed and transformed how we think about salads.
This is a perfect example.
SERVES: 4
COOKING TIME: 10 mins
DIFFICULTY: easy
IDEAL FOR: summer salad, side, midweek summer meal, lunch
BUDGET: £ -££
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 4 fresh figs (quartered) If you can’t find fresh, I’ve used dried figs before
- mixed salad leaves – you’re choice of varieties
- 125 g crumbled Roquefort cheese
- 1 jar cooked marinated artichokes You can easily find in your usual supermarket
- 165 g prosciutto slices or approx 3 pieces per person
- small bunch of basil for serving (optional)
The Dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- squeeze of lemon
- sea salt and pepper to season
Instructions
- For the figs – put on a tray and smear a little butter on each quarter then grill until they soften
- Mix the dressing ingredients together and in a larger bowl mix through the salad leaves
- Build your salad… either one large flat dish for people to help themselves or create 4 separate plates. Place the ingredients around evenly so everyone gets a taste (and to make look attractive)
2. Watermelon, tomato and feta salad
This is a sweet and super refreshing summer salad.
And I honestly thought it sounded a bit ‘wrong’ mixing watermelon with tomatoes.
But it really does work and the dressing makes it a big winner.
SERVES: 6
PREP TIME: 10 mins
DIFFICULTY: easy
IDEAL FOR: summer salad, side, midweek, lunch
BUDGET: £
Ingredients
- 1 baby watermelon (about 1 – 1.5kg)
- 1/2 cups fresh mint
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 250 – 350 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice or lemon
- 1 tsp pure honey
- Sea salt and black pepper
- Crumbled feta
Method
- Remove the rind from watermelon and cut the flesh into 1 1/2-inch-thick triangles and arrange on a large platter.
- Scatter with fresh mint, red onion and halved cherry tomatoes.
- For the dressing: Mix the olive oil, fresh lime juice, pure honey, and sea salt and black pepper in a bowl.
- Drizzle over the platter (just before serving) and crumble over with crumbled feta.
3. Green beans with crispy chickpeas
Yes, more of a side but I love this one so had to include it.
This brings a bit of green to your table and has a lovely crunch to it.
SERVES: 4 – 6
COOKING TIME: 25 mins
DIFFICULTY: easy
IDEAL FOR: summer salad, side, midweek, lunch
BUDGET: £
Ingredients
- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 tsp. whole coriander
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 450 g green beans, trimmed
- Grilled lemons, for serving
Method
- Mix your chickpeas, coriander, cumin and add 1 tbsp oil to a frying pan or cast-iron skillet and cook them on a medium heat (BBQ or stove top)
- Toss occasionally, until golden brown and coriander begins to pop, 5 to 6 mins.
- Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.
- Now, add green beans and remaining tablespoon olive oil to the frying pan/skillet and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook, turning once, until charred and barely tender, approx 3 to 4 mins.
- Toss green beans with chickpea mixture and serve with grilled lemons alongside.
4. Steak tagliata with green beans & fried gnocchi
A twist on an Italian classic that’s super fast to put together.
SERVES: 4
COOKING TIME: 20 mins
DIFFICULTY: easy
IDEAL FOR: family meal, easy meal, midweek, lunch
BUDGET: £ – ££
Cooking element
- 2 x 200g rump or sirloin steak (quality steak)
- 7 tbsp olive oil
- knob of butter
- 200 g green beans, top and tail
- 300 g fresh gnocchi
Dressing
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 juice of lemon
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon and parsley
For the platter – no cooking
- 1 packet or watercress (or use rocket)
- 250 g vine cherry tomatoes (cut in half if they are too big)
- Fresh basil, parmesan shavings and black pepper, to serve
Instructions
- Heat a griddle or frying pan until smoking hot.
- Brush the steaks with olive oil, then season.Griddle/fry for 3-4 mins on each side for medium.Set aside to rest.
- In a frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil and a knob of butter, then fry your beans. After a couple of mins add you fresh gnocchi and cook until golden and heated through (approx 5 mins).Season with salt and black pepper.
- Now in a bowl, mix 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and fresh tarragon and parsley. Lightly season.
- On a large platter, scatter the watercress, the beans, crispy fried gnocchi and lastly the cherry tomatoes before adding the sliced steak.
- Drizzle over the dressing and serve with a garnish of fresh basil, parmesan shavings and black pepper.
Have any good sides or salads to share? Leave a comment…