AUTUMN SALADS

By Tjalf Sparnaay

By Tjalf Sparnaay

By Tjalf Sparnaay

Salads stimulate the palate and kindle the appetite.   They are tangy and flavoursome and should be presented and served with special care, and, as Elizabeth David said in her famous  book French Provincial Cooking,  “each dish should look as if it was prepared for the first time especially for you.”

Although salads are often served as a first course, they can also be offered as an accompaniment to fish, seafood, meat and poultry dishes.  In France, a plain salad is served after the main dish to “refresh and cleanse the palate for the cheese and dessert that follow”.  Needless to say that a large salad can be the main course for a light lunch.

The word salad derives from the Latin “herba salata” salted herbs.  This indicates that that the first salads must have been vegetables, freshly picked from the garden, seasoned with salt and eaten raw. Such a salad is the well-known French crudités, a dish of raw vegetables, which is very popular.

In classical Rome, salads became more ornate.  According to the Roman epicure, Marcus Gavius Apicius, various raw and cooked vegetables were sprinkled with fresh and dry herbs, drizzled with olive oil and vinegar and seasoned with an extract of salt fish called “liquamen”.   The dressing was similar to vinaigrette as known today, and liquamen is similar to salted anchovies that are served with many contemporary salads.

Vegetables still being the main ingredient of salads, mixed with small pieces of fish or seafood, meat or poultry, dressed with simple or elaborate dressings like vinaigrette, lemon and cream sauce and mayonnaise could excite and satisfy the most demanding of diners.  So let us all enjoy at least one delicious, large salad a day.

There are, obviously, innumerous salad recipes, here are several which I hope you will enjoy. 

                    

              A SALAD WITH LETTUCE, CHERRY TOMATOES, AVOCADOS    

                                                    AND PINE NUTS

                  

The dressing for this salad thickens and tastes like mayonnaise.  It keeps well in the fridge for about 3 days.

2 large cos lettuces, the inner tender leaves only, torn into bite-sized pieces

2 avocados, peeled, pitted, diced and drenched with lemon juice

12 cherry tomatoes, preferably from Santorini, halved

Salad Dressing:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 tbsp evaporated or fresh milk

½ tsp Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Stir thoroughly until the sauce thickens

2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly roasted

In a large salad bowl layer the lettuce, avocados and the cherry tomatoes.  Drizzle with salad dressing, sprinkle with pine nuts, toss and serve.

         

              A GREEN SALAD WITH ORANGE WALNUTS AND BLUE CHEESE

You could alternatively use flaked San Mihalis or Parmesan any other hard, tasty cheese, instead of blue cheese for this salad.

1 large cos lettuce, tender parts only, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 bunch of rocket, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 large navel orange, peeled and filleted

75 g (½ cup) walnuts, roughly chopped

30 g (¼ cup) blue cheese

Dressing:

125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil

125 ml (½ cup) orange juice

1 scant tbsp honey

1-2 tbsp wine vinegar or lemon juice

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp salt or according to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Beat all ingredients for the dressing thoroughly.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  It can be stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours at the most.

 In a large salad bowl combine the salad greens with the orange sections, spring onions and walnuts.  Drizzle with 3-4 tbsp dressing (or more if preferred), sprinkle with cheese and toss.

                                      

                     

                                              AVOCADO SALAD OR DIP

                                           

A delightful salad.

2 medium-sized avocados, peeled and mashed with a little lemon juice

½ green pepper, finely chopped

½ red pepper, finely chopped

1 medium-sized tomato, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tsp white balsamic vinegar

Cayenne pepper to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together, taste and adjust the seasoning.  Serve in a bowl with tortillas or chips.

                                               BAKED ONION SALAD

A lovely salad if you like onions.

850 g (1 ¾) medium-sized onions, unpeeled

4 tbsp boiled rice

200 g (7 oz) ground walnuts

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tbsp tarragon vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Roast the onions in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for about 1½ hours or until tender.  Cool, peel and chop finely.

Combine the rice with the onions and walnuts and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, toss gently but thoroughly and serve piled on a shallow dish. 

                                                        FIG SALAD

A delicious salad.

1 kg (2 lb) ripe figs, peeled

4 thin slices of Ifandis ham cut into julienne strips

2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

Lemon juice to taste

200 g (1 tub) Greek yoghurt

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the figs in half from the stem side then make two slashes in the form of a cross and press them on the sides to open the incisions.  Arrange them on a serving dish. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Crush half the mint leaves in the lemon juice and slowly stir in the yoghurt, taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.

Sprinkle the figs with half the ham strips, spoon over the yoghurt sauce and serve garnished with the remaining ham and mint.

                                             GREEK WILD GREENS

                                                            Horta

Horta with

Lemon Wedges

Here is a brief note on Greek Horta (different kinds of wild edible plants).   A mixture of these plants or a single variety is boiled and served with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice and eaten as a salad.

Some people, when they go for an outing in the country, collect these delicacies from the fields or mountains, where the best horta come from.   Of course, the village women (and men) are experts and in the past, horta was an important staple of their diet. 

There is a great variety of these horta.   The following is a list of the most common ones:

1.    Dandelions  (Agrio Radiki)

2.    Wild Nettles (Tsouknithes)

3.    Charlock or Field Mustard (Vrouves)

4.    Wild Salsify (Trapogon)

5.    Rocket, (Roca)

6.   Amaranth (Vlita) also cultivated

7.   Borage (Pouradza)

8.   Mallow (Moloha)

9.   Wild Fennel (Maratho)

10. Wild Lettuce (Pikralida)

11. Purslane (Adrakla or Glistridha), eaten raw as well

12. Sorrel (Lapatha)

13. Bulbs of Wild Grape Hyacinth (Volvoi), used for pickles

14. Samphire (Critamon), used for pickles

15. Bulbs of Wild Orchids (used for a drink called Salepi)

16. Mediterranean Hartwort (Kafkalithres)

17.  (Almirikia)

18. Purslane (Hirovotina)

In Greece, we also make salads of boiled, cultivated vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, chard, courgettes, and spinach.  These vegetables are just boiled in salted water, strained and served with olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice.

                                                

                                BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER SALAD

   

                                  

This is a large, colourful salad.

1 broccoli cut in florets

1 cauliflower cut in florets

1 green, 1 red and 1 yellow peppers, trimmed, seeded, thickly sliced and halved

2 carrots peeled and diced

1 garlic clove, sliced

Salt, pepper

Sesame oil, (not the oriental kind)

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley, and

1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds for garnishing

Salad Dressing:

2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

5 tbsp sesame oil (not the oriental kind)

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 scant tbsp honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lemon juice, if necessary

1 tbsp sesame seeds, roasted

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

Place the first four ingredients in a baking tin, lined with baking parchment, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with sesame oil and roast in an oven preheated to 180 C (350 F), until the vegetables are tender.   Arrange the vegetables attractively on a flat salad dish.     

For the dressing blend the vinegar with the mustard, honey, salt and pepper and then add the remaining oil gradually, until the vinaigrette thickens.  Taste for seasoning and adjust with more salt, pepper and lemon juice, if necessary.  Drizzle the vegetables with the dressing, cover and refrigerate.  One hour before serving remove the salad from the refrigerator and allow it to reach room temperature. Serve sprinkled with the sesame seeds and parsley.

                                       

                                       GRATED BEETROOT SALAD

                                                   

         

This is between a salad and a pickle.   You must experiment with the amount of orange juice, salt and vinegar used, to bring it exactly to your taste.

½ kg (1 lb) beetroot, baked in foil, peeled and coarsely grated

Juice of two oranges

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp tarragon vinegar

2 tsp honey

½ -1 tbsp grated orange rind

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 tbsp or less olive oil scented with garlic, (please see recipe below)

1 round-heart lettuce or 1 batavian endive

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

 Mix the juices and vinegar with the honey, salt, pepper and grated orange rind.  Pour over the beetroot, toss well, taste for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and lemon juice if needed, and chill.

When ready to serve, line a flat salad bowl with crisp lettuce leaves.   Pour 3 tbsp olive oil over the beetroot and mix well.    Spoon it over the lettuce leaves, drizzle with the rest of the olive oil and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Olive oil scented with garlic:

2 garlic cloves, sliced

250 ml (1 cup) olive oil

Place the garlic and olive oil in a jar and keep in a dark place for 5 days.  

Then remove the garlic and use for salads.

                                 GREEN AUBERGINE SALAD OR DIP

           

     

                                 

This is an aubergine salad from the Ionian Islands

2 large aubergines

3-tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

50 g (1 cup) finely chopped parsley

1 egg yolk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

200 ml (1 tub) strained yoghurt

60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil

Grill the aubergines over direct heat and turn occasionally.   Hold by the stem and peel upwards.  Rinse and squeeze out excess moisture with the palms of your hands. 

Pour lemon juice over, and then let drain for about an hour and squeeze again   Combine all the ingredients, except the olive oil, and blend for about a minute.   Add the yoghurt and a little olive oil and blend a few seconds more.   Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste and drizzle with remaining olive oil.  Serve with small rusks or crudités.

                                                        LENTIL SALAD

         

             

                              

                                              

This salad can be eaten hot or cold, over crisp lettuce leaves.

¼ kg (1/2 lb) brown lentils

1 bay leaf

Dressing:

1 tbsp vinegar

½ tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp mustard with honey

4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp fresh thyme leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped

(Whip all the ingredients together)

Boil the lentils with the bay leaf until just done then drain well, rinse in cold water.  Drizzle with the dressing and toss gently.  Then taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly.

                                  LETTUCE AND TUNNY FISH SALAD

                                            

A very easy and light meal

1 Cos lettuce, shredded

2 spring onions, finely sliced

1 tsp chopped dill

225 g (7.5 oz) or more tunny fish, tinned in water, strained and flaked

Sauce:

200 g (6.5 oz) yoghurt, low fat if preferred

4 tbsp light mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp parsley, chopped

First, prepare the sauce.   Combine the yoghurt, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and olive oil and mix well together.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary, and reserve.

Place the lettuce, spring onions and dill in a glass bowl and toss until well mixed.    Arrange the flaked tunny fish on top to cover the surface.  Spread the yoghurt/mayonnaise sauce, evenly, over the tunny fish and sprinkle with parsley and freshly ground pepper.   Chill for about 1-2 hours before serving.

                                                MACEDONIAN SALAD

This is, actually, a French salad.

3 carrots, scraped and finely grated

¼ white cabbage, finely shredded

¼ red cabbage, finely shredded

4 radishes, trimmed and finely chopped

1 small beetroot, peeled and finely grated

¼ cucumber, peeled and finely grated

60 g (2 oz) Kalamata olives, stoned

125 g (40 oz) mushrooms, finely sliced

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

6 walnuts, shelled

1 celery head, trimmed, and finely sliced

4 gherkins, finely sliced

Vinaigrette to taste

1½ tbsp chopped parsley

½ tbsp chopped chives

Mix together the grated and shredded vegetables, the olives, mushrooms, apples, walnuts, celery and gherkins.   Arrange the salad on a bed of lettuce.   Pour the dressing over and sprinkle with parsley and chives.  Serve immediately. 



               

                                                   POTATO SALAD

               

This salad is lovely with grilled fish, meat or poultry and a green salad

½ kg (1 lb) small waxy potatoes

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

½ cup sweet gherkins, finely chopped

1 tbsp capers, soaked in water to remove excess salt

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped, or

2-3 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

4-5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp vinegar

1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar (optional)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Boil the potatoes in salted water in their skins until just done.    Do not overcook.   Strain in a colander and leave to cool slightly before peeling.     Cut the potatoes into cubes, place in a bowl and mix with the other ingredients.   Taste and adjust seasoning.

  

                                        

                                 RED BEAN AND TUNNY FISH SALAD

                                

This is a substantial salad and very easy to prepare.  

2 tins red kidney beans

2 tins tunny fish

2 tbsp celery, chopped

1 small onion, or

2 spring onions, chopped

2 tbsp green or red pepper, finely chopped

2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the beans in water and drain well.    Discard the oil from the tunny fish.   Mix all the ingredients together and taste and adjust seasoning.  Serve with tomato wedges, sprinkled lightly with salt and chopped basil.

  

                                                 RUSSIAN SALAD

This is a light version of the famous Russian salad.

Sauce:

3 large boiled potatoes, peeled and mashed

2 hard-boiled egg yolks, mashed

1 tsp mustard powder

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

 2 ½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil or a little more is preferred

Cider vinegar to taste

200 g (1 small tub) Greek yoghurt

Salad:

250 g (½ lb) carrots, scraped, cubed and boiled in salted water and drained

250 g (½ lb) beetroot, boiled in salted water drained, peeled and cubed
125 g ( 4 oz) green peas_

½ cup parsley leaves, chopped

2 tbsp finely chopped sweet gherkins

2 tbsp capers

Olive oil

A little vinegar

Lettuce leaves and

Extra chopped parsley for garnish

Blend the egg yolks with mustard powder, salt and start adding olive oil and the mashed potatoes and cider vinegar, until you reach the desired taste.  Then add the yoghurt and blend once more, re-taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Combine the carrots, beetroot, gherkins, capers, parsley leaves, and sprinkle with  olive oil and a little vinegar, it shouldn’t need any salt.

Then ladle a little sauce into a glass salad bowl, cover evenly with 1/3 of the salad and proceed in the same manner until all the ingredients halve finished. The sauce should be the top layer, sprinkled with chopped parsley.  Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate until ready to serve.

                                                 SALAD FROM NICE

  

There are many ways of preparing a salade Niçoise ,  It can be as elaborate or as frugal as you wish, but very tasty if seasoned with imagination.

1 large cos lettuce, trimmed, washed, dried and separated into leaves

2 cups potato salad please see above

15 cherry tomatoes

360 g (12 oz ) French beans, boiled and sprinkled with vinaigrette and iced

12 anchovy fillets packed in oil, patted dry

2 x 250 g (1 lb) tunny fish in olive oil, drained and broken into pieces

4 hard-boiled eggs, cooled, peeled and quartered lengthwise

2 heaped tbsp Greek olives, stoned

1 heaped tsp capers

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Vinaigrette to taste

And salt and pepper to taste

Line a shallow salad bowl with lettuce leaves, spoon the potato salad evenly over and garnish attractively with cherry tomatoes, French beans, anchovy fillet, tunny fish, hard-boiled eggs, olives and capers.   Season with a little salt on the eggs only, freshly ground black pepper, sprinkle with parsley and drizzles with vinaigrette.

                                                VINAIGRETTE

2 tbsp tarragon vinegar

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Brava mustard

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Mix vinegar and salt well together.  Add the mustard and the olive oil in a fine stream and keep on stirring until the dressing emulsifies.

                                   WHITE AND RED CABBAGE SALAD

This is a crunchy salad with a sweet and sour taste.

3 cups finely shredded white cabbage

1 cup finely shredded red cabbage

1 cup, trimmed and very finely sliced tender celery stalks

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

1 cup parsley, finely chopped

Dressing:

62.5 ml (¼ cup) peanut butter

2 tbsp tarragon vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp sugar

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger

Salt if necessary and

¼ tsp Cayenne pepper or less if preferred

Olive oil

Place the vegetables, in a salad bowl and mix very well together.   Mix all the dressing ingredients except the olive oil well together. Taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly, pour over the vegetables and toss thoroughly.  Serve drizzled with a little olive oil.   

Santorini by Chistophoros Asimis