Salads can be a starter, side or star attraction, simple or complex, hot or cold. Every cuisine has them and they’re always versatile, a great way to experiment with what’s on hand. Here are some of my favourite salad recipes from around the world.
Spicy Slaw This spicy coleslaw is a great way to liven up a simple poached chicken, steak or piece of grilled fish. It’s also delicious on a sandwich with a hard cheese (like cheddar) or a fried egg. I like chardonnay with the richness of mayonnaise, but prefer something more like a Chablis than the […]
Potato Salad Potato salad is my go-to dish for picnics, barbecues and any family gathering, it’s delicious with virtually everything, including veal schnitzel. For me, hard boiled eggs are a must; the yolks break up a little and add their creaminess to the dressing. Pancetta is optional, I like its saltiness, but you can make […]
Salade Lyonnaise This hearty salad is one of my favourite starters, and also makes a great light meal. I became addicted to it on a trip to Lyon where I had an excellent Salade Lyonnaise at the bouchon La Meunière. As with all simple recipes, there’s a trick or two that take it from good […]
Chopped Salad Of course we all love to cook – but occasionally, there just isn’t time. That’s when I whip up a big bowl of this delicious chopped salad which keeps well for days in the fridge. Found all over the Middle East, it makes an interesting alternative to a leafy green salad (which doesn’t […]
Asian Warm Beef Salad I love Asian flavours, but don’t have a lot of patience for cooking elaborate Asian dishes. So I love this Asian warm beef salad. It’s easy to toss together, looks impressive and is full of flavour. It can be adapted to use whatever’s on hand (leftover roast beef or steak for […]
Guacamole & Pico de Gallo Guacamole is one of the quickest snacks to toss together and serve with drinks. It seems lime juice is not traditional – but it’s the best way I know to stop the avocado from browning, and I like the tang it adds (storing it with the avocado seed in the […]
Raw Artichoke Salad Insalata de carciofi is one of my favourite ways to serve artichokes – simply thinly sliced with a tangy lemon dressing and a little salty cheese. Celery heart adds crunch and a few baby rocket leaves give colour but don’t use too much, let the artichoke be the star, and only use […]
Warm Duck & Orange Salad I started out wanting to make duck a l’orange, but it was too hot to have the oven on for long, so my recipe morphed into this warm salad, which is just as delicious! Duck breasts are surprisingly easy to cook, or pick some up from a Chinese barbecue shop. […]
Duck & Peach Salad I’m not generally a fan of meat and fruit together, but duck seems to be an exception – it works well with cherries, oranges and, in this case, delicious summer peaches (make the most of peach season with the deliciously easy dessert in the below video). Duck breasts are surprisingly easy […]
Manchego, Fennel, Orange, Walnut Salad I love cheese and I love Sherry and this salad using Spain’s wonderfully nutty sheep’s milk cheese, Manchego, and delicious Sherry vinegar, is an ideal match for an ice cold glass of Sherry, such as Equipo Navazos La Bota 35. Manchego, fennel & orange salad is one of my favourite […]
