Let's discuss salads.

McMurphy · 04-08-2019 5:27pm #1

Around this time every year (after coming back from holiday destinations) I always have my interest in salad's rekindled.

It's when you get to the continent and see the locals having their small salad's with their meals in place of spuds or chips that you tend to see over here, that you stop and wonder who's got it right.

I've started to bring salads to work now instead of eating out, or bringing sandwiches etc, and tbh, it's a no brainer. Healthier, and much more tasty.

Maybe in this thread people can share their salad tips, how they prepare them, what's in them, dressings etc.

No photos, but this is my method and what I normally use.

Gem lettuce, washed and leaves torn off.
Couple of scallions, washed and topped/tailed.
Radishes, washed and topped and tailed then finely sliced.
Tomatoes either cherry or plum doesn't really matter
QTR of a cucumber, sliced.
Shall bunch of corriander to sprinkle over the top (optional)

So I finely chop the lettuce and set it aside on the board, then slice everything else up finely, mix it well with the lettuce and then go through it all again with your knife. Adding corriander at the end.

Dressing, juice of a lemon or a lime, then the exact same amount of olive oil and salt and pepper, shake well to combine the oil/citrus, this will keep in the fridge for a week or so.

Sometimes I'll chop up a bit of meat I usually have left over from the days dinner, and maybe a boiled egg to go with it too. Mixing in a tin of drained tuna/salmon or other oily fish can be delicious too.

Salad's will keep for a few days in the fridge so long as you don't dress it, so only apply the dressing when you're ready to eat otherwise it'll go soggy.

Kewreeuss · 04-08-2019 5:35pm

Oh Jesus! A Salad in the fridge for a week?
After a day I'd have silage!
I'm afraid for me a salad is a Cos/Romaine lettuce, torn to large flitters, chopped tomatoes, sometimes scallions, olive oil, salt, sometimes vinegar, mixed by hand and eaten at the end of the meal.

McMurphy · 04-08-2019 5:36pm

Kewreeuss wrote: »

Oh Jesus! A Salad in the fridge for a week?
.

No, you will have to reread the post.

Gen.Zhukov · 04-08-2019 5:38pm

This would make wood chippings taste good. Fantastic dressing.

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igCorcaigh · 04-08-2019 5:39pm

I like black eye beans in salads.
Popular in the med.

igCorcaigh · 04-08-2019 5:40pm

Some toasted nuts are great too.

Kewreeuss · 04-08-2019 5:53pm

sorry, yes, I re-read. a few days not dressed.
Generally for me salads aren't the main part of the meal, except if it is a rice salad - loads of diced cooked veg, tuna, boiled eggs, chopped hot dogs/wurster, capers olives, mayo.
another one I like as part of the meal is the greek salad, feta, cucumbers, red onion tomatoes, mint oregano thyme. lashings of oil

two wheels good · 04-08-2019 6:00pm

Adding an apostrophe spoils salads. Leave it behind at the greengrocers.

Loveinapril · 04-08-2019 7:35pm

I would be starving if I didn't include some carbs in my salad so I would usually have some roasted sweet potato wedges or some couscous (with added lemon juice and pomegranite seeds).
As a base I use some mixed leaves, spring onion, peppers and cucumber. I would usually add chicken, turkey, boiled egg or tinned tuna. I love a simple balsamic vinegar dressing or caeser if I am eating out.

dudara · 04-08-2019 7:43pm

I usually have the pea shoot salad or spinach/rocket/watercress bags of leaves from Aldi or M&S in the fridge. Lambs lettuce is another favourite.

Put leaves into a bowl, add cherry tomatoes and spring onions. Maybe crumble some feta or blue cheese. Toss with a little oil and white balsamic. Or alternatively shake honey, mustard, a little olive oil and lemon juice in a jam jar and dress the salad.

Grill meat - chicken, steak, prawns etc, slice and put on top of the dressed salad, then a scattering of flaked salt or rock salt. Tinned tuna is another quick fix.

Another salad favorite is to take cucumber, slice off the skin, deseed and then chop up. Chop cherry tomatoes and mix with the cucumber, oil, white sweet vinegar, dried herbs, salt & pepper. Simple but delicious.

Or also take the peeled cucumber, smash lightly with the back of the knife, then dress with sesame oil, soy and garlic.

anacc · 04-08-2019 8:47pm

As long as there’s scallions in the salad I’m happy, otherwise I find salads really bland.

Happy4all · 04-08-2019 8:56pm

OP

Would have something similar but without the corriander which I find vile tasting.

I bring an avocado and add at last minute with dressing. Sometimes mix a bit of quinoa through it

I have the chopped cucumber with skin and seeds. Why do some people deseed? Leaves very little left.

Oh and go very handy with dressing, it can undue all the intended good.

This is it · 04-08-2019 9:00pm

Happy4all wrote: »

OP

Would have something similar but without the corriander which I find vile tasting.

I bring an avocado and add at last minute with dressing. Sometimes mix a bit of quinoa through it

I have the chopped cucumber with skin and seeds. Why do some people deseed? Leaves very little left.

Oh and go very handy with dressing, it can undue all the intended good.

This is my problem

try to be good but I lace the salad in dressing and undo it.

Esse85 · 04-08-2019 9:06pm

I'll often add sliced apple, kidney beans, chick peas, sweetcorn, almonds or cashews, pineapple chunks. I like slices of peppered salami too.

Plumbthedepths · 04-08-2019 9:14pm

Iceberg lettuce, homegrown cucumber/peppers/tomatoes, beetroot, coleslaw, potatoe salad, scallions, onion and feta cheese. Caesar dressing, heaven.

fmpisces · 04-08-2019 9:19pm

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Around this time every year (after coming back from holiday destinations) I always have my interest in salad's rekindled.

It's when you get to the continent and see the locals having their small salad's with their meals in place of spuds or chips that you tend to see over here, that you stop and wonder who's got it right.

I've started to bring salads to work now instead of eating out, or bringing sandwiches etc, and tbh, it's a no brainer. Healthier, and much more tasty.

Maybe in this thread people can share their salad tips, how they prepare them, what's in them, dressings etc.

No photos, but this is my method and what I normally use.

Gem lettuce, washed and leaves torn off.
Couple of scallions, washed and topped/tailed.
Radishes, washed and topped and tailed then finely sliced.
Tomatoes either cherry or plum doesn't really matter
QTR of a cucumber, sliced.
Shall bunch of corriander to sprinkle over the top (optional)

So I finely chop the lettuce and set it aside on the board, then slice everything else up finely, mix it well with the lettuce and then go through it all again with your knife. Adding corriander at the end.

Dressing, juice of a lemon or a lime, then the exact same amount of olive oil and salt and pepper, shake well to combine the oil/citrus, this will keep in the fridge for a week or so.

Sometimes I'll chop up a bit of meat I usually have left over from the days dinner, and maybe a boiled egg to go with it too. Mixing in a tin of drained tuna/salmon or other oily fish can be delicious too.

Salad's will keep for a few days in the fridge so long as you don't dress it, so only apply the dressing when you're ready to eat otherwise it'll go soggy.

I usually use iceberg lettuce, cherry tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, feta cheese and either some cooked Cajun chicken or Cajun ham.
For a dressing I'll drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil, malt vinegar and salt and give the lot a good toss.

Muppet Man · 04-08-2019 9:28pm

Chopped Walnuts and blue cheese folks... that’s where heaven is at in any of my salads.

Really need some healthy dressing recipes though....

fullstop · 04-08-2019 9:34pm

Toast some walnuts or pine nuts, mix in a bowl with oil and some honey for a dressing. Fresh figs (if you can get them), some ricotta or buffalo mozzarella and some sweet tomatoes.

Day Lewin · 04-08-2019 9:35pm

Basic spoon salad, is a large chopped tomato, stick of celery and bit of onion: cut all quite small, (around raisin size) mix together in bowl.
Then add the same sized cubes of whatever protein, often ham.
Then the juice of a half a lemon, salt, pepper, fresh or dried herb, and a spoonful of best olive oil.
Stir together and leave it to mellow:
Within half an hour the juice runs and the flavours blend. Eat from bowl with a spoon.

This has been my lunchtime standby for many a long year.
The better the tomato, the better the salad. (grow your own if you can)

McMurphy · 04-08-2019 9:48pm

Happy4all wrote: »

OP

Would have something similar but without the corriander which I find vile tasting.

I bring an avocado and add at last minute with dressing. Sometimes mix a bit of quinoa through it

I have the chopped cucumber with skin and seeds. Why do some people deseed? Leaves very little left.

Oh and go very handy with dressing, it can undue all the intended good.

Oh no, I'm a man who very much loves his corriander, curry, chilli, chow mein, guacamole, I love the stuff.

But I'm the same as you ref cucumber, love the stuff, seeds skin and all.

As for the dressing, keep it light with the citrus juice/olive oil mixture. Or simply just go with balsamic vinegar honey and soy sauce.

My wife loves the following as her salad, goats cheese/wlanut/beetroot and mixed leaves. She keeps it simple with a splash of balsamic.

My salads are always cut into as small a piece as I can get them, not quite as small as your get in the likes of chopped (don't have their utensils) but as small as I can get using a good chef's knife.

storker · 04-08-2019 10:03pm

Two crunchy, healthy and filling salads that are a staple in Casa Storker...

Waldorf Salad...as easy as Fawlty Towers made it sound (without the drama).

Chopped apple and celery. Add grapes, whatever colour you like. Mix up with mayo, serve on a bed of lettuce. Add walnuts (chopped and sprinkled if you're weight-watching - uses less segments).

Storker's Sunshine Salad

1 tin of sweetcorn, 1 chopped red pepper, 1 chopped orange or yellow pepper*, 1 chopped onion (red or white), 1 good-sized chopped carrot. This will give a good bowl of salad which will last a few days but don't add any dressing until you're actually going to use it. Works well with French or Italian dressing. by itself or with lettuce.

*Green works too...actually you can mix up the pepper colours any way you want. I just find that the yellow and red looks nice and sunny.

Also...Kitchen-sink Caesar salad...the standard recipe but with cooked chicken and grilled bacon and cherry tomatoes and boiled egg. It's a meal.

meeeeh · 04-08-2019 10:06pm

I often eat salad as a side, less often as a main. Dressing is simple: olive oil, wine or cider vinegar (not balsamic unless I'm doing beetroot) salt and sometimes pepper. I despise mayo dressings and I have yet to come accross a shop bought dressing that's not pretty revolting.

Current favourite is grated carrot and chopped mint because we have loads of it in the garden. It's perfect for bbqs. Greek salad is also made weekly. Lambs lettuce works well with choped boiled egg. Iceberg or cos I make by itself or add radishes. Tuna and corn also goes well with it and then it works as a meal on it's own. I never chop leuttice leaves, I just tear them into manageable size and discard harder stalks. Overly chopping lettuce just makes it wilted. I never overload soft lettuce leaves for the same reason. It might be where I grew up but I feel most salads benefit with decent kick of vinegar or they are too bland. Baked baby beetroot with rocket and goats cheese is lovely (with balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper). Tabbouleh is another favourite, I like it with pomegranate seeds and loads of lemon instead of vinegar. French bean salad is nice and there I usually add mustard and chopped shallots to the dressing.

As rule any bbq meat will be pared with salad to provide acidic and lighter vegetable contrast to heavier foods.

spurious · 04-08-2019 10:06pm

Tin of sweetcorn, chopped up red and green peppers, small bag of Manhattan peanuts.
Mix and scoff.

Happy4all · 04-08-2019 10:27pm

spurious wrote: »

Tin of sweetcorn, chopped up red and green peppers, small bag of Manhattan peanuts.
Mix and scoff.

I can't digest peanuts. I am tempted some evenings but lie awake in bed with stomach cramps all night.

I seem to forget this when they are put in a bowl in front of me.

Dizzyblonde · 05-08-2019 11:09am

I like a salad of fresh green beans and mangetout, maybe sugar snap peas or any other greens in season. I'll steam them for a short time or microwave them, then put them on rocket with cherry tomatoes and red onion. Hellmans do a lovely fat free vinaigrette and I often use that with added lemon juice. I also use honey & balsamic vinegar a lot on salads.

On the subject of cucumber, it gives me fierce indigestion unless it's pickled - and I have pickled cucumber on the side of almost every salad. Pickled radishes are good too.

limnam · 05-08-2019 11:17am

Muppet Man wrote: »

Chopped Walnuts and blue cheese folks... that’s where heaven is at in any of my salads.

Really need some healthy dressing recipes though....

Drastically increases the calories though

05-08-2019 11:23am

My current favourite is,
Rocket leaves, palma ham or prosciutto pieces, cooked beetroot cut into small squares & lots of blue cheese sprinkled over the top.
Dressing is merely balsamic vinegar & olive oil drizzled over the top.
Yum yum

tayto lover · 05-08-2019 11:32am

I’m afraid I can only eat salads with a steak and a few chips or chicken and chips.
Salads are nice but on their own I’m hungry again in a half-hour.
So if anyone has a salad that fills then I’d like to hear about it plaease.

Dial Hard · 05-08-2019 11:41am

I LOVE salads and pretty much live on them during the summer. Would easily have one for lunch and another for dinner several times a week. We go through bags and bags of baby spinach i our house.

I always add a protein, tandoori steak or lamb souvlaki are my current favourites. Always add cashews to those. Black pudding and roasted radish was also eaten to death this summer. Onions are non-negotiable - scallions from the garden at the moment. I also nearly always have a big bowl of what I call rough pickle in the fridge and it's great in salads: a punnet of cherry tomatoes, quartered, a bag of radishes, topped & tailed and quartered, throw them in a bowl with a finely chopped chilli, the juice of a lime, some chopped mint and coriander, add a good pinch of sugar, salt and pepper and mix. Keeps for a week or so.

Dressing-wise I keep it simple. Can't stand oily dressings so I generally just squeeze over a wedge of lemon or lime, or drizzle over some salted cumin yoghurt.

Other great additions are halloumi, sweet potato, a million different types of quinoa. I could go on for days!

Esse85 · 05-08-2019 12:13pm

This thread really needs some photos of as many of the above descriptions sound delicious.

meeeeh · 05-08-2019 2:59pm

Muppet Man wrote: »

Chopped Walnuts and blue cheese folks... that’s where heaven is at in any of my salads.

Really need some healthy dressing recipes though....

Actually I just thought of tgat one with pear and some rocket leaves.

Darina Allen has some great recepies in her big recepie book (I can't think of a name). A bit of choped onion garlic and grated ginger fried gently, add to that a tin of chickpeas, juice and grate lemon and cook for s bit, add smoked paprika a bit of cumin an chopped coriander and good bit of olive oil and it's lovely.

Another one which is at least inspired by her recepies is grated carrots, sliced olives and chopped coriander, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.

Gen.Zhukov · 05-08-2019 3:50pm

tayto lover wrote: »

I’m afraid I can only eat salads with a steak and a few chips or chicken and chips.
Salads are nice but on their own I’m hungry again in a half-hour.
So if anyone has a salad that fills then I’d like to hear about it plaease.

Chopped:
Tomatoes, red/green peppers, cucumber, black olives, boiled baby spuds. scallions.
Boiled egg cut in half smothered in mayo, some pasta (penne/fusilli)
Small tin of tuna.
Sliced beetroot. Lettuce (optional)
Crusty bread.

(the aforementioned newman's own Italian dressing)

dobman88 · 05-08-2019 5:02pm

Saw this thread this morning and decided to throw a salad together with the fillet steaks the missus bought on Saturday and some fresh corn on the cob.

Italian style mixed leaf (€1 a bag in tesco)
Cucumber
Grated carrot
Sweet red pepper
Topped off with some light French salad dressing

Added in some couscous on top for flavour and it was absolutely gorgeous.

Major brownie points earned. Great thread.

nhg · 05-08-2019 5:26pm

My work lunch consists of baby spinach leaves, chopped tomatoe, thai falafel's cut in half from aldi, mozzarella buffalo cheese chopped, yellow pepper chopped, black olives halved, quarter of cucumber chopped, a hard boiled egg chopped, third of a tin of chickpeas sometimes some chopped red onion all tossed with some olive oil. I often have the similar in the evening with a chicken fillet cooked on the George foreman instead of the falafel's & chick peas. Love salads.

McMurphy · 05-08-2019 6:26pm

Well I'll be the first to throw up a pic so.

Had a salad for this evening's dinner as a side to a plate of slow roasted barbecue ribs.

Finely chopped lettuce, scallions, radish and cucumber on the board.(had to leave the tomatoes to later as my son isn't fussed on them)

This is it without its dressing or corriander added.

Then the finished product, plated - dressed and with chopped corriander mixed through, and my plum tomatoes (and some raw onion splashed with lemon juice) added.

Dam tasty.

killbillvol2 · 05-08-2019 6:39pm

Some nice ideas on this thread. All of them could be improved by the addition of anchovies. (A rather divisive opinion probably!)

dobman88 · 05-08-2019 6:45pm

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Some nice ideas on this thread. All of them could be improved by the addition of anchovies. (A rather divisive opinion probably!)

Nothing can be improved by adding anchovies

Divisive opinion is correct :pac:

trashcan · 05-08-2019 6:51pm

Happy4all wrote: »

I have the chopped cucumber with skin and seeds. Why do some people deseed? Leaves very little left.

To avoid a soggy mess usually. Same with tomatos. If you're preparing it to eat there and then fair enough, but if making to bring to work for lunch then that kind of moisture is a no no.

The Nal · 05-08-2019 8:22pm

This is goooooooood

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/avocado-strawberry-spinach-salad-with-poppyseed-dressing/

meeeeh · 05-08-2019 8:42pm

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Some nice ideas on this thread. All of them could be improved by the addition of anchovies. (A rather divisive opinion probably!)

I love anchovies but I wouldn't stick them on any salad. It has to be something more substantial like french beans. Put it on plain lettuce and it will be completely overpowered.

I roasted peppers the other day stuffed with tomatoes, garlic, basil, anchovies and lashings of olive oil and they are sensational .

igCorcaigh · 05-08-2019 9:25pm

killbillvol2 wrote: »

Some nice ideas on this thread. All of them could be improved by the addition of anchovies. (A rather divisive opinion probably!)

I love anchovies, but have never eaten them as is.

I'm sure it's ok as they are blended into a caeser dressing. But are they raw? I shudder a bit.

igCorcaigh · 05-08-2019 9:27pm

meeeeh wrote: »

I love anchovies but I wouldn't stick them on any salad. It has to be something more substantial like french beans. Put it on plain lettuce and it will be completely overpowered.

I roasted peppers the other day stuffed with tomatoes, garlic, basil, anchovies and lashings of olive oil and they are sensational .

Yes that sounds like peppers piedmont?
Don't know the correct wording.

Actually, I must try them on green beans, that sounds great.

I like green beans with garlic or almonds, or just fresh tomato gently heated in olive oil.

These are warm salads, hope I'm not too OT!

killbillvol2 · 05-08-2019 9:37pm

igCorcaigh wrote: »

I love anchovies, but have never eaten them as is.

I'm sure it's ok as they are blended into a caeser dressing. But are they raw? I shudder a bit.

They're not for everyone as I said but they do add a kick to a load of leaves!

igCorcaigh · 05-08-2019 9:42pm

killbillvol2 wrote: »

They're not for everyone as I said but they do add a kick to a load of leaves!

They're OK to eat raw then?
I love the taste just wasn't sure if you could eat them as is. Or if they need to be cooked...

meeeeh · 05-08-2019 10:09pm

igCorcaigh wrote: »

They're OK to eat raw then?
I love the taste just wasn't sure if you could eat them as is. Or if they need to be cooked...

They are ok to eat uncooked. I suspect they are cooked/treated anyway. I could eat a batch preserved in oil (not salt) on it's own with white crusty bread but I am addicted to salt.

Yes that recipe is for Pidemontese peppers.

tayto lover · 05-08-2019 10:12pm

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Well I'll be the first to throw up a pic so.

Had a salad for this evening's dinner as a side to a plate of slow roasted barbecue ribs.

Finely chopped lettuce, scallions, radish and cucumber on the board.(had to leave the tomatoes to later as my son isn't fussed on them)

This is it without its dressing or corriander added.

Then the finished product, plated - dressed and with chopped corriander mixed through, and my plum tomatoes (and some raw onion splashed with lemon juice) added.

Dam tasty.

Those ribs look lovely. Second pic wins easily. I’d eat that for sure.

leahyl · 06-08-2019 8:35am

Just made a couscous salad for this week for lunches in work - added chickpeas, sundried tomatoes, cubed feta, cucumber and a little bit of coriander (needed to use it up) and will probably add tuna to it - won't be having it until tomorrow as I'm having leftover chickpea, lentil and sweet potato curry today

I like a nice salad but there does have to be flavour either from the dressing or what you add to it

B0jangles · 06-08-2019 8:40am

tayto lover wrote: »

I’m afraid I can only eat salads with a steak and a few chips or chicken and chips.
Salads are nice but on their own I’m hungry again in a half-hour.
So if anyone has a salad that fills then I’d like to hear about it plaease.

I got this recipe from my brother last year - he does a lot of weight training and this is one of his regular post-workout meals, so it really is very filling and nourishing, and is also ridiculously tasty even though it doesn't sound that interesting from the ingredients

1 cup dry spelt
2 cups veggies stock/salted water (cold)

1 can tomatoes, chopped - spicy if possible
1/2 cup nuts - roasted and roughly chopped
1 large sweet potato - diced into 3/4 inch cubes
Parmesan for sprinkling

Spread the sweet potato cubes on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper and toss them in oil, and a little salt and pepper

Roast at about 200c until they are browned and cooked through. (about 20 -25 minutes I think) Toss them occasionally to make sure they brown evenly - the greaseproof paper makes this really easy since you can just pick it up by the sides and joggle the cubes around.

Meanwhile cook the spelt in the stock/water until it's tender - this takes about 30-45 minutes.
Roast the nuts and roughly chop them.

Drain the spelt thoroughly when cooked and put in a large bowl
Let the roast sweet potato cubes cool on the tray for 10-15 minutes

To assemble:
Stir the spelt, chopped tomatoes and sweet potato cubes together. (If your sweet potato was absolutely enormous, maybe don't put all the cubes in - stir in as many as seem right to you)

You can also stir in the nuts too but unless you're planning to eat the whole lot at once, you're better off leaving the nuts aside and stirring them in when serving, they go a bit soft otherwise.
Finally, sprinkle with a little freshly grated parmesan (vegan parmesan if you want to go totally veggie - it's actually surprisingly good for a vegan cheese)
If you don't have spicy tomatoes, it's just as nice to stir in a teaspoon or so of chili powder/cayenne pepper or any hot sauce you like.

This makes a LOT of salad - like a kenwood chef bowl 3/4 full, of salad, but it keeps really well for a couple of days

The times/temps above are kinda fuzzy because it's been a while since I made this, so keep an eye on everything in case I'm completely misremembering them :P

Tammy! · 06-08-2019 8:52am

With certain dinners I'll always have a side salad. Corn of the cob, lettuce, red onion, peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and usually skip the dressing.

I rarely have a salad on it's own but reading the thread some of the stuff sounds lovely and its making me want to try them out. Think I'll have a tuna salad today for lunch.

storker · 06-08-2019 10:16am

tayto lover wrote: »

I’m afraid I can only eat salads with a steak and a few chips or chicken and chips.
Salads are nice but on their own I’m hungry again in a half-hour.
So if anyone has a salad that fills then I’d like to hear about it plaease.

Go to Chopped and get one of their salad bowls. It'll keep you going all day.

Lo_La · 06-08-2019 12:00pm

Barbecued marinated chicken fillet, spinach, tomato, cucumber, red onion small amount of feta and avocado with some balsamic vinegar. Delicious and you definitely won't be hungry!

Let's discuss salads.

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