SALAD DAYS

“My salad days, when I was green in judgment.” - William Shakespeare

It was a rather quiet day at work today as many people had taken Friday off as a leave day so that they could have an extra long weekend from Thursday to Sunday. Consequently I got rather a lot done, without many interruptions. Our Summer weather is continuing with fine, sunny days on the rather hot side. Nevertheless, the plane trees outside our house have started to put on their autumn colours and many leaves are already falling. I can’t believe that January is nearly over already – it seems only yesterday that we were celebrating New Year’s Day …

For Food Friday today some salad recipes. We eat salad almost every day, as an accompaniment to our meal, or sometimes only a substantial salad being our dinner, with no other food (except of course some cheese and bread). We love the seasonal vegetables and it is a bonus when we can gather some from our garden, which although not a vegetable garden provides us with fresh vegetables and herbs almost all seasons. We have our mild climate to thank for that, as well as the companion gardening, with herbs and vegetables happily coexisting with roses, bulbs, other flowers, shrubs and trees.

The citrus fruits are almost all depleted with only a few ripe lemons, grapefruits and oranges still on the trees. However, it is heartening to see the small green fruits already getting ready for their first crop in late autumn and then throughout winter. The tomatoes, zucchinis, eggplants, cucumbers and onions are still going strong and we are already selecting the autumn plantings once these finish up. An abundance of fresh herbs is always available: Chives, rosemary, mint, parsley, dill, oregano, thyme, peppermint, costmary, pennyroyal, lemon verbena, lemon balm, lemon geranium. Not only for use in cooking but some also splendid for tisanes.

WITLOF SUMMER SALAD

Ingredients

            • 2 witlofs (chicory shoots)

            • 2 old fashioned tomatoes

            • 2 Lebanese (i.e. baby) cucumbers

            • 2 spring onions, chopped

            • Salt, pepper, chopped oregano, dill, capers

            • Vinaigrette (equal quantities of olive oil and Italian “balsamico” vinegar)

            • 1/2 tsp dry mustard (dissolve in vinaigrette)

Method

Make the salad when ready to serve it. Chop the witlof up and slice the tomatoes and cucumbers on top of it. Add the onions, season and dress with the vinaigrette, tossing thoroughly.

RADICCHIO AND RED LETTUCE SALAD

Ingredients

            • 1 red lettuce

            • 1-2 radicchio

            • A few tablespoons of chopped watercress

            • Chopped chives (to taste)

            • Radish sprouts (to taste)

            • Salt, pepper, chopped dill

            • Citronette sauce:

                        - Juice of a lemon

                        - Juice of one lime

                        - Juice of half a small orange (all citrus juices adding up to about 1/2 cup)

                        - Equal quantity to juices, plus one tablespoon more of olive oil (Greek

                          “agoureleo” is lovely)

                        - 2 tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise

Method

Wash the vegetables thoroughly and drain very well.  Chop up the vegetables with a knife into bite size morsels.  Shake the oil and citrus juices until emulsified and add the mayonnaise, shaking it in well.  Pour the citronette over the salad and season with rock salt and freshly ground pepper.

ROCKET, SPINACH AND ZUCCHINI SALAD

Ingredients

            • 1 cup of rocket leaves

            • 2 cups of baby spinach leaves

            • 2 small, very fresh grated zucchini (Better of course if you have grown them!)

            • 1 cup onion sprouts

            • 50 g crumbled blue vein cheese (or more – to taste; can substitute other sharp cheese)

            • 1 witlof, chopped

            • Salt, pepper, chopped fresh mustard sprouts

            • Vinaigrette (equal quantities of olive oil and Italian “balsamico” vinegar)

            • 1/2 tsp dry mustard (dissolve in vinaigrette)

Method

Mix the rocket and baby spinach leaves with the chopped up witlof. Add the onion sprouts and grated zucchini, sprinkling with the cheese. Season and dress with the vinaigrette, tossing thoroughly.