Super Salad Recipes

Below is a selection of salad recipes which are easy to make and go well with barbecue dishes or can be used as a starter, learn.

Easy Bean salad

Megga quick to prepare but so tasty, you can add some chopped hard boiled egg to this salad recipe if you wish.

Ingredients - Serves 4

400g/14oz can mixed beans and chickpeas, drained

1 onion, chopped finely

4 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tsp crushed chilli flakes

1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1. Place mixed beans in a bowl, add all other ingredients and mix together, place in refrigerator and chill until required.

Pasta salad with Basil Vinaigrette

A lovely summery salad recipe, this combines all the ingredients of a pesto sauce, perfect for alfresco dining.

Ingredients - Serves 4

225g/8oz fusilli (pasta spirals)

4 tomatoes

50g/1 3/4 oz black olives

25g/1oz sun-dried tomatoes in oil

2 tbsp pine nuts

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Vinaigrette

15g/ 1/2 oz basil leaves

1 clove garlic

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

4 tbsp extra virgin oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper

1. Cook pasta in lightly salted water for 10-12 mins. until just tender. Drain pasta, rinse under cold water, then drain again thoroughly. Place pasta in a large bowl.

2. To make the vinaigrette, place the basil leaves, garlic, cheese, oil and lemon juice in a food processor, season with salt and pepper to taste. Process until leaves are well chopped and the ingredients are combined. Alternatively, finely chop the basil leaves by hand and combine the other vinaigrette ingredients. Pour the vinaigrette over the pasta and toss to coat.

3. Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Pit and half olives. Slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Toast the pine nuts on a baking tray under the grill (broiler) until golden.

4. Add tomatoes (fresh and sun-dried) and the olives to the pasta and mix until combined.

5. Transfer the pasta to a serving dish, scatter over the parmesan and pine nuts and garnish with a few basil leaves.

Tabouleh

This is a popular Middle Eastern salad recipe which is colourful and perfect with barbecued foods.

Ingredients

225g/8oz/2 cups cracked wheat

225g/8oz tomatoes

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cucumber

1/2 red (bell) pepper

3 tbsp chopped, fresh mint

4 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley

2 tbsp pine nuts

4 tbsp lemon juice

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

salt and pepper

1. Place the cracked wheat in a large bowl and cover with plenty of boiling water. Leave to stand for about 30 mins. or until the grains are tender and have swelled in size.

2. Drain the wheat through a large sieve. Press down with a plate in order to remove as much water as possible. Transfer the wheat to a large mixing bowl.

3. Cut the tomatoes in half, scoop out the seeds and discard them. chop the flesh into fine dice.

4. Scoop out the seeds from the cucumber and discard them. Finely chop the flesh.

5. Deseed the (bell) peppers and chop the flesh.

6. Add the prepared vegetables to the wheat with the herbs and pine nuts. Toss until mixed.

7. Mix together the lemon juice, oil, garlic and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Pour mixture over the wheat and vegetables and toss together. Leave to chill in the refrigerator until required

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