Salads Galore

I know the beautiful summer is long behind us and we should be thinking about comfort foods but my newly found enthusiasm for salads is not yet ready to be tossed aside. I still have fresh basil in my garden and while that remains the case I will still be happily tossing my salads long into autumn...
And I don't mean that side salad that merely serves as one of the '5 a day', necessary for good health...how boring does that sound?! I know because I’ve been there…At one time my average salad was a humdrum chunk of iceberg lettuce, cucumber, tomato, carrot covered in loads of high calorie dressings but I have discovered there is so much more: rocket, watercress, spinach, chicory/endive, fennel, avocado, spring onion, red onion, and fruit yes it really does work, don't be afraid of that sweet and savoury scare.
Try grapes, apples, oranges, grapefruit, plums, apricot, mango, fresh or dried figs. Not forgetting dates, or a handful of raisons or dried cranberries.
The addition of fresh herbs, for example basil, parsley, coriander or mint makes the salad come alive.
Why not add a couple of slices of meat, salami/parma ham or smoked chicken/ salmon and make that salad a meal on its own. Or a few slithers of cheese: Cheddar or perhaps Grano Padano, goat’s cheese, Brie, blue cheese, Feta or Mozzarella balls. Or be daring and try some grilled Halloumi cheese, perfect with plums or citrus fruits, mint and red onion.
Make regional salads and let the ingredients follow through: for an Italian salad use sun dried tomatoes and capers.
A Capri salad can consist of only tomato, basil and Mozzarella.
A Greek salad can consist of cucumber, green pepper, red onion, Feta, Kalamata olives (black) and dried oregano.
Or for a Japanese salad try bean sprouts, spring onion, sesame seeds, dried seaweed with a sesame oil/ soy sauce dressing.
For a Thai salad use (green) mango, coconut, coriander, bean sprouts and peanuts.
Forget that handful of MSG croutons as topping and those awful jars of sweet dressings…aren’t salads supposed to be good for you?! Instead try crispy bacon pieces, pine nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts/ cashews, a sprinkling of Parmesan, olives or capers and a chunk of freshly baked bread.
The only limit is your own imagination!
The secret is to find the correct balance, find ingredients that compliment one another, an example is that match made in heaven: tomato and basil but there are many unusual combinations that truly work and stick to just a few ingredients not everything listed above! I tend to like simple foods and very much agree with the Italian concept 'less is more'. Back to basics and experience food as it was meant to taste.
And don't forget the dressing, in my opinion nothing compliments better than a simple splash of extra virgin olive oil (Cretan is my favourite) and a dash of Balsamic vinegar. Not forgetting a sprinkling of freshly ground pepper and salt.
You'll find you will be so satisfied on your starter you will only want a tiny portion of the main course.
Don’t just order these wonderful salads in restaurants but make them at home! They are so easy and delicious. Try!