Chicken and Tomato Panzanella

This salad is heavenly. Leaves tossed together with the reddest vine tomatoes, nocellara olives, capers, slithers of onion,

roast chicken and chunks of leftover sourdough. A rare entity in my house. Did I mention how much I love bread!

I love a salad all year round and this one conjures up memories of summer. It’s like sunshine on a plate.

Serves 2

Ingredients

Bag of salad leaves

4 vine ripened tomatoes

1 onion – sliced thinly

1 tablespoon capers

2 teaspoons oregano

2 chicken breasts

Slice of leftover sourdough

Glug of extra virgin olive oil

Dressing

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Salt and cracked black pepper

1 clove garlic – grated

Squeeze of lemon juice

Method

Start by pan frying your chicken breasts on a griddle pan coated in a little olive oil.

Season with salt and cracked black pepper and sprinkle either side with oregano.

Once the chicken is cooked through add the sourdough slice and press with a pan slice to soak up the juices. Keep the bread on the griddle until it is lightly toasted.

Set aside.

Arrange your salad items in a bowl , chop your chicken into pieces, rip up your sourdough and drizzle over your dressing. Toss together to fully coat in the dressing and serve.

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Fig and Parma Ham Salad

A beautiful vibrant salad that is ready in minutes. I make a light dressing made of extra virgin olive oil, honey, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar which livens it up.

I think we are all looking for a little health boost in January and figs are so good for you. Full of protective antioxidant properties. I hope you enjoy it.

Serves 2

Ingredients

Bag of lambs leaf lettuce

4 slices parma ham

3 figs – cut into quarters

Dressing

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and cracked black pepper to season

Method

Simply arrange your lettuce and add your parma ham.

Cut your figs into quarters and place on your salad.

Mix up your dressing and toss through your salad.

Serve immediately.

Heritage Tomato and Butterbean Salad with or without Tuna

Heritage tomato and butterbean salad. Perfect with our without tuna. I love Summer so much as there’s an abundance of salads like this. They’re absolutely beautiful and full of flavour. I got some lovely Isle of Wight heritage tomatoes in the most glorious colours. If you’ve not tried heritage tomatoes this is your sign to do so. They’re fresh, crisp and aromatic. The butterbeans give it a real lift. I adore them, they remind me of my childhood when my mum used to put them in everything. Summer in a bowl. I hope you like it.

Serves 3

Ingredients

1 bag of salad leaves

1 handful of rocket

3 large heritage tomatoes

1 small onion – thinly sliced

3 tins tuna ( optional)

2 teaspoons cider vinegar for the tuna

1 cup butterbeans

1/2 cucumber – peeled and sliced

Dressing

3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Squeeze of lemon

Salt and cracked black pepper

I clove garlic – minced

Method

Arrange your salad in a serving bowl and sprinkle over your butterbeans, cucumber and onion.

Slice your tomatoes into about 1cm thick rounds and place on top of the salad. Mix up your dressing and spoon over the salad. Toss the salad about a bit to make sure it’s all coated in the dressing.

If you are adding tuna drain it and add to a separate bowl. Shake over a couple of teaspoons of vinegar, season with salt and cracked black pepper mixing thoroughly.

Watermelon, Feta and Mint Salad

Simple is sometimes best. This three ingredient salad is so beautiful and bursting with flavour. You don’t even need to add a dressing.

An ideal side for a picnic or bbq. The mint brings back all the lovely memories of my nan’s garden as a child.

Ingredients

1 small watermelon chopped into triangle pieces.

1/2 a block of feta cheese

Handful of chopped mint.

Method

Simply chop your watermelon into slices, quarters then into smaller triangles removing the rind.

Arrange in your serving dish, sprinkle over your feta and scatter on the chopped mint.

Perfect Summer food.

Mozzarella and Nectarine Salad

Another simple three ingredient Summer salad. Nectarine, mozzarella and lambs leaf. Nectarines are beautiful at this time of year. Try to buy the soft ripe ones as this will really make the salad.

I served with chicken schnitzel and some garlic bread for an impromptu dinner with friends. Beautiful food, beautiful rosé wine and beautiful company.

Serves 4

Ingredients

Bag of lambs leaf salad

2 ripe nectarines

2 balls of mozzarella

Dressing

I made up a dressing of three parts extra virgin olive oil to one part cider vinegar, 1 clove minced garlic, salt, cracked black pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Method

Simply arrange your lambs leaf lettuce in a bowl. Tear up your balls of mozzarella and dot about in the salad leaves.

Slice up your nectarines into wedges roughly the size of a peach slice from a tin and arrange on top of the salad.

Mix up your dressing and spoon over. Gently massage into the ingredients and serve immediately.

Caprese Salad

Beautiful vine ripened tomatoes and mozzarella go hand in hand. I like to serve a little one of these Caprese salads when we are having a light meal or before a bowl of pasta.

Buy the best tomatoes, mozzarella and balsamic vinegar you can find as the dish will be so much better.

Ingredients

2 large vine ripened tomatoes – the redder the better

1 large ball of mozzarella

Hand full of fresh basil leaves

Extra virgin olive oil

Salt and cracked black pepper to season

Balsamic vinegar

Method

I don’t need to tell you how to make a salad I’m sure so this is just an obvious guide.

Start by chopping your tomatoes into slices followed by your mozzarella. Arrange prettily on a plate and top with your fresh basil leaves. Drizzle over your extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper and finally pour over a little balsamic vinegar.

Enjoy

Chilli Cheese and Chilli Olive Salad

Chilli cheese and chilli olive salad. A nice light little salad idea for lunch. I love it when the weather warms up and we can eat outside. I don’t want to be faffing around for ages creating something for lunch and missing out on the sunshine. Salads come into their own at this time of year and I’m always on the look out for different types. This is a spicy, meat free one that I think you will love if you are a fan of chilli.

Serves 1 – measurements are a guide, feel free to double up to serve more people.

1/4 bag of salad leaves

3 cherry tomatoes

1/4 small onion – sliced

1/2 cup chickpeas

Matchbox sized piece of chilli cheese – cubed

5 chilli olives

1/4 red pepper – diced

Dressing

Make up a dressing of three parts extra virgin olive oil, 1 part red wine vinegar, squeeze of lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, salt and cracked black pepper to season. As a guide I try to keep this to teaspoons of oil and vinegar if making for 1.

Method

Simply chop all of your salad and add to a large bowl along with your cheese, chickpeas and olives. Mix up your dressing and add to the salad bowl covering all the salad. Toss around a little. Serve and enjoy in the sunshine.

Hot Chilli Salmon and Bean Salad

I love this time of year when the weather warms up and we start adding more varieties of salads to the weekly menu. This hot chilli salmon and bean salad is healthy, delicious and filling. There’s nothing more depressing than a salad made up of just lettuce, tomato and cucumber so that’s why I like mixing it up and adding rakes of other ingredients to jazz them up a bit. Not one to chop out food groups the addition of Jersey Royals add a bit of carbs to keep everyone happy.

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 hot chilli salmon fillets – ready cooked

8 small Jersey Royal potatoes

Small tub of mixed beans – I like edamame and borlotti

Bag of mixed leaves

Sprinkle of sweetcorn

A few cherry tomatoes on the vine

1/4 cucumber – cut into rounds and halved

Knob of butter to coat the Jersey Royals

Dressing

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil,

Squeeze of lemon

Salt and cracked black pepper to season

Teaspoon dijon mustard

Clove of garlic minced

Method

Start by boiling your Jersey Royals until tender in a pan of boiling salty water. ( Usually 10-15 mins until tender).

Meanwhile, chop your cucumber and tomatoes add to a large salad bowl along with the rest of your salad items.

Mix up your dressing in a small bowl. You can make up a dressing and use a smaller amount if you are trying to keep things a little lighter.

Shred up your salmon fillets into bite sized pieces leaving the skin aside and add to the bowl.

When your Jersey Royals are ready drain, tip back in the saucepan and add a little butter to coat them. Allow to cool slightly, then chop in half and add to the salad bowl.

Add your dressing and serve immediately.

Tip: Feel free to add your herb of choice. Chives work perfectly.

King Prawn and Avocado Salad

My take on a retro classic. Juicy king prawns, avocado and crunchy little gem lettuce. Smothered in a marie rose sauce which you can make with your eyes closed. To add coriander or not that is the question?

Ingredients

Marie Rose Sauce

1 tablespoon salad cream

1 tablespoon Greek yoghurt

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

Squeeze of lemon

Salt and cracked black pepper to season

———

Lemon wedge to serve

Coriander – optional

Paprika – 1/4 teaspoon.

150g King Prawns.

Avocado

1 little gem lettuce – 5 leaves.

Method

Simply mix up your dressing, dress your prawns and place on top of your lettuce. Season with salt and pepper.

Mini Cucumber and Borlotti Bean Salad

A simple salad to balance out all the excesses of Easter. Does anyone find mini cucumbers more of a novelty? I must get out more ha ha!

Love adding different beans to salads to change them up and pack in a bit of protein.

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 mini cucumbers

Bag of lambs lettuce and beetroot shards

2 cups of borlotti beans

Handful of vine cherry tomatoes

Dressing

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 garlic clove minced

Salt and cracked black pepper to season

Squeeze of lemon juice

Method

Simply chop and arrange your salad on your chosen plate. Mix up your dressing and dress the salad. Serve immediately with your accompaniment of choice.

Tip: Grilled halloumi works well with this dish with a tzatziki dip.