Cooksister: Build a salad foundation!
Salads are the side dish of choice this time of year when the sun is out and easy meals are on the menu.
Mense often take slaai for granted, but you really shouldn’t because it’s more than just a side dish.
There is a history of salad with all our meals even though we may overlook it, it’s always been on the Christmas table, birthday lunches and at the braai.
These days a salad can’t be an afterthought, want die ingredients is nie altyd cheap nie.
So making a slaai can sometimes take as much planning and time as it does making any main dish - especially if you want to impress your mense or if you’re using out-of-season ingredients to take your salad to another level.
Still, a lekker salad doesn’t have to dent your budget and there are salads that many of us have grown up with that we don’t even think of when preparing meals.
Simple sides like pickled onions or even beetroot might not stand out to you, but they go perfectly with your Sunday roast and sommer add a lekker burst of colour.
We have so many options to choose from when it comes to adding flavour and colour to salads with seasonal fruits and vegetable and a variety of herbs and even spices.
Most salads are seasonal, so if you really smaak a lekker salad to go with your main course and you don’t know what to make, then simply go into the shop and see what’s available.
This week I selected a range of lekker salads that you can try with your main dish. Enjoy!
Recipes
Beetroot salad
Recipe by: Nicola Kagoro
Ingredients
½ head of lettuce, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
3 large tomatoes, chopped
¼ onions, thinly sliced
½ cucumber, julienned
1 cup of beetroot, thinly sliced
½tsp salt
½tsp mixed herbs
Method
In a large bowl add the lettuce, carrot, tomatoes, onion and cucumber and toss to mix together.
In a heated pan add a knob of butter and then gently fry the thinly sliced beetroot (about 10 mins), adding the salt and dried mixed herbs before setting aside to cool.
Once cooled, add to the salad bowl and mix all ingredients together.
Serve with dressing of your choice or enjoy as is.
Avocado & Tuna Pasta Salad
Rhodes
Ingredients
1 x 170 g can shredded tuna, drained
250 ml (1 C) cherry tomatoes, halved
½ red onion, finely chopped
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Whole Kernel Corn, drained
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and chopped
500 ml (2 C) cooked penne pasta
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
30 ml (2 T) chopped coriander leaves
Dressing
60 ml (4 T) olive oil
juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
1 ml (¼ t) ground cumin
to serve: butter lettuce leaves, washed
Method
Mix together the tuna, tomatoes and red onion in a large bowl and toss to mix. Add the Rhodes Whole Kernel Corn. Add the avocado and the cooked pasta and mix. Mix together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Season to taste and stir in the chopped coriander. To serve, spoon the salad into the lettuce leaves.
Coronation Potato Salad
This tangy, curried potato salad is a great side dish at any braai.
Recipe by: Rhodes Quality
Ingredients
800 g Baby potatoes
30 ml (2 Tbsp.) Olive oil
1 Onion, finely chopped
30 ml (2 Tbsp.) Pakco Mild and Spicy Masala
1 x 115 g Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste Cup
2 Bay leaves
250 ml (1 cup) Red wine
80 ml (⅓ cup) Rhodes Quality Apricot Jam
250 ml (1 cup) Prepared chicken stock
250 ml (1 cup) Mayonnaise
125 ml (½ cup) Plain yoghurt
Method
1. Place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted water.
2. Bring to the boil and cook until tender.
3. Drain and cool.
4. Heat the oil in frying pan.
5. Add the onion and cook until soft.
6. Add the Pakco Mild and Spicy Masala, Rhodes Quality Tomato Paste Cup and bay leaves and stir to mix.
7. Add the wine and simmer until slightly reduced.
8. Add the Rhodes Quality Smooth Apricot Jam and the chicken stock.
9. Bring the sauce to a high simmer and allow to reduce to a thick consistency.
10. Strain the sauce to remove the onion and the bay leaves and set aside to cool.
11. Place the mayonnaise and yoghurt into a bowl.
12. Stir in the reduction, adding as much as preferred, reserve any remaining for a later batch.
13. Season to taste.
14. Spoon the coronation dressing over the potatoes and toss to mix.
15. Refrigerate until serving.
Potato Salad with Green Peas & Bacon Bits
Recipe: Rhodes Quality
Ingredients
750 g potatoes, peeled, boiled and chopped
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Processed Peas, drained
125 ml (½ C) Herb Mayonnaise Dressing
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 spring onions, chopped
1 x 250 g packet streaky bacon, crisply fried
Method
Place the potatoes and peas in a bowl and toss together lightly.
Add the Herb Mayonnaise Dressing and stir gently to mix.
Season the potato salad to taste with the salt and pepper.
Place the potato and green pea salad in a serving bowl and sprinkle the bacon bits and spring onions over the top.
Egg Pasta Salad with Curry-Mayo Dressing
Recipe: Rhodes Quality
Ingredients
Dressing
250 ml (1 C) mayonnaise
15 ml (1 T) Rhodes Apricot Jam Superfine
5 ml (1 t) mild Hinds Curry powder
15 ml (1 T) white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Salad
1 L (4 C) cooked pasta shells
230 g tender stem broccoli, steamed and chopped
200 g (1 packet) streaky bacon, rindless, crispy fried
100 g (¾ C) cheddar cheese, cut into blocks
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Whole Kernel Corn, drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs, hardboiled
Method
To make the dressing, place the mayonnaise, Rhodes Apricot Jam Superfine, Hinds Curry powder and vinegar together in a bowl.
Whisk until well blended.
Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
Set aside.
Place the pasta shells, broccoli, bacon, cheddar cheese and Rhodes Whole Kernel Corn into a large bowl.
Toss to mix.
Add the dressing and stir gently to evenly spread through the salad.
Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
Just before serving, slice the eggs in half and arrange on the top of the salad.
Three Bean Salad
Recipe: Rhodes Quality
Ingredients
65 ml (¼ C) brown vinegar
65 ml (¼ C) chutney
30 ml (2 T) brown sugar
15 ml (1 T) masala spice
15 ml (1 T) corn flour
65 ml (¼ C) water
1 small green pepper, cut into small cubes
45 ml (3 T) sunflower or olive oil
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Butter Beans, drained
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Green Beans, Cross Cut, drained
1 x 410 g can Rhodes Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce
1 small onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
Method
First make the dressing. Place the vinegar and chutney in a small pan.
Combine the sugar, masala, corn flour and water and mix until smooth then pour into the pan.
Stir over medium heat until thickened then add the green pepper.
Allow to simmer for a few seconds, remove from heat and stir the oil.
In a large bowl, mix together the drained Rhodes Butter Beans, the drained Rhodes Green Beans, the Rhodes Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce and the onion.
Add the dressing and seasoning to taste then mix.
Cover and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight before serving.
