Of all the dishes, salads allow for the most invention. In hungry moments, you can throw together the maddest combination of ingredients from your fridge and still create something worth eating. But to make them really sing, you need to comply with a few codes of conduct.
Create as much texture as you can. Soft, chewy, crunchy, creamy – it’s all about contrasts. Variety is key. Use pulses, fruits, grains, seeds, vegetables, herbs, nuts and cheeses. Combine raw and cooked ingredients, and make the most of interesting shapes and textures such as grapes, avocado and chickpeas. You can also serve your salad piled on top of a dip such as tzatziki or labne to make it more substantial and fun to eat. Incorporate as much colour as possible on the eye. We’re avoiding monotony here, so you want every mouthful to be different.
Make sure to use vegetables and fruit when they’re in season – they have more flavour and you don’t need to do much to enhance them. A beautiful tomato salad is a good example; all it needs is salt and olive oil.
There are always clever additions that can make any salad more appealing. A lively dressing that has the maximum amount of acidity and salt, good olive oil, a spice blend, a toasted nut or seed, some salty cheese and a hit of sweetness from a date or pomegranate can turn dull into delicious. I always try to throw in something unexpected, too; the crunch of bombay mix, or something pickled, such as chopped gherkin or sauerkraut. Gather your ingredients, be bold, be creative, and break yourself free from your habitual leaves.
Panzanella
This salad is the queen of my summer. It’s my first thought when I see those irresistibly plump tomatoes from Italy or France that I have to sell my mother to afford.
The other key part to this dish is the bread. Traditionally you’d use your stale bread for this, but I don’t like the sogginess. I prefer to roast the bread in small pieces to give it some structural integrity, at least at the beginning.
Vinegar and good olive oil are also essential, but after that, all the other ingredients are forgoable. Make it your own. I truthfully throw it together differently every time, depending on what I have in my fridge. With young children, I am in my efficiency era, so have chosen to exclude roast peppers, but if you have the time, a couple of roasted or grilled peeled peppers and chillies are spectacular in this.
Serves 4
stale rustic bread 200g, crusts removed, ripped or cut into 2-3cm cubes
rapeseed or mild olive oil 2 tbsp
red onion ½, finely sliced
garlic 1 clove
red wine vinegar 1½ tbsp
extra virgin olive oil 5 tbsp
capers in brine 2 tbsp, plus 1 tbsp of the brine
cucumber 1, halved lengthways, de-seeded and then cut into 1½-2cm chunks
anchovy fillets 8, roughly chopped
stoned black or green olives 60g, halved
tomatoes 700g, ripe, a mix of colours and sizes, cut into similarly sized chunks
basil a small bunch, leaves ripped
Preheat the oven to 160C fan/gas mark 4. Toss the bread and rapeseed oil together in a bowl, season lightly, then spread the bread on a tray and place in the oven for 12-15 minutes until deep golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.
Place the red onion in a small bowl and cover with cold water while you prepare everything else.
Cut the garlic clove in half and rub around a mixing bowl (then use for something else), then whisk in the vinegar and olive oil to make a dressing. Season.
Drain the onion, then add it and the rest of the ingredients to the mixing bowl. As soon as the toasted bread is cool, add that too. Toss well with your hands. Check the seasoning – it should taste juicy and lively with vinegar. Eat with grilled meat or fish, or a ball of mozzarella.
The flexible coleslaw batch
I have these base ingredients in my fridge throughout the year, but it’s in the salad months that I lean on them the most. It’s fun seeing unspectacular characters be giv en ing them new identities with just a punchy dressing and something crunchy. I adapt the dressing according to what I’m eating it with, so there’s no chance of getting bored.
Use whatever veg you have at the bottom of in your fridge: red cabbage, peppers, fennel, kohlrabi, apple, mooli, celeriac; anything crunchy will work. If you don’t have a julienne peeler, a speed peeler will be a decent stand-in.
All recipes serve 4
Base coleslaw
radishes 8-10, sliced
carrots 1 large or 2 small, peeled and julienned
hispi or sweetheart cabbage 1, halved and finely shredded
mint and coriander a big handful of each, roughly chopped
spring onions 4, sliced
Ramen coleslaw
Some of the noodles will go a bit soggy, some will stay crunchy, but they’re a great way to make a slaw a bit more substantial. This is good served with barbecued meat and rice.
instant ramen noodles 1 x packet, flavour sachets discarded
base slaw 1 batch
roasted peanuts 4 tbsp, chopped, or 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
For the dressing
fresh ginger ½ thumb, grated
soft brown sugar 2 tsp
mild red chilli ½, chopped, or 2 tsp of your favourite chilli oil
light soy sauce 3 tbsp
rice vinegar 3 tbsp
sesame oil 2 tbsp
Combine the dressing ingredients and shake until the sugar has dissolved. Break the ramen noodles into the base slaw, sprinkle with the peanuts, add the dressing and toss well.
Bombay mix coleslaw
This is great served with curries or barbecued paneer or tandoori chicken.
mild olive oil 3 tbsp
black mustard seeds 2 tsp
green chilli 1, halved lengthways
curry leaves 10 (optional)
lime juice of 1, plus extra to taste
white caster sugar 1 tsp
base slaw 1 batch
bombay mix 6 tbsp, plus extra to taste
Warm the olive oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat until hot. Add the mustard seeds and when they begin to pop, add the chilli. Stir for 20-30 seconds, then add the curry leaves. As soon as they become translucent and crisp, discard (or keep!) the chilli and transfer to a bowl to cool.
Once cool, squeeze in the lime juice and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Pour the dressing over the base slaw and bombay mix and season to taste – be generous with salt. Add more lime or bombay mix as you wish. Mix well, then serve.
Pineapple coleslaw
Eat this with tacos or any slow-cooked meats. It will also brighten up chilli con carne.
base slaw 1 batch
pineapple ¼ small, peeled and roughly chopped into cubes
jalapeno or mild green chilli 1, finely sliced
poppy seeds 3 tsp
toasted pumpkin seeds 6 tbsp
lime juice of 3
olive oil 3 tbsp
Combine all the ingredients and season with salt.
Mango chaat masala salad
You can pretty much leave out anything you don’t have in the spice mix, although the amchur is integral. Any decent ripe-ish mango will do, since it’s being tossed in lemon juice and spices anyway. Pineapple would be a great stand-in, too. This recipe gives you a small jar of spice mix, so make it once and reap the benefits for several other salads.
Eat with grilled meat, or drizzle loosened yoghurt and tamarind chutney (or something similarly sweet and tangy) over it and sprinkle with sev (thin, crunchy chickpea noodles).
Serves 4
For the chaat spice mix
coriander seeds 1 tbsp
fennel seeds 1 heaped tsp
cardamom pods 6, seeds removed and shells discarded
ground ginger 1 tsp
ground cinnamon 1½ tsp
amchur 1½ tbsp
asafoetida a pinch
chilli powder a pinch
salt and pepper
For the salad
chickpeas 1 x 400g jar or tin, drained and dried with kitchen paper
olive oil 2 tbsp
red onion ½, finely chopped
lemon juice of 1 large
mango 1 ripe, stone discarded and flesh chopped
tomatoes 3 medium ripe, chopped
celery heart 1, chopped
radishes 10, chopped
coriander 1 small bunch, about 25g, leaves picked
Preheat the oven to 200C fan/gas mark 7. Place the drained and dried chickpeas on a greaseproof paper-lined tray in the oven for 12 minutes. Once they look dry and have cracked, drizzle with the olive oil and some salt, give them a jiggle to coat them, and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, or a little longer if they’re not yet wonderfully crisp. Alternatively, place in an airfryer at 180C for 15 minutes, toss in oil and return to the airfryer for a further 8 minutes.
Meanwhile, grind the coriander, fennel and cardamom seeds in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Combine with the powdered spices.
Place the red onion in a mixing bowl and squeeze over half the lemon and a pinch of salt. Leave to stand while you chop the rest of the vegetables and fruit. Chop everything into similar chickpea-sized pieces, then add to the bowl.
Add the coriander, crisp chickpeas, 1 tablespoon of the spice mix, the rest of the lemon juice and plenty of seasoning. Toss gently, taste and adjust the seasoning – you want it to be lightly spiced and very perky.
Curry leaf and toasted coconut potato salad
The creamy potato salad is a classic for a reason, but eating anything smothered in mayo can be a very one-dimensional experience. Let this version, with my favourite Sri Lankan-style flavours, show you how potatoes needn’t be dull. It’s vibrant, fresh and good on its own or with a piece of grilled meat or fish. It also sits nicely, so is perfect for picnics or barbecues.
Serves 4
small new potatoes 650g, larger ones halved
flat (helda) beans or green beans 250g, topped and cut into 4-5cm pieces
desiccated coconut 50g
turmeric ¼ tsp
freshly ground peppercorns ½ tsp
spring onions 4, thinly sliced
mild green chilli ½, thinly sliced (optional)
coriander 1 small bunch, about 15g, leaves picked
lime juice of 1½, plus more to taste
olive oil 3-4 tbsp
For the cashews
cashews 100g
curry leaves 16 (optional)
olive oil 1 tbsp
lime juice of ½
salt a pinch
Preheat the oven to 170C fan/gas mark 5. Place the potatoes in a pan of salted water over a high heat and as soon as it starts boiling, cook the potatoes for about 10-12 minutes (depending on the size of the potatoes) until tender.
Once the potatoes are done, scoop them into a colander to steam dry and top up the pan with more boiling water to cook the beans. Check them after 4-5 minutes, they should be tender with a little bite. Once done, transfer the potatoes to the salad bowl (it’s fine if they’re still warm) and drain the beans into the colander. Run the beans under cold water for a minute or two until cool.
Meanwhile, toss the coconut with the turmeric and pepper, then transfer to a greaseproof paper-lined small tray and spread in an even layer. Toss the cashews and curry leaves in the olive oil and place on another small tray. Put both trays in the oven for 8-10 minutes, stirring the coconut and shaking the cashews after 4-5 minutes.
Once the coconut and cashews are both evenly golden (return to the oven if not), remove from the oven and leave the coconut to cool. While the cashews are still very hot, squeeze over the juice from ½ a lime and sprinkle with salt before leaving to cool. Roughly chop when cool.
Place the beans in the salad bowl with the potatoes and add the spring onion, chilli, coriander and coconut. Squeeze over the lime juice, drizzle with the oil and season well to taste. Toss everything together with your hands.
Sprinkle the cashews and curry leaves over the salad, then serve.
Labneh, nectarine and cucumber salad with hazelnut dukkah and herbs
Is it a dip or is it a salad? Either way, this dish will definitely get you a few oohs and aahs when you present it. If you don’t manage to prepare the labneh the previous day, don’t worry, you can get very close to it by lightly salting the thickest Greek yoghurt you can find. This is also delicious with a pinch of Turkish chilli on top.
Serves 4
thick Greek yoghurt 500g
fine salt ¾ tsp
white or yellow nectarines or peaches 2 large ripe
lemon zest and juice of ½
extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp, plus extra to drizzle
cucumber 1, halved lengthways, de-seeded and then cut into 1½-2cm chunks
dill a few sprigs, finely chopped
mint leaves a big handful, roughly torn
For the dukkah
sesame seeds 20g
blanched hazelnuts, pistachios or walnuts 30g
fennel seeds 2 tsp, lightly crushed
nigella seeds 2 tsp
Make the labneh first, ideally 24 hours before you need it, but 3-4 hours straining is better than nothing. Combine the yoghurt with the salt in a bowl and have a taste. If you can’t quite taste it, keep adding more, stopping before it tastes too salty.
Scrape the labneh into a clean tea towel or muslin, pull up and fasten the sides with an elastic band and suspend over a bowl in your fridge. I often pop it on a sieve if I haven’t got room to suspend it.
Next, make the dukkah. Place the sesame seeds and hazelnuts in a pan over low heat and leave everything to gently toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until the sesame seeds are light golden and the hazelnuts have a little colour on them, about 6-8 minutes. Roughly chop or crush the hazelnuts, then add to a bowl with the sesame seeds, crushed fennel seeds, nigella seeds and a pinch of salt.
When you’re ready to eat, de-stone and cut the nectarines into 1½ -2cm chunks, then place in a mixing bowl. Zest over the lemon, then squeeze in the lemon juice and pour in the 2 tablespoons of oil. Season lightly.
Unwrap the labneh and swirl over a large plate. Top with the cucumber, spoon over the nectarines and all their juices, then scatter with the herbs and the dukkah and another drizzle of olive oil. Serve with warm flatbread.
Georgia Levy is a cookery writer, recipe developer and author of Let’s Do Lunch (Pavilion, £16.99)
