Medley of Cold Salads for a Hot Summer Night
Now that we are having temperatures in the 30's every day in Western Australia, I am starting to make more cold, refreshing salads as meals.
Although these salads sometimes involve cooking some of the ingredients, they are always eaten at cold to room temperature and I find this a great alternative to a hot meal.
These dishes usually last for at least 3 or 4 days and I kept accompanying them with different meals as well.
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 35 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
Ingredients
SWEDISH CHICKEN SALAD
¼ cup raw long grain rice
250 g chicken breast
½ red apple
½ green apple
1 banana
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 - 2 tbsp yoghurt
Bit of oil and vinegar, to taste
½ tsp curry powder (or more to taste)
Salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
Rocket and/or lettuce leaves
BACON, PARMESAN AND ANCHOVY SALAD
35 ml olive oil
35 g ciabatta bread, cut into cubes
¼ tsp sea salt
4 - 5 short cut bacon rashers
Rocket
Lettuce leaves
20 g Parmesan
25 g anchovies
Caesar dressing
For the Caesar dressing
Olive oil
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, crushed
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ cup mayonnaise
1 anchovy, finely chopped
Bit of salt and pepper (optional)
Method
For the chicken salad
Cook the rice as per packet instructions. I always turn rice off the heat and let the water soak in for the last 5 minutes.
Allow to cool.
Cook the chicken however you want - I just put it in boiling water and cooked till it was just done.
Tear the chicken apart into small pieces.
Cut the apples into quarters, and then into wedges.
Peel the banana and slice.
Pour the lemon juice over these fruits and toss well to stop them browning.
Drain off the excess lemon juice.
Mix the pulled chicken pieces, rice, and fruit together and chill.
Blend the yoghurt, some oil and vinegar mixed, curry powder, salt and cayenne pepper, and chill again.
Serve either straight from the fridge or leave out for about half an hour.
Before serving spoon the chicken mixture into a lettuce, or rocket lined bowl and spoon over the curried mayonnaise and toss well.
For the Bacon Parmesan and Anchovy Salad
Put half the olive oil in a frying pan and heat until it is hot. Put the bread cubes into this pan and toss for a few minutes or until they are brown.
Remove and drain in the salt.
Cut the bacon into small pieces and fry for about 5 minutes, or to your liking -I like mine nice and crisp.
Mix all the Caesar salad ingredients.
Toss the lettuce and Parmesan with bacon pieces, rocket and anchovies.
Drizzle the salad dressing on just before serving.
Note -if you want to have this salad the next day, do NOT put the croutons into the salad -spoon them on individual serving plates, and keep the balance in an airtight container, or else they will go soggy.
Categories
#salad
#summer_salad
#lunch
#buffet
#party_food
#family
#summer_food
#easy
#healthy
#fruit
#chicken
#apples
%recipeyum
227409 - 2023-07-17 10:26:07