Murder Salads : Roasted Cauliflower With Grapes

Winter salad that can be served with quinoa or brown basmati rice. You will need: 

1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets
90ml olive oil

Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp red grape vinegar1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp honey         
100g seedless red grapes, halved
80g grated cheddar
30g sesame seeds 
40g toasted pumpkin seeds

Heat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Toss the cauliflower with half the oil, salt and some black pepper. Spread on an oven tray and roast for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until nicely browned. Remove from the oven, pour in serving bowl and mix with the grated cheddar, so the cheese will melt with the warm cauliflower. 

In a small bowl or glass whisk the remaining oil with the vinegar, mustard, honey and a pinch of salt. Add the pumpkin, sesame seeds and the grapes into the bowl with the cauliflower and the cheese. Pour over the dressing, toss gently, adjust the seasoning to taste and serve. 

If it is snowing outside like it is here today, it will taste somehow a bit better. I can't explain why, but trust me on this. It will. 

Warm mackerel & beetroot salad

More beetroot this week. Straight from Hackney Veggie Box Scheme.
Ingredients:
500g new potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
3 smoked mackerel fillets, skinned
250g cooked beetroot
100g mixed salad leaves
100g chevre
50g walnut pieces
FOR THE DRESSING Whisk together 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp wine vinegar or lemon juice and 1 tsp Dijon or other mild mustard. Season to taste, then mix with the horseradish.

Boil the potatoes for 12-15 min until just tender. Meanwhile, flake the mackerel fillets into large pieces and cut the beetroot into bite-size chunks.
Drain the potatoes and cool slightly. Mix the salad dressing and horseradish sauce together in a salad bowl and season. Tip in the potatoes - they should still be warm.
Add the salad leaves, mackerel, beetroot, chevre and walnuts, and toss gently. Serve with crusty bread, quinoa or brown basmati rice.

± carrot and soya bean salad ±

It feels like there is a duel between the lemon zest and the chili here. Very special taste.


200g frozen soya beans

60ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 finely chopped onion

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp dried coriander
1 tsp dried parsley

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

½ tsp dried chili flakes

1 tsp salt

8 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm buttons
, or same amount shredded
1 tsp honey

Grated zest of 1 lemon

200g feta, broken into chunks
20g sesame seeds

Steam the carrots for 10-15 minutes and also steam the beans for 20-25 minutes, until they are cooked but still retain a bite.
Drain, shake well and transfer to a large bowl. About three minutes before the beans are done, heat two tablespoons of oil in a small frying pan and add the onion, garlic and the seeds.
Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until the onion is transparent and the seeds start to pop – about three minutes – then pour the honey and caramelize.
Remove from the heat and pour the mix over the beans, along with the vinegar, chili and salt.
Add the carrots to the bean bowl and stir gently. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl, sprinkle over lemon zest, dot with feta and drizzle with olive oil.
Then sprinkle over some sesame seeds and serve while still warm.
Also ideal to serve with quinoa.

Wunderfood

Had a pretty hard (emotionally and physically) weekend which made me realize once more the importance of good food.
This is made with quinoa but rice, millet or couscous can be used instead. It is very crunchy and nutty and will give you super powers.
150g quinoa
1 red pepper
1 red onion
3 grated big carrots
sesame seeds
pumpkin seeds
sunflower seeds
bean sprouts
green beans steamed
broccoli florets steamed
a handful of cassius nuts broken in little pieces

Mix all together pour over some oil and the juice of half orange, season.
You can climb mount Everest with a smile just with this in your lunch box.

MURDER SALADS Part Two

It is time for proper detox from last week's BBQs.
Pilates class this morning helped and then a walk around the park.
For lunch another one of the murder salads series.









for the salad:
250g brown basmati rice
3 grated carrots
1 red or yellow pepper chopped
100g marinated artichokes (from the local deli or from a jar)
chopped parsley
a handful of flaked almonds
a handful of capers

for the dressing:
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
some juice from the artichokes jar

Cook rice for 30 minutes drain and wait till it is cool. Then mix with all the other ingredients and pour over the dressing. Perfect with jasmine tea.

Exotic Quinoa

Mango Blueberry & Quinoa Salad is inspired by a similar salad available at M&S
but with more ingredients added.
It is an absolute winner and friends keep asking for the recipe.

Quinoa Salad:
• quinoa
• cucumber
• red rice
• 1 red pepper finely chopped
• lemon & basil oil dressing (see recipe below)
• beans, chickpeas or similar - optional
• blueberries
• 1 mango
• rocket well chopped
• dried cranberries
• a few coconut pieces
• sunflower seeds or mixed seeds


Lemon & Basil Oil Dressing:
• basil infused oil
• lemon juice
• garlic puree
• honey
• lemon zest
• salt & pepper
you can add crushed chilies (optional) for a spicier version
Simply prepare the quinoa and rice and combine all the ingredients. adding the dressing in the end.

Hector' s Tuna Salad A.K.A Black Eyed Tuna

This is not the actual name of the dish, I just named it after a good friend of mine who is making it. Since you don't know him, you can use the alternative name.
You will need:
350g black eyed beans
200g tuna steak in a tin
dill
parsley
1 medium red onion -thinly chopped
a handful of capers
and for the sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 mayonaisse
1/3 mustard
juice of one lemon
...and as Hector says, you will need to put a bit of soul in it as well.
It is actually very simple.
Boil the beans in water for a good two hours and set aside to cool down.
In a bowl mix the chopped onion, dill and parsley, tuna and capers.
In a cup prepare the sauce with all ingredients apart from the lemon and stir then empty in the bowl and mix all very well. add the lemon juice minutes before you serve it.

MURDER SALADS part one

Spicy Red Rice with Coconut and Mango
This is an alteration of a rice salad recipe i found in the Observer a while ago.
Changed a few of the ingredients and served hot instead.
It was beautiful to have lunch in the yard with a good friend under the big tree. We put the mango chunks in the middle of the table and poured the mango juice on the hot rice.

You need: 250g white rice or jasmine rice, 200g camargue red rice, 1 big onion, a bit of garlic, dried basil, one red chilli finely chopped, one red pepper thinly sliced, spring onion, fresh coriander, zest of one lemon, juice of half a lemon, 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, a tin of coconut milk, unsalted peanuts broken in small pieces(optional), one mango.

Cook the rice separately for 20-30 minutes and cover. At the same time cook the rest of the ingredients. Heat up a deep pan and put the butter with the onion and garlic, finely chopped both, add the basil and the coriander.
When they get that nice transparent color, add the zest, the red pepper, the chilli and the coconut milk. Season and simmer for 15 minutes and then finally add the lemon juice and the spring onions. Pour the rice on top and simmer again gently adding more fresh coriander and the peanuts. Taste and adjust seasoning. I used sesame seeds this time as i forgot to buy peanuts. It was well tasty. Do not forget to add the mango at the last minute. That will keep it fresh. Make sure you use the juice of the fruit, too. in the cold salad version the chef used fresh coconut. Will try next time.