All posts tagged: salad

spiced carrot and chickpea salad

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This is a salad for a day when you need nourishing, but you also need a bit of heft. The chickpeas lend the dish a reassuring, creamy, nutty weight, while the carrots offer crunch and sweetness. The earthiness of the spice is balanced by the zing of fresh citrus and mustard and, over it all, a sprinkle of grassy parsley; a delightful colour contrast, as much as a flavour complement. You can eat this on its own (and I have), but it’s lovely as part of a mezze spread. Or on the side of some grilled aubergine with a dollop of hummus for good measure. The below recipe uses canned chickpeas for speed and convenience, but dried chickpeas beat it for taste and texture by a mile. If you’ve got the time, soak 100g dried chickpeas overnight in plenty of water with a large pinch of salt. The next day, drain them and put them in an oven-safe pot with a lid (a cast iron casserole, for example), cover with plenty of water, a teaspoon …

duck and bulgur salad with feta

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Packed full of herbs, earthy from the bulgur, with a slow sharp slap of creamy zing from the feta, this is a memorable salad that’s just right for this time of year. It’s been, as the Scots say, dreich for days now. Low grey skies and clumps of wet leaves as far as the eye can see. But I love this kind of weather. It smells good outside, fresh, like everything’s getting a good scrub. Getting right to the quick. Finding myself in need of a lunch for one, and a break from work, which was causing me not a little amount of stress, I decided to bring together a few ingredients for a nourishing meal. To take a proper break to make something that would taste good and make me feel great. The result is an autumnal meal, slightly nutty from the fine brown bulgur, and rich from the duck, but one that’s light and fresh nonetheless. A meal that makes the rest of your day feel full of promise. I don’t recommend cooking …

lime and chicken rainbow salad

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I‘d like to say I’m the kind of cook that never feels like ordering a takeaway. That fresh, nourishing (if indulgent) food is the name of the game in my kitchen. But that would be… an untruth. Having had a surplus of tired evenings when my brain was wrung out and rewards were necessary, the takeaway drivers of South Glasgow were indeed summoned to my door bearing hot, naughty aluminium- and cardboard-encased dishes from far and near. And, let it be said, I have no regrets. However, in the bright light of day, I’ve been craving something that sets the balance to rights. It’s all very well and good to yield to temptation on occasion (and doesn’t it just feel great?), but the body wants it wants. And mine wanted zing. That mouth-puckering freshness that comes from citrus. The cleansing crunch of fresh veggies. And chicken because, well, who doesn’t love chicken? Having some leftover Zuni roast chicken and an overflowing citrus bowl that boasted a whole host of gleaming globes – including limes – …

Egyptian tomato salad

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Tomatoes are glorious. There, I said it. Whether fried green ones or cherry ones sliced on buttered toast, in soup or salad, tucked in a burger or the main event – I love them. I’m always on the lookout for new tomato recipes, and I’ve crossed paths with this one more than once recently so I took it as a sign from the universe. (That and I had a big bowl of ruby red tomatoes sitting on my kitchen table). This is a great dish to have up your sleeve for summery lunches with friends, especially as you can prepare it the night before and just liberally sprinkle it with herbs before serving in the manner of the totally cool, collected host that you are deep down inside… deep, deep down, if you’re anything like me. (Just be sure to let it come to room temperature before you eat – it will taste much better for it). I actually made this sitting at my kitchen table on a Sunday night while I was absentmindedly watching …