So we might not be getting out the floppy hats and the beach towels just yet, but the days are definitely getting longer and the light is finally creeping its way back into our lives (hooray!). I love summer, not just because of the ability to reinstate t-shirts and spending long evenings sat out on the patio with a glass of wine, but the food… oh I love summer food. BBQs, homeslaws, kebabs, mountains of fruit and of course, the salads.
Last year I started a summer salad series. There are so many wonderful salad variations, so I thought I would share some of my favourites. The possibilities really are endless. But it’s about learning what’s really going to give it the ‘wow factor’. Bringing together ingredients that complement one another perfectly is a fundamental step for a successful salad. For example, couple together feta and pomegranate and you have a match made in heaven! I threw in avocado, red onion, cucumber and red pepper onto a bed of green beans and leaves, and it was fresh and light, whilst also full of depth and flavour.
INGREDIENTS
- Feta cheese
- Pomegranate seeds
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- A chunk of cucumber, sliced and quartered
- Half a pepper (red or yellow works best), diced
- Half a pack of green beans, chopped in half
- A couple of handfuls of green leaves (washed), such as spinach and rocket
- Seasoning (salt & pepper)
- Olive oil
METHOD
- Take the ends off the green beans and simmer in a pan of boiling water for 5 minutes, set them aside to drain and cool before cutting them in half. I like them fairly firm & crisp but you can do them a longer if you prefer.
- Toss the green beans, leaves, cucumber, pepper and red onion in a bowl with a tablespoon of olive oil and a good grind of salt and pepper.
- Take the flesh out of the avocado and cube it on to the top, with a little extra seasoning.
- Finish by crumbling the feta and sprinkling the pomegranate seeds on top and ta da! A stunning, speedy salad set to be the talk of the table.
- Enjoy!
Other salads in my series:
