Sensational Salads By Kathy Kordalis – Well, it finally looks like we might have some sort of a summer! So, it’s the perfect time to introduce you to a lovely new cookbook: Sensational Salads by Kathy Kordalis. Kathy shows us that there’s so much more to salad than just a few salad leaves, tomato and cucumber. She takes them to the next level by experimenting with different flavours and ingredients, taking inspiration from all over the world. Mediterranean olive rich recipes, Asian-inspired noodle salads and Middle Eastern notes will all encourage you to experiment more.
Raised by Greek parents in Australia, Kathy Kordalis’ food style draws inspiration from her Australian and Mediterranean heritage. A graduate of Leith’s School of Food and Wine, she’s a freelance food stylist and writer. In her spare time, she’s completing a Master’s degree in the Anthropology of Food at SOAS and leading Gastronomic Tours in London for Context Travel.
Published by Ryland, Peters & Small at £20, this lovely hardback has over 75 recipes. There is a section on leaves, taking us through the enormous range of options and hints on making salads more substantial by adding grains, protein and texture, among other suggestions.
To whet your appetite and inspire you, here are a couple of recipes from the book:
Grilled Watermelon & Feta Salad
A beautifully refreshing summer salad that is ideal for serving at a barbecue party alongside grilled meat and vegetables and perfect for scaling up to feed large crowds.
cooking oil spray, for greasing
1 x 10-cm/4-inch x 4-cm/1½ -inch chunk watermelon, skin and seeds removed
½ lemon
½ bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ bunch fresh mint leaves
30 g wild rocket
300 g mixed tomatoes, quartered
extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle
100 g feta, cut into thick slices
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
ridged stovetop griddle plan
SERVES 4
Grease a ridged stovetop griddle pan with cooking oil spray and place over a high heat. Griddle the watermelon and the lemon half, flesh-side down, for about 2 minutes.
Carefully turn the watermelon on its side and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove the lemon from the pan and set aside. Repeat the turning and cooking process on the other side of the watermelon so that all sides are charred.
Combine the herbs, rocket and tomatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt. Place the grilled watermelon on a plate, top with the feta slices and the herb salad. Season with salt and pepper and serve the grilled lemon on the side for squeezing over.
Bean, Smoked Trout & New Potato Salad
This is lovely for a weekend lunch or buffet, alongside a cheeseboard or some lovely fresh bread.
500 g new potatoes
300 g runner beans, trimmed and sliced diagonally
4 spring onions, sliced
½ bunch fresh parsley, roughly chopped
200 g smoked trout
10 g mini herbs, leaves and edible flowers
DRESSING
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
2 tbsp créme fraiche
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tbsp horseradish (optional)
SERVES 4
To make the dressing, mix all the ingredients together in a jar or bowl and shake or mix well.
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes until just tender, then drain, allow to cool slightly, then slice into rounds.
Cook the beans in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes until tender, then plunge into ice water and drain.
Toss the warm potatoes and beans together with half the spring onions and parsley and half the dressing.
Spread out on a platter, then top with the smoked trout. Scatter over the rest of the spring onions, drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve, or leave everyone to help themselves.
Sharing Platter:
Jamon, Peaches, Endive, Blue Cheese & Olive Platter
A rustic platter full of delicious ingredients – the griddled peaches pair perfectly with the rich blue cheese to create a nourishing sharing platter for all.
4 peaches, cut into large wedges or quarters
3 tbsp quince paste (or honey)
2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 tbsp sherry vinegar
2 heads radicchio
8–10 slices Ibérican jamon
100 g Danish blue cheese, crumbled
50 g stoned green olives flaky sea salt
TO FINISH
2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
baguette in long shards
SERVES 4
Place the peaches in a medium bowl with a sprinkle of flaky salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Fold in gently with your hands and set aside. You want to keep the peach skin in tact.
Heat a ridged stovetop griddle pan to a medium–high heat and griddle the peaches for 1–2 minutes on each side just to colour them slightly. Set aside.
Heat the quince paste or honey in a small saucepan over a low heat for about 1 minute until loosened. Add the black pepper and swirl the pan around for 15 seconds. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and swirl to combine.
In a shallow, rimmed serving bowl or platter, arrange the radicchio in sections along with the peaches, then add the jamon, weaving it among the peaches. Lastly, tuck in the blue cheese and olives here and there.
Spoon over the quince vinaigrette and sprinkle with the thyme and a little flaky salt. Serve with the baguette shards and enjoy with a chilled glass of white wine, Cava or whatever you like.
The Seasoned Gastronome