Salad Feast recipes: From avocado and coconut noodles to fig, radicchio and halloumi

(Photography by Matt Russell)

Tomato, nectarine and burrata with salsa verde and toasted sourdough

Time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

When it comes to summer eating, I really believe that simple is best, particularly when tomatoes are involved. Tossing the tomatoes in a little salt, oil and vinegar will draw out their natural sweetness, releasing more fragrant juices for you to mop up with burrata and bread. If you’ve never had it before, burrata is like an even softer buffalo mozzarella with extra cream – dreamy with a few spoonfuls of punchy salsa verde. Remember to use ripe tomatoes at room temperature for this, not unripe and cold from the fridge. It’ll take you closer to the feeling of being on holiday. And if you don’t have salsa verde, or the time to make some, a few basil leaves and an extra splash of vinegar will work brilliantly too.

550 g (1 lb 3 oz) ripe tomatoes, at room temperature (a variety of colours is nice)
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
1 teaspoon sugar (ideally white)
2 ripe nectarines, at room temperature
4 slices (300 g/10½ oz) sourdough bread
2 medium balls (350 g/12 oz) burrata
1 serving salsa verde (see below)

First, roughly chop the tomatoes – aim for big, random shapes that will hold the salsa verde, not uniform dice. Put them in a medium bowl along with the vinegar, oil, salt and sugar. Halve the nectarines, discard the stones then roughly tear large chunks into the tomato mixture. Gently toss then set aside to quickly marinate.

Toast or griddle the bread. To assemble, spoon the tomato mixture on to a large serving platter, including all the marinade juices. Tear over the burrata then drizzle over the salsa verde to finish. Serve immediately with the bread.

Substitutes:

Nectarines: peaches, apricots, strawberries
Red wine vinegar: white wine vinegar, malt vinegar, cider vinegar
Burrata: buffalo mozzarella, feta

(Matt Russell)

Fig, radicchio and halloumi with basil oil and pistachios

Time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

When you can get your hands on perfectly ripe, in-season figs, it’s only right to enjoy them very simply, with a few additional ingredients on the plate working to highlight their magnificence. Grating over naturally salty halloumi contrasts with the figs’ sweet juices, while the toasted pistachios and leaves bring some fresh crunch. A spoonful of the ridiculously easy basil oil brings the whole plate alive. This really is no-fuss, simple, seasonal eating.

60 g (2 oz) shelled pistachios
100 g (3½ oz) red butterhead lettuce
100 g (3½ oz) radicchio
1 serving basil oil (see below)
8 ripe figs
170 g (6 oz) halloumi
4 slices (300 g/10½ oz) sourdough or rye bread

First, toast the pistachios in a dry frying pan (skillet) over a high heat for 1–2 minutes to release their natural oils. Transfer to the corner of your chopping board then, once cool, roughly chop.

Next, wash the lettuce and radicchio in a basin of cold water (this will freshen and crispen the leaves), pat dry then tear into a large mixing bowl.

Pour half the basil oil over the leaves then, using your hands, gently toss to evenly coat. Transfer to a platter.

To assemble, roughly tear the figs over the leaves, and then, using the large side of a box grater, grate over the halloumi. Scatter over the toasted chopped pistachios then drizzle over the remaining basil oil to finish. Serve immediately, using the bread to mop up the fantastic herby oil and fig juices.

Substitutes:

Pistachios: hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, almonds
Red butterhead lettuce: frisée, oak leaf lettuce, cos (romaine) lettuce
Radicchio: chicory (endive)

(Matt Russell)

Avocado and coconut noodles with edamame beans, lime and ginger

Time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

When I’m home late from a long day’s cooking but still craving something flavour-packed and comforting to round off the day, this is what I make.

These are ingredients I tend always to have in my kitchen, but you could easily mix it up with whatever veggies are in your fridge, some shredded chicken or the Chilli Fried Eggs on page 144. I haven’t included it as an essential, but half a teaspoon of wasabi paste in place of the ginger works really well too. And as the noodles are chilled, they’ll happily sit in the dressing, making this a good option for packing into tomorrow’s lunchbox. (See photo on previous page.)

200 g (7 oz) egg noodles
250 g (9 oz) frozen podded edamame beans
60 g (2 oz) sunflower seeds
100 g (3½ oz) desiccated (unsweetened shredded) coconut
1–2 teaspoons chilli flakes
60 ml (2 fl oz) soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
juice of 2 limes
20 g (¾ oz) fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
6 spring onions (scallions)
2 ripe avocados, halved and stones removed

First, bring a large pan of water to the boil then cook the noodles over a high heat for the time stated on the packet (around 5 minutes). Add the beans to the pan for the last 30 seconds of cooking then refresh the noodles and beans under plenty of cold water, drain in a colander and set aside.

Meanwhile, toast the sunflower seeds for 2 minutes in a frying pan (skillet) over a high heat so that they release their natural oils. Add the coconut to the pan for 30 seconds to lightly toast then transfer the seeds and coconut to a plate to cool.

In a large bowl mix together 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, the soy sauce and honey. Squeeze in the lime juice and add the ginger, then stir to combine. Shred the spring onions by cutting them finely on an angle, discarding any tough green upper layers, and slice the avocados. Add to the bowl.

To assemble: Gently toss the cold drained noodles, beans, seeds and coconut in the soy sauce and avocado mixture. Have a taste – you may want to add more chilli flakes – then serve.

Substitutes:

Egg noodles: soba noodles, rice noodles
Desiccated (unsweetened shredded) coconut: shaved fresh coconut, coconut chips
Sunflower seeds: pumpkin seeds
Lime: rice wine vinegar

Salsa verde

This is the salad dressing of my dreams; chopped herbs, garlic, capers and anchovies, brought together with golden olive oil and a heavy splash of vinegar.

small bunch (15 g/½ oz) parsley, leaves only
small bunch (15 g/½ oz) basil, leaves only
small bunch (15 g/½ oz) mint, leaves only
1 garlic clove
1½ tablespoons capers
30 g (1 oz) anchovies in olive oil (drained weight)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
120 ml (4 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil

Finely chop the herbs, garlic, capers and anchovies together on a board then place in a small bowl. Stir in the mustard, vinegar and olive oil. Store in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.

Basil oil

If the capers and anchovies in the salsa verde are not your thing, try blitzing this up instead. It’s delightful for dressing bitter leaves, and any leftovers stand in as a superb alternative to pesto.

60 ml (2 fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
¹⁄3 garlic clove (optional)
pinch of sea salt flakes
large bunch (30 g/1 oz) basil
juice of ½–1 lemon

Blitz all the ingredients in a food processor, including the basil stalks and starting with the juice of half the lemon.

Once you have a pourable consistency, have a taste; you may want to add more lemon juice. Store in a jar or airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.

Salad Feasts: How to Assemble the Perfect Meal' by Jessica Elliott Dennison (Hardie Grant, £16.99) Photography © Matt Russell