Nothing could be more refreshing than a crisp cucumber salad – perfect for Australia’s sticky and humid summer days.

Served as a pre-meal appetiser with a ‘rakija’ if you so desire, or simply in place of a garden salad with whatever you’re having for lunch or dinner, I could easily eat this salad every night of the week during summer, and the beauty of it is that it only takes a few minutes to whip up.

The secret to a really good salad is super fresh and cold cucumbers, old and rubbery ones that are served at room temperature just don’t seem to have the same impact. The cucumbers I often use are from my mum’s veggie garden, they’re a long white fruit with thin skin that doesn’t require peeling (although I prefer them peeled), I think the variety is called ‘Armenian cucumbers’. You can also use nice fresh Lebanese cucumbers as most supermarkets don’t seem to stock the Armenian variety.

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or to taste)
Sea salt to taste

Method
1) In a bowl add sliced cucumber, oil, vinegar and salt. Toss to dress evenly and serve immediately.

Tips:

- Use fresh cucumbers that are stored in the fridge.

Firstly, a big thanks to everyone for your lovely pregnancy wishes – it’s wonderful to know how supportive you all are.

Cravings are synonymous with pregnancy and the one thing I can’t get enough of this pregnancy is salad, I guess I should thank my lucky stars I’m not craving a block of chocolate each night!

Here’s an exceptional salad recipe, which can also be prepared in advance for summer-time parties. It’s delicious served with grilled lamb or on it’s own.

This salad is also another that fits into the ‘Dave’s favourite’ category, so I often cook a big batch of sweet potato and onion, keep it in the fridge and quickly assemble for dinner or lunch. If your salad leaves are washed and ready to go, (I keep mine in a salad spinner) it takes less than five minutes to prepare, heck, it’s so easy that even David can put it together himself, and trust me, there’s not much he can put together in the kitchen!

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
Baked sweet potato
500g sweet potato (or kumera), peeled and diced
2-3 garlic cloves
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Caramelised onion
1 large brown onion, peeled and thinly sliced length-ways
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 heaped tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Dressing
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon water
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

100g rocket (arugula) and baby spinach leaves, washed and spun dry
80g goat’s cheese, crumbled
2 tablespoons lightly toasted pinenuts

Method
1) Preheat oven to 250°C. Place chopped sweet potato and garlic cloves in a large baking tray tray lined with grease proof paper, drizzle over olive oil, add salt and pepper and mix well. Cover baking tray tightly with a sheet of foil and bake on high for 20 minutes. Remove foil after 20 minutes and reduce heat to 200°C, continue baking for further 30-40 minutes, turning the sweet potato half way through until lightly golden. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

2) For the caramelised onion, fry onion in olive oil over a low heat until softened (15 minutes). Sprinkle over sugar and fry for further 5 minutes. Turn heat up to medium and allow onion to caramalise to a lovely rich golden brown (5 minutes), add balsamic (1 minute) and remove from heat, allow to cool.

3) For the dressing, combine oil, balsamic, water, salt and pepper in a jar. Just before serving shake well to emulsify.

4) In a large serving platter arrange rocket and spinach leaves, scatter over baked sweet potato, caramelised onion, crumbled goats cheese and finally the pinenuts. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until serving. Just before serving drizzle over dressing and enjoy with grilled meat or on it’s own.

Tips:
- Lightly toast pine nuts in a dry pan over a medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until toasted and fragrant.
- Store left over caramelised onion in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 4 weeks.
- For quick week night dinners, double the quantities and store everything in the fridge, then assemble each night.

With 2010 now behind us, I trust everyone had a joyous Christmas/New Year break and you’re ready for an exciting 2011!

Given I have an abundant supply of yummy garden tomatoes, cucumbers and chillies, I couldn’t resist making this years first recipe a colourful, yet traditional garden salad to enjoy during our Australian summer.

Shopsaka Salata is steeped in tradition and hugely popular in Macedonia and surrounding Balkan countries, namely Bulgaria. Often served as a summery pre-meal appetizer, this salad is somewhat like a Greek salad, but dare I say…it’s better!

The key to an exceptional Shopska Salata is using succulent vine-ripened tomatoes and crisp cucumbers and chillies. In-fact, I wouldn’t even bother making this salad during the off-season as the produce just isn’t up to scratch.

On a different note, tomorrow is the Macedonian Orthodox Christmas, and today is Koleda (Christmas Eve). So ‘Sreken Bozik’ to my fellow Macedonian’s! Remember, if you’re looking for a ‘Koleda Leb’ recipe, check out last years post http://www.villagefeast.com.au/2010/01/06/festive-bread-koleda-leb/

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Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 large cucumber, peeled and diced
2 medium green banana chillies, seeded and diced (banana chillies are also known as Hungarian or bullhorn chillies, if unavailable replace with a green capsicum)
1/2 medium Spanish onion, diced
4-5 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt to taste
100g feta or Bulgarian cheese, crumbled (or coarsely grated)

Method
1) Combine chopped tomato, cucumber, chillie and onion in a medium bowl. Drizzle over olive oil and vinegar, sprinkle over a small amount of salt (not too much as the cheese is salty), gently toss.

2) Transfer to a clean serving bowl and sprinkle over feta. Serve immediately as a pre-meal appetizer with fresh bread to mop up the juices.

Tip: For a modern take on this old favourite, serve the salad in individual bowls or glasses – it makes for a cute cocktail party appetizer.

Summer, where are you? It’s now mid November, and I’m starting to get tired of the constant grey skies and rain!

Although it’s not exactly raining today and the sun is ‘partly’ out, I’m sure that others living in Sydney and the east coast of Australia will agree that this Spring has been one of the wettest in memory! I’m well and truly ready for hot sunny days, sand caught between my toes, the smell of barbecued steaks and fresh yummy salads.

Mum’s basic potato salad is a perfect BBQ accompaniment. It can be jazzed up by adding a couple of dollops of  homemade mayonnaise or, a couple of chopped boiled eggs.

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 medium (700g) brushed potatoes, washed, peeled and cut into rough 3cm pieces
Sea salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small carrot, peeled and sliced into thin ribbons using a speed peeler (can also be grated)
1/4 of small Spanish onion, thinly sliced lengthways
1/3 cup of loosely packed flat leaf parsley, roughly torn or chopped

Method
1) Place potatoes in a medium pan, cover with cold water and place over high heat. Just before the water comes to the boil add salt and continue to boil for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked through.

2) Meanwhile, combine olive oil, vinegar, sea salt and black pepper in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify.

3) When cooked, drain potatoes in a colander and place in large bowl. While still warm add carrot, onion and pour over dressing, gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Allow potatoes to cool slightly before scattering over parsley. Serve while warm or at room temperature with grilled fish, meat, or on their own.

Tips:
- If available try using red-skinned Desiree potatoes, their creamy, yellow flesh is prefect for potato salad.
- Add 3 heaped tablespoons of good quality homemade mayonnaise and refrigerate before serving, see recipe for Homemade Mayonnaise
- Add one or two hard boiled eggs that are roughly chopped or quartered.

Recipe

Serves 2 as side dish

Ingredients
400g can of white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup black olives (I prefer Kalamata)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 Spanish onion, finely sliced lengthways
3 teaspoons dried mild chilli flakes
3 teaspoons dried mint
Sea salt to taste

Method
1) In a medium bowl combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve with fresh bread or grilled meat/fish.

Tips:
- This salad can be prepared ahead of time.
- Serve as a rustic appetiser along with fresh bread.

Thanks to the popularity of 5 Minute Tiramisu, here’s another super-quick 5 minute recipe.

Seeing I still have an abundance of fresh figs from my parents fruitful fig tree, I thought I’d share one of my favourite ways to enjoy this ancient fruit.

Some prefer figs raw, but in my opinion the best way to enjoy them is cooked, as it only takes a few minutes for the flesh to collapse and caramelise into heavenly goodness.

Although this salad looks fancy, you can almost prepare it with your eyes closed. It’s simply a matter of assembly, however the secret to it tasting amazing is using top quality extra virgin olive oil, balsamic and goats cheese. Adding toasted walnuts/pine nuts is optional and takes a few extra minutes, but if you’re out to impress it’s well worth it!

Serve as an entree or as a main with duck or chicken.

Process

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
8 figs, halved
20g butter
100g packet rocket leaves, washed and dried
1/4 Spanish onion, thinly sliced length-ways
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
80g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup lightly toasted walnuts or pine nuts (optional)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1) Pop a medium frying pan over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating prepare figs, rocket and onion. Season figs (cut-side) with salt and pepper.

2) In a large serving platter or 4 individual plates arrange rocket and scatter over onion slices.

3) Your pan should now be hot enough, add butter and a glug of olive oil, it should bubble slightly, swoosh around to cover the pan, place figs cut side down, shake the pan to evenly distribute the oil and cook for 1-2 minutes, carefully turn over and cook for 30 seconds. Remove figs from pan and evenly arrange on rocket, drizzling over the remaining cooking juices from the pan. Drizzle over olive oil (2-3 teaspoons per serving), balsamic vinegar (1 teaspoon per serving) and season with pepper and a small amount of salt.

4) Crumble over cheese and scatter with pre-prepared walnuts/pine nuts (optional).

5) Serve immediately as an entree or alongside duck or chicken as a main.

Tip: Lightly toast pine nuts or walnut halves in a dry pan over a medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until toasted and fragrant.

Rustic, yes. Simple, yes. Refreshing, you bet!

I’ve been enjoying this authentic salad, which is more like a soup for as long as I can remember. It comes from my baba’s (grandmothers) village Rotino. After working in the fields during the hot European sun they would quickly chop up some fresh cucumber, tomato, chilli and onion, add oil, vinegar and salt and some icy water straight from the natural spring, from Mount Pelister.

I add ice cubes to keep the salad cold however this is optional.
For another really lovely variation, try cucumber and garlic.

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Recipe

Serves  4

Ingredients
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, diced (peeling is optional)
1 large tomato, diced
1 medium banana chilli, sliced into rings (also known as Hungarian or bullhorn chillies)
1/4 Spanish onion, finely sliced
3-4 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt to taste (as a guide 1/4 teaspoon per bowl)
12 ice cubes
3-4 cups ice cold water

Method
1) Evenly distribute chopped vegetables into 4 soup bowls. Add oil, vinegar, salt, ice cubes and water. Gently stir and serve imediately.

Tip: For another variation try cucumber and a little finely chopped garlic, leaving out the tomato, chilli and onion.

Summer for me is all about salads. Honestly, how can I resist when there is still such an abundance of fresh garden produce available.

Taratur is a simple dip-like salad served during summer, traditionally with a shot of cold rakia (Macedonian white spirit). It’s a perfect accompaniment to grilled chicken and lamb or as a dip with fresh Turkish bread.

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Recipe

Serves  8

Ingredients
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, finely chopped (peeling and de-seeding is optional)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons olive oil
500g Greek style natural yoghurt (homemade yoghurt is best)
50g natural walnuts, roughly chopped

Method
1) Combine cucumber, salt, garlic and olive oil in a medium bowl and mix well. Add yoghurt and most of the walnuts and mix again.

2) Serve in individual bowls or in a large bowl with an extra drizzle of olive oil and scattering of walnuts.

Tips:
- Remove cucumber seeds by cutting the cucumber in half lengthways and scooping out the seeds with a spoon.
- Make 3-4 hours ahead of time and refrigerate until your guests arrive.

Every family has Christmas traditions, so every Christmas Eve Mum would bring out the Christmas ham. In preparation for the following day we’d enjoy a light dinner of ham off the bone, a beautiful tomato salad and fresh crusty bread (vienna loaf is best).

In reality, I love this tomato salad throughout summer, when juicy ripe tomatoes are in abundance. Depending on your taste buds, you may prefer this salad dressed with just olive oil and salt, as the tomato juices form part of the dressing. If however, your a vinegar lover like me, a splash of red wine vinegar makes this salad just perfect.

The best part is mopping up the juices with bite-sized chunks of soft bread, yum, yum, yum!
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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
2-3 medium vine ripened tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 medium banana chilli, sliced into rings (also known as Hungarian or bullhorn chillie)
1/4 spanish onion, thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Red wine vinegar to taste (optional)
Sea salt to taste

Method
1) Arrange tomato wedges in a bowl, top with onion and chillies. Drizzle with olive oil, vinegar (optional) and sprinkle with salt. Gently toss and serve immediately.

Tips:
- Leftover tomato salad makes the best tomato relish the following day. Store the leftovers in an airtight container overnight, the following day gently fry (medium heat) for 5 minutes or until the tomatoes collapse.
- Never store tomatoes in the fridge, keep in the pantry in a cool, dark spot.
- Use green capsicum if you are unable to find banana chillies.

Inevitably, living in an apartment limits what I can grow in pots on my sunny balcony. I have a couple of essential herbs growing like parsley, rosemary, basil and sage, but for the good stuff (chillies, tomatoes and cucumbers) I have to rely on my garden obsessed family. Luckily for me, the supply of heavenly summer garden vegetables has begun with my first bag of fresh chillies!

I have been brought up to believe that there are 101 ways to eat a chilli. And believe me, there are! You can bake, dry, pickle, stuff then pickle, dust with flour then fry, fry with eggs, fry with tomato, grill, add to stews and goulashes, in salads, in sauces, in relishes…the list goes on.

One of my favourite ways of eating sweet garden chillies is blistered, peeled and drizzled with olive oil and vinegar. It’s a delicious and healthy salad-type appetiser which can be eaten with a fork, but the best way to eat it is by holding the stem and gradually easing into your mouth, yum!

Use the stem of each chilli to turn over

Split each chilli in half to drain out any excess liquid

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Recipe………………………………..

Serves 4 as an appetiser

Ingredients
12 long banana chillies (also known as Hungarian or bullhorn chillies)
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
Sea salt to taste
Red wine vinegar to taste

Method
1) Rinse and dry chillies. Heat a bbq hot plate or grilling/frying pan (medium-high heat). Place half the chillies on the grill/pan and let the skin char and turn black (3-5 minutes on each side). Every so soften press down lightly to ensure all surfaces are being charred (being careful not to split the skin), use the stem of each chilli (or tongs) to turn over. Once blackened all over transfer to a bowl and cover with a dinner plate to keep in the heat (you can also place in a plastic bag), allow to cool (10-15 minutes).
2) Once cool enough to handle, peel and discard the skin. Use your thumb and index finger to split the chilli in half length ways to allow the excess liquid to drain out. Place the perpared chillies in a clean bowl, sprinkle with salt and drizzle over olive oil, use your fingers to ensure each chilli has been evenly dressed. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
3) To serve, chillies should be at room temperature. Place 2-3 chillies in a plate, drizzle with red wine vinegar and a little extra salt if necessary, eat with feta cheese and fresh crusty bread to mop up the juices.

Tip: You can also blister chillies in a very hot oven (250°C). Place chillies on a tray, bake for 15-20 minutes, turning regularly until blistered all over.