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.

I just love this salad, it’s a Balkan classic which is super simple to make and tastes delicious. As tradition would have it, I have grown up watching my dad, dedo (grandfather) and uncle eat this salad with a shot of warm rakia (Macedonian spirit) while the women in my family prepared dinner.

According to my dedo, salad before a meal helps to build up your appetite – I think he just enjoys the uninterrupted male conversation while the women are busy in the kitchen.

For me, this salad is great on its own as a light snack/appetizer (no rakia required) or for dinner served with fresh kjofte (meatballs) or pork.

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Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients
1/2 a white cabbage, core removed, outer leaves discarded and finely shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar if you prefer a lighter dressing)
Sea salt to taste (freshly ground black pepper is optional)

Method
1) Shred cabbage as thinly as possible, using a sharp knife or on a mandolin (v slicer).

2) Place all ingredients in a bowl and toss well to combine. Serve immediately or allow to rest in the fridge for a few hours before your guests arrive, toss again and check the seasoning (it may need extra salt and vinegar/oil).