Salads are the perfect meal for hot summer days. Easy and quick to prepare, healthy and full of flavour, salads appeal to young and old.
To achieve the best results, gently wash salad greens in cold water, drain well, then dry carefully with a paper towel. Alternatively, dry in a salad spinner. Dressings adhere better to dry leaves. Be gentle with the leaves and keep them loosely packed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
Salad greens can be dressed with a tempting variety of summer produce and seafood, as well as leftovers. For example: diced ham, tossed with cubed capsicum, pineapple chunks and creamy mustard dressing; smoked salmon, capers, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice; asparagus, sliced ripe peaches or nectarines and mozzarella; cubed watermelon, sliced mint leaves and diced feta; or thinly sliced lamb strips tossed in mint sauce with shaved parmesan.
Some salad ingredients need a degree of cooking, especially if you want to balance the meal with carbohydrates. Pasta and rice make excellent bases for hot weather meals and require up to 35 minutes of cooking. However, rice vermicelli noodles can be cooked by standing them in a bowl of boiling water. Couscous is a member of the same hot water-only club and you don't even need to drain it afterwards - just fluff it with a fork and combine it with summer specialties and a tasty dressing.
Tip: Perishable foods should be refrigerated at all times at 4C or colder. When shopping, take a chilly bin or a thermal insulated bag to carry home your chilled and frozen foods. This helps prevent nasty bacteria growing and multiplying.
