Saturday 9 August 2014

Satisfying Summer Salad


This salad is so easy to make. So much so that I wasn't sure it deserved a post, but I decided that this combo of ingredients is just too tasty not to share. This is great for those summer days where it is too hot for a heavy lunch but you want something to satisfy your hunger.  
It is somewhat based on a Waldorf salad, so if you like that, hopefully you will love this. I never used to be a fan of fruits in salads or nuts in general but somehow this one has managed to win me over.
Now I know those of us who are student cooks have to cope with a teeny tiny section of the kitchen and are very conscious of how much washing up things will involve. All you will use for this is
  • Chopping board
  • Knife
  • Fork
  • Baking tray
  • Dressing container
The Recipe 

Ingredients (for one portion) 



  • Enough mixed salad to fill your bowl
  • Four cherry tomatoes (plum are tastier but cherry or large are cheaper)
  • 1 celery stick, washed
  • 1/2 pear (conference pears are my favourite but any will do)
  • 1 small handful of walnuts 
  • 1 pack of goats cheese
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 a tablespoon mustard
  • 1/2 tablespoon agave syrup
  • 1/3 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Method
  • Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius 
  • Place your whole chunk of goats cheese on a baking tray and put in the oven for 7-15 minutes depending on the shape of your cheese
  • Fill the bowl you will be serving in with salad
  • Now all you have to do is chop your ingredients: halve your tomatoes, slice your celery, roughly chop your pear into bite-size pieces. Break up your walnuts a bit too. Scatter these toppings over your lettuce leaves.




  • To make this simple dressing combine your oil, vinegar, mustard and agave syrup with a fork until the ingredients are fairly well mixed.
  • Pour the dressing over your salad-I tend to use half of what I have made and save the rest for another time.
  • Your goats cheese should be nice and melted now, it may start to ooze out which is absolutely fine-in fact the more ooze the better. Pop it on top of your salad and voila-a satisfying summer salad. 


Variations

This also works great with blue cheese instead, and the pear can be swapped for half an apple. Beetroot and spring onions also compliment the flavours of this salad. 

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