COOK'S CLASS

CRISP GREEN SALAD WITH TAPENADE

Salads - much like desserts - allow full reign for imagination and creativity. Those composed with a fresh innovative touch can take the place of a main course at lunch or dinner.  

Consider using a variety of textures, flavours and colours.  And always add one intriguing note - for this recipe we've included a home-made olive tapenade. The combinations are endless and you can ring the changes quite simply with whatever is at hand or at its best.

There are three rules to remember when making a perfect salad: Use the finest, freshest ingredients, serve it lightly chilled, not warm and limp and make your own good dressing.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large cos lettuce
a variety of mixed salad leaves
1 small bunch rocket
½  tsp sugar
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
2 slices white bread, crusts removed and cut into small cubes
125 ml vegetable oil
2 fresh beetroot, cooked whole, peeled
1 small red onion, finely sliced
2 tbsp olive tapenade (made in advance)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Serves 4

You will need: a chopping board, a sharp cook’s knife, salad spinner, olive pitter (optional), serving platter, frying pan, blender, paper towels

STAGE 1:
Cos lettuce, known as romaine lettuce in America, has dark green oval leaves with a crisp pale green slightly bitter heart. It is traditionally used in Caesar salad. When cos is not available use another variety such as iceberg, but add a few frilly green and red leaves for variation. 

Always tear salad leaves rather than cut or shred them. Tear leaves apart and immediately drop into a bowl of cold water to soak thoroughly before their final rinse. Rinse cos lettuce, salad leaves and rocket thoroughly and spin dry. Place on a large platter, large enough for you to toss the salad comfortably. Add a light trace of sugar. 

There are rubbery, discoloured hard-boiled eggs and those that are perfectly cooked! Cover eggs with cold water and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stand 10-12 minutes in the water, covered. Place in cold water, crack lightly, then shell. Quarter and add hard-boiled eggs.

To ring the changes, add lightly cooked green beans, baby spinach and crisped slices of smoked beef or fine slices of smoked salmon. 

 

STAGE 2: 
Heat vegetable oil until hot but not smoking. Add small batches of bread cubes and gently fry until golden. Remove croutons instantly and drain on paper towels or brown paper. 

Slice beetroots into rounds. Stack slices and slice once again. Add to salad together with onion slices. 

Cover platter lightly with wax wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

 

STAGE 3:
TAPENADE: Stone 2 cups calamata olives. Gently press down on the top of each olive using the flat blade of a knife then remove the pip or use a pitter. (Do not use pre- stoned olives as they will have absorbed too much harsh vinegar.)  

Place in a blender and add about 4 tbsp of good olive oil, a dash of sea salt, freshly ground pepper and two cloves peeled garlic (optional). Blend until creamy. Put into a sterile glass jar, cover tightly and refrigerate. Can be stored for a couple of weeks - but it will be eaten long before then!

 

STAGE 4:
Dot salad with tapenade, sprinkle with apple cider vinegar. just before serving, sprinkle with vinegar, olive oil, sea salt and freshly milled pepper.

Although a good vegetable oil is perfect for frying croutons, keep to extra virgin olive oil for the dressing. 

Use a gentle apple cider vinegar, a good quality wine vinegar, or a genuine balsamic of excellent quality for the dressing. Be sparing with the vinegar, see that you have sea salt and a touch of fresh, finely ground black pepper.