Orange and Red Onion Salad

Cumin and mint give this refreshing salad a very Middle Eastern flavour. 

Small, seedless oranges are most suitable, if available.

Ingredients:

6 small oranges

2 red onions

15ml cumin seeds

5ml coarsely ground black pepper

15ml chopped fresh mint

90ml olive oil

Sea salt

Fresh mint sprigs and black olives, to serve

Method:

Slice the oranges thinly, working over a bowl to catch any juice. Holding each orange slice over the bowl, cut around with scissors to remove the peel and pith. Reserve the juice. Slice the onion thinly and separate into rings.

Arrange the orange and onion slices in layers in a shallow dish, sprinkling each layer with cumin seeds, black pepper, chopped mint, olive oil and salt to taste. Pour over the reserved orange juice.

Leave the salad to marinate in a cool place for about 2 hours. Scatter over the mint sprigs and black olives just before serving.

Sun Dried Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
12 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and divided
15ml red wine vinegar
90ml olive oil
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
5ml capers, drained
Sea salt, to taste
2.5ml freshly ground black pepper
250g orecchiette or other small pasta
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
250g fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
125ml good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced
250ml freshly grated parmesan
250ml packed basil leaves, julienned



Directions:
Add half the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to a food processor, and process until almost smooth.

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package in a large pot of seasoned boiling water until al dente. Drain well, then toss with the dressing in a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, mince the remaining sun-dried tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, remaining sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and basil to the salad. Toss to distribute evenly.

Season to taste and serve at room temperature.

Butter Bean, Tomato and Red Onion Salad

Serve this salad with toasted pitta bread for a fresh summer lunch, or as an accompaniment to meat cooked on the braai or barbecue.

To make a variation add a 200g tin of tuna. Drain and flake the tuna and stir into the bean salad. For extra colour and flavour, stir in a handful of pitted black olives and a handful of chopped fresh parsley or a teaspoonful of capers and a couple of gherkins, chopped or sliced.

To make a wholesome version of the Italian salad, Panzanella, tear half a loaf of ciabatta into bit size pieces and stir into the salad. Leave to stand for 20 minutes before serving.

Ingredients:

2 x 400g cans butter beans, rinsed and drained

4 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 red onion, finely sliced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

45ml herb infused olive oil

Method:

Mix together the beans, tomatoes and onions in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the oil.

Cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill for 20 minutes before serving.

Brinjal Mezze Salad

Tahini – sesame paste used as the essential ingredient of hummus – is useful to have on hand for dips and dressings. It also makes a healthy, ingenious addition to a vegetable salad. If you can’t get tahini, use a paste made from other nuts, such as macadamias, almonds or chestnuts with the addition of a little olive oil.

I like this salad a little more spicy than some, so I use 2-5ml of chilli powder and I also add 5ml of cumin seeds to the oil and allow it to get to the ‘popping stage’ to infuse the hot oil before frying the brinjal. As an extra special touch, garnish the salad with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Ingredients:

1 large brinjal (aubergine)

Salt

60ml olive oil

250ml pitted black olives

60ml chopped fresh parsley

30ml wine vinegar

30ml tahini

30ml lemon juice

1ml of chilli powder (use more if you want it spicier)

Method:

Wash the brinjal and cut it into sticks. Place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. After a half an hour, rinse with cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the brinjal over a medium heat until lightly browned. Drain on a paper towel and set aside to cool.

Once the brinjal has cooled, mix in the olives and parsley. Arrange on a serving platter.

Mix together the vinegar, tahini, lemon juice and chilli powder and drizzle over the salad.

Chicken Escalopes with Olive Butter

Chicken Escalopes with Olive Butter

Ingredients:

2 skinless chicken breasts

15ml olive oil

30ml fresh parsley, tarragon or oregano (or a mixture), chopped

Juice and zest of half a lemon

Freshly ground black pepper

25g butter

4 green or black olives, stoned and finely chopped

Method:

Place chicken breasts between two sheets of cling film and beat out to about 5mm thick with a rolling pin.

Mix the oil, half the chopped herbs, the lemon zest and juice in a shallow bowl. Add some pepper and coat the chicken in the lemon and herb mixture. Leave to marinade for 30 minutes.

To make the olive butter, soften the butter in a small bowl and add the olives and the rest of the herbs. Transfer to a small serving bowl and set aside until ready to use.

Heat a griddle pan to medium high. Press both escalopes on the griddle and leave for 4 minutes to ensure the chicken is sealed. Turn over and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Serve whole or cut into 2-3 pieces with the olive butter melting on top.

Italian Chicken with Olives and Peppers

Italian Chicken with Olives and Peppers

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs

15ml olive oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced

2 peppers, deseeded and sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

500g jar tomato and basil pasta sauce

200ml boiling water

50g black olives

Method:

Brown the chicken legs in the oil for 5 minutes, then set aside.

Add the onion and peppers to the pan and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a further minute.

Stir in the pasta sauce and 200ml boiling water. Return the chicken to the pan and stir in the olives. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with rice, pasta or couscous and a green salad on the side.