Have you been making the same side salads for barbecues, picnics and pot luck for years? In this two-part series we take humble side salads – bean, potato, coleslaw, pasta, Greek, zucchini, corn, broccoli, cucumber and carrot, and give them a bit of a makeover. Some more drastic than others but all totally delicious and simple to make…so let’s start with…corn salad in – 10 summer side salads get a makeover – part 2.
Fresh corn is blanched then shaved off the cob and tossed with fresh basil, peppers, black beans, bacon, jalapenos and tossed with a smoky, sweet dressing. I call this a “side salad” but it’s so good you’ll want to eat it – as is.
corn salad with smoky dressing
2017-06-22 11:58:01
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Ingredients
- 5 ears of corn, shucked
- salt & freshly ground pepper
- 10 slices of bacon, cooked according to package directions
- 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 large red bell peppers, trimmed & diced
- 15.5oz (439g) can black beans, rinsed & drained
- 2 jalapeno peppers, trimmed, seeded & diced
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus extra to serve
- SMOKY SWEET DRESSING
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
Instructions
- To make the dressing: Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add corn and cook, uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes or until corn is bright yellow. Remove corn from pot and place in large bowl of cold water; drain. Run knife down each corn cob to remove kernels. Place corn in a bowl.
- Dice cooked bacon and add to corn.
- Add green onion, peppers, black beans, jalapeno and chopped basil; toss to combine.
- Drizzle with dressing just before serving. Top with extra basil leaves. Serves 8.
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It’s a little harder to give a Greek salad a makeover because certain elements have to remain to retain its name and the true essence of the salad. I used sheep feta, some tiny capers, fresh oregano, small campari tomatoes, little cucumbers and a lemony dressing. This one is a definite keeper.
greek salad
2017-06-22 12:00:46
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Ingredients
- 12 Campari tomatoes*, quartered
- 4 small cucumbers, sliced
- 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
- 6 oz (170g) sheep feta cheese, drained and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- small oregano leaves for garnish
- LEMON OREGANO DRESSING
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- To make the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a jar with a screw-top lid; shake until well mixed.
- Place all ingredients in a serving bowl and carefully toss. Drizzle with dressing just before serving.
Notes
- Notes: * Campari tomatoes are about my most favorite. Known for their low acidity and sweetness I find they’re constantly of excellent quality with no mealiness. They’re also a beautiful deep red color and their size is larger than a cherry tomato and smaller than a regular-sized vine-ripened tomato. If you can’t find campari tomatoes, use vine-ripened tomatoes or large cherry tomatoes. As with all tomatoes, don’t store them in the fridge.
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Broccoli chop salad – I roasted the broccoli in a hot oven for the briefest time, but enough to make it go bright green and take away the rawness. Then I tossed it with some carrot, apple, dried cranberries and drizzled it in the yummiest satay dressing ever. Much better!
broccoli chop salad with satay dressing
2017-06-22 12:03:22
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Ingredients
- 6 generous cups chopped broccoli, approximately
- pinch of salt & freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup toasted sliced almonds
- 1 cup coarsely grated carrots
- 1 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1 large apple, with peel, chopped
- SATAY DRESSING
- 1/3 cup peanut (or nut) peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or honey)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped peeled ginger
- 1 tablespoon sambal oelek (chili paste)
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- pinch salt
Instructions
- To make the dressing: Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor; blend until smooth; set aside.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss with salt & pepper on the prepared baking sheet. Spread broccoli into a single layer. Roast for 5 minutes or until bright green; transfer to a large bowl to cool.
- Add cranberries, almonds, carrot, green onion and apple to a large bowl; toss to combine.
- Drizzle with dressing; toss to coat.
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I added chopped apple, dried cranberries and toasted pecans. This is really delicious with smoked meats, grilled pork and chicken.
creamy carrot & pecan salad
2017-06-22 12:07:37
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Ingredients
- 4 cups coarsely grated carrots
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup diced apple
- 1/3 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
- DRESSING
- 1/3 cup whole egg mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- pinch salt
Instructions
- To make the dressing: Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until well combined.
- Toss carrot, cranberries, apple and pecans together in a medium bowl. Drizzle with dressing and stir to coat.
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grilled veggie pasta salad with basil dressing
2017-06-22 12:14:03
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Ingredients
- 2 small eggplants, cut lengthways into thin slices
- 2 large bell peppers (capsicum), halved & seeds removed
- 1 large red onion, peeled & thickly sliced
- olive oil for brushing on veggies
- 14 oz (396g) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
- salt & freshly ground pepper
- 1 lb (453g) box penne brown rice pasta (or pasta of your choice)
- 1/2 cup diced Asiago cheese
- 1/2 cup small basil leaves, to serve
- 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts, optional
- BASIL DRESSING
- 1 cup packed basil leaves
- 1/2 cup finely grated fresh Asiago cheese
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons white balsamic
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- pinch salt & freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- To make the dressing: Place all ingredients in a blender; blend until mixture forms a thick dressing. Add a little extra water if dressing is too thick; check the seasoning; set aside.
- Preheat grill to medium-high. Brush veggies with a little olive oil. Cook eggplant about 3 minutes each side until softened & grill marks appear. Chop into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces. Place in medium bowl.
- Cook peppers, skin-side down, 3 to 4 minutes until blackened & blistered. Peel away skin & discard. Cut flesh into thin strips. Add to other eggplant. Cook onion slices about 3 to 4 minutes each side until softened and grill marks appear. Chop onion or separate into rings; add to eggplant. Add artichokes and half the dressing and stir to coat. Cover & refrigerate 1 to 3 hours, if time permits; stirring occasionally.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente. Cool under cold running water. Drain thoroughly. Drizzle with a little oil to prevent pasta sticking together, if desired.
- Toss pasta, marinated veggies, cheese and remaining dressing. Arrange in a serving bowl. Top with basil leaves and pine nuts if desired.
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