Tags
apricots, Asparagus, Balsamic vinegar, BBQ, beef tomato, cherry tomatoes, cold water, crushed, dinner, Extra virgin olive oil, free range chicken breasts, friends, garlic, grated, Hot Tuna and Sweetcorn Salad, ingredients, lemon juice, lemon zest, lunch, luscious green salad, olive oil, organic butter, pan, pan of salted water, peppery leaves, picnic, pitta, plates, red chilli, red onion, Red wine, roasting, rocket, salt and pepper, serve, slivers, soft, steaks, Summer chicken salad, tasty, trimmed, tuna, Vegan, very finely sliced, Watercress, Watercress and apricot pitta bread
How many times do you buy luscious green salad, only to find it limp and sad at the back of the fridge because you don’t know what to do with it?
Full of flavour, the peppery leaves of watercress and rocket contain essential vitamins and can be a great addition to any diet.
Whether you are having friends for dinner, planning an end of term BBQ or packing a picnic for the park, we are here to share some ideas of how to get the most out of your salad leaves.
Watercress and apricot pitta bread
This vegan option takes around 10 minutes to get ready and serves two, making it a quick, easy lunch that is light but tasty.
Ingredients
1 bag of watercress and rocket (washed)
4 ripe apricots
½ a head of fresh fennel
Extra virgin olive oil
Wholemeal pitta breads
For the dressing:
75ml of extra virgin olive oil
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
½ teaspoon of lemon zest
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper
To start, halve the apricots, cut them into slices, brush them with oil and place in a hot, dry pan and cook for a minute or so, turning so they are soft.
To make the dressing, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper, adding more lemon juice if required.
Toast and break open the pitta bread, add the salad and apricot slices, and enjoy.
Summer chicken salad
This is perfect for a mid-week treat or a lighter alternative to a full roast with all the trimmings.
Ingredients
2 free range chicken breasts
1 x bag of watercress and rocket
1 beef tomato, sliced
60ml olive oil
Large bunch of fresh asparagus, trimmed and washed
Salt and pepper to season
For the dressing
1 red onion, very finely sliced
1 red chilli, grated
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of cold water
Salt and pepper to season
Method
Start by making the dressing as giving it time to settle before eating makes it taste best. Ensure that the onion is finely sliced into slivers and the garlic is well crushed. Put all the ingredients into a glass bowl and beat with a fork until you have a smooth mixture. Pour into a jar and put in the fridge.
We would suggest either putting the chicken on the BBQ or roasting for around 25 minutes, using any left-over garlic plus salt and pepper to season.
Cook your asparagus for two minutes in boiling salted water, then drain and set aside.
Wash the watercress and place onto each plate, then add the chicken and asparagus before drizzling on your dressing – and enjoy.
Hot Tuna and Sweetcorn Salad
Ingredients
1 bag of watercress and rocket
2 fresh tuna steaks
Cherry tomatoes
2 fresh corn on the cob
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar to drizzle
A large knob of organic salted butter
Salt and vinegar
Method
Firstly, boil your corn on the cob in a pan of salted water, chop the tomatoes and wash them, together with the watercress and place on plates.
Next, cook the tuna steaks but do note, this doesn’t take long and burning can happen easily, so don’t walk away mid-cook! Brush the tuna lightly with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place the fish in a heated frying pan over a high heat and cook for just a couple of minutes, depending on how thick the steaks are. Then, turn the tuna over and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add a drizzle of the balsamic vinegar to the salad, place the tuna on the leaves, drain and butter the corn and enjoy with seasoning as required.
Team Pure Beauty
