Adding cheese to a salad takes it to a whole new level, especially in combination with fresh herbs.
At this time of year, with basil so plentiful, it’s worth making a batch of pesto oil to have on hand. When the oil is used as a salad dressing, the result is nothing short of transformational. At my local farmers’ market, big bunches of borage lie among the herbs and lettuces, and although the stems are hairy and unsuitable for eating, the beautiful edible flowers have a flavour reminiscent of cucumber. Use them with a thick slice of cucumber to garnish a long gin and tonic or to delicately garnish a summer salad.
Feta is my usual go-to cheese whenever I am looking for a sharp, salty bite to add to a salad. For a perfect breakfast, I crumble it over an avocado that has been spread on warm toast, often adding chopped mint. Feta can be baked with olive oil and garlic, crushed into a lunchtime omelette with chopped ripe tomatoes or, as we did recently, baked and served as a first course with roasted kumara.
Kumara, Feta and Rocket Salad with Pumpkin Seeds and Basil Pesto Dressing
3 kumara
4 tbsp olive oil
1½ tsp ground coriander
salt
300g feta cheese
3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
a handful of rocket leaves
borage flowers
dressing
1 cup basil leaves
½ cup olive oil
30g pine nuts, toasted and cooled
2 garlic cloves, peeled
zest of 1 lemon
60g parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Wash the unpeeled kumara, then cut each one into 8 long wedges. Place the wedges in a roasting dish and toss with the oil, ground coriander and a good sprinkling of salt. Cook in the oven until tender and golden brown – about 30 minutes.
While the kumara cooks, place the feta in a small ovenproof dish and drizzle with a little olive oil. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Scatter the pumpkin seeds over the kumara and leave until lightly toasted. This will take a couple of minutes, so add them just before the kumara is ready to come out of the oven. Set the feta and kumara aside to cool. Tip any oil from the roasting pan and feta dish into a bowl, add the balsamic vinegar, rocket leaves and borage flowers and toss gently.
Divide the kumara between serving plates. Slice the warm feta into blocks – it may crumble but that doesn’t matter – and place a piece over the kumara. Top with a spoonful of pesto. Pile on the rocket leaves and sprinkle the pumpkin seeds and borage flowers around the salad, spooning any leftover dressing around the plate.
To make the dressing, put the basil leaves in a bowl and toss with a little of the olive oil, then put the mixture into a food processor. Add the remaining oil, pine nuts, garlic and zest. Blend until smooth, then stir in the parmesan. Line a sieve with a large piece of muslin, then place over a bowl. Tip the pesto into the muslin and set aside. Allow the oil to drip through slowly for at least 4 hours. Keep the contents of the sieve in a sealed container in the refrigerator for another use, and pour the oil into an airtight bottle.
Serves 4.
I have A bit of a thing for cold, fresh peas. They are a summer ingredient that I use whenever possible, most often with the cooling juiciness of a cucumber. On a hot day there is much to be gained from a delicate vegetable that is 90% water. That said, the salad that follows is perked up by the gentle heat of the wasabi-spiked crème fraîche.
Smoked Salmon with Cucumber, Peas and Wasabi Crème Fraîche
200g peas (podded weight)
2 spring onions
1 clove of garlic
salt and pepper
½ a cucumber
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp olive oil
200ml crème fraîche
1 heaped tsp wasabi powder
200g hot-smoked salmon
Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook the peas for 3-4 minutes, then drain through a colander and refresh under cold running water. Trim and finely chop the whites of the spring onions. Finely chop the garlic. Tip the peas into a bowl and toss with the spring onions and garlic, seasoning with salt and pepper. Peel the cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and remove the seeds using a teaspoon. Slice the cucumber into 2cm chunks and add to the peas with the lemon zest, juice and oil. Season with a little salt and toss through the cucumber and peas.
In a bowl thoroughly mix the crème fraîche, wasabi powder and a pinch of salt, then set aside.
Divide the salad between the serving plates. Pull the salmon into rough flakes, pile on top of the salad and finish with a spoonful of crème fraiche.
Serves 4.
I AM A recent convert to haloumi – previously I found the rubbery, squeaky texture of this cheese offputting. But watching somebody scoop thick slabs of fried golden-brown cheese onto warm bread convinced me I should at least try it. A mixture of goats’ and sheeps’ milk, haloumi has a layered texture that is perfect for grilling and frying, and its high melting point means it retains its shape and loses none of its salty flavour.
Fried Haloumi with Tomatoes, Lentils and Almonds
300g cherry tomatoes
120ml olive oil
salt and pepper
200g haloumi
flour to coat the haloumi
2 tbsp sliced almonds
Salad
200g French green lentils
a handful of flat-leaf parsley
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Toss the tomatoes in a bowl with some of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow roasting dish and roast for 30 minutes until the tomatoes begin to burst. Remove from the oven and set aside. Slice the haloumi thickly and dust each piece in flour.
Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and cook the haloumi for 2-3 minutes each side, until golden brown. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Return the pan to the heat and quickly brown the almonds.
To make the salad, rinse the lentils under cold running water, then place in a saucepan of water. Boil for about 15 minutes – until just tender.
Drain and place in a bowl. Coarsely chop the parsley leaves and stir into the lentils. Add the oil and vinegar, toss together and season with salt. Set aside.
Spoon the lentil salad onto serving plates with the tomatoes. Top with the haloumi, scatter the almonds over the top and spoon any remaining dressing around the plate.
Serves 4.