Salami Salad with Griddled Asparagus

This isn’t so much a recipe as a setting out of groceries!  It’s one of my favourite summer light lunch salads and very adaptable to whatever you have to hand. 

The one I made today, for two of us, used : 

8 asparagus spears

Assorted salami (this was Felino and Coppa di Parma),

Mixed spinach, watercress, rocket and lamb’s lettuce leaves 

Simply prepare the asparagus by snapping the spears at the woody section and laying out in a griddle pan.  Drizzle with garlic olive oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. 

Lay the salad leaves and then the salami on the plate while the asparagus cooks, and place the cooked asparagus on top of the salami. 

Dress the plate with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. 

You could add a softly poached egg and a grating, or shaving of parmesan cheese if you want to.  I often do!

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Avocado Salsa

We first ate this soup when we were skiing at Beaver Creek several years ago.  It’s been hubby’s favourite ever since!  After tasting it again on our last holiday he asked me to make it for him.  This is my approximation of it.   

Instead of tortillas, I decided to lighten it by serving an avocado salsa with it.  There’s something about lime, avocado and coriander that always screams summer at me.  Probably because it takes me back to the ‘Delia Summer Collection Days’ of the early 90’s! 

For two of us, this was what I used : 

For the soup : 

1 tb olive oil

1 shallot

1 small clove of garlic

1 stick of celery

1 red chilli

1 bunch of coriander (stalks for the soup, leaves for the salsa)

1 green pepper

1 x 220g can of chopped tomatoes (1 cup)

1 x 220g can of red kidney beans (1 cup)

1 cup leftover cooked chicken

¼ tsp ground coriander

1 lime

¾ pint chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste 

For the salsa : 

½ small red chilli

The coriander leaves from above

The juice from ½ a lime

1 small avocado 

Finely chop the shallot, garlic, celery and coriander stalks and add to the pan containing 1tb of olive oil.  Add the ground coriander and sauté gently for 5 minutes. 

Rinse the kidney beans well and de-seed and chop the green pepper and red chilli. 

Add the tinned tomatoes, kidney beans, green pepper, red chilli, chicken stock and finally the cooked chicken (tear into bite sized chunks).  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Simmer gently for half an hour. 

While the soup is simmering you can prepare the salsa.  Simply chop the coriander leaves and pop into a serving bowl.  De-seed and chop the small chilli (or half of a chilli depending on the size and how hot you like it to be) and add to the coriander leaves.  Peel and chop the avocado and add to the chilli and coriander leaves.  Finally, squeeze over the juice of half a lime. 

When the soup is cooked, to give it a delicious light zing squeeze in the juice of the lime and stir through the soup. 

Serve the soup with the salsa heaped in the middle for a lovely light contrast.

Barley Salad

I came across some holiday photographs recently that were taken when we were in South Africa 6 years ago, they’ve spurred me on to get back on my healthy-eating plan!  After too much comfort food the tonnes have crept on and need to be shifted – fast! 

This is one of my favourite healthy eating salads.  Best when the grain is still slightly warm, but good cold too.  A handy and versatile salad, I’ve packed it for picnics and served it at barbecues in the summer.  Any leftovers make a handy packed-lunch for workers. 

The salad pictured used the following : 

1 cup of spelt (you can use pearl barley, spelt or faro)

1 tomato, de-seeded and cut into strips

1 red chilli, de-seeded and diced

2 spring onions, sliced finely

1 stick of celery, diced

½ a red pepper, diced

1 avocado

Salt & pepper to taste

Juice of a lemon

1tb extra virgin olive oil

Small bunch of parsley roughly chopped

Cook the grain according to the packet directions then simply strain through a sieve and rinse with cold water (not too much as you want the grain slightly warm); add the olive oil and lemon juice and stir then season well and add the rest of the salad ingredients.

This is a very versatile versatile salad, you can add almost anything to it.  I’ve often included fennel, olives, feta cheese, strips of chicken or ham.  You can use pretty much anything you have lying around or that takes your fancy!

I hope you enjoy!