Food : The Basics 1 : A ‘Main Meal’ Salad

Ok, so this is exciting. Today we are starting a new series here on JustB called ‘The Basics’. Every week I’ll post a recipe for an easy ‘basic’ recipe that is super helpful to have in your mental recipe repertoire. There will be things like roast chooks, cakes, pizzas and the like but today I’m kicking off with a recipe that brings salads right off the side-line and into the main game.

Please also send through any requests for recipes you’d like to see here.

‘Meal’ salads are easy to throw together and need only a little love and extra oomph in the to become great dinner (or lunch) options. And not just in summer. A big platter of seasonal salad with loads of flavour and texture sitting next to some crusty bread, garlic-y pizza or similar is my idea of the perfect Autumn supper. But If like me, you are also feeding people who might look pained if dinner consisted of only salad, regardless of how substantial it might be, then perhaps cook a few cutlets or schnitzels to serve on the side. Or maybe just a few boiled eggs for a more subtle protein hit.

If you can’t find (or don’t love quinces, swap for roasted beetroot or thinly sliced fresh pear or figs. If though you are a fan of quinces, jump over to Local is Lovely for three more quince recipes (these ones all sweet). Also, this dressing is delicious on pretty much anything and would also be great over a warm salad of roast pumpkin, grilled and thinly sliced venison or lamb or pork tenderloin with a few handfuls of rocket, some goat’s cheese and toasted almonds.

Quince and hazlenut salad

Warm quince and hazlenut salad with apple dressing and a garlic pizza
Serves 4

1 quince, peeled and quartered
1 star anise
2 cloves
750ml cloudy apple juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 large handful Tuscan kale, roughly torn
1/4 red cabbage, finely sliced
1/2 cup hazlenuts
1/4 cup olive oil
50g shaved parmesan or pecorino cheese

Pour the apple juice into a small saucepan, add the star anise, cloves and quinces and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about half an hour or until the quince is nice and soft. Remove the quince from the saucepan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Meanwhile place the hazlenuts in a dry frying pan and cook until just fragrant. Remove and tip into a clean tea towel. Rub so you remove most of the skins and set them aside too. Place the kale and cabbage on a nice serving platter and then make the dressing. Measure out 1 cup of the apple juice mixture used for poaching the quinces. Bring this to a rolling boil, add the sugar and vinegar and cook until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Let cool and then whisk in the olive oil. Add the quinces and hazlenuts to the platter and gently toss. Dress the salad with cooled dressing and then sprinkle with the cheese.

Pizza ‘bianca’
This is super easy and really makes the whole meal. But if you don’t have time to make the dough etc then maybe buy a nice flatbread or loaf of Turkish bread and heat it up in a nice hot oven then drizzle with the garlic oil as soon as it’s out. Slice into big chunks and plonk down next to the salad.

Pizza dough
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp caster sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp thyme leaves
olive oil
sea salt

Add the yeast, sugar and water together in a small bowl and let sit for about five minutes until nice and frothy. Mix the flour and salt together in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Tip in the yeast mixture and bring together, then either by hand or using the dough hook in your electric mixer; knead for 6 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Divide into four small balls and set aside on a floured board for 30 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 220C. Roll out dough balls into discs so the dough is nice and thin. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Mix this into a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, add the thyme and a little sea salt and brush this mixture over the pizzas. Cook for 10 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Are there some basic recipes missing from your life? Do you want to know how to make a really good chicken soup or a really good pasta sauce? Post your requests in the comments!

This post is part of Coles Fresh & Real campaign – fresh food made more inspiring.