Rose Elliot’s New Complete Vegetarian
Salads are fantastically versatile and so easy to make. I love their vibrant colours, contrasting textures and delightful flavours. Plus, there’s the added bonus of no slaving over a hot stove!
You can eat salads for almost any meal of the day and they can play various roles. Some, such as endive salad or fennel and cucumber salad, make great accompaniments; others, like the great veggie caesar, can be wonderful starters or main courses, depending on portion size. You can complement any salad with whatever you fancy, such as fresh bread or potatoes.
Dressings are also quick and simple to make at home; I really don’t know why anyone buys them. It’s much better to spend your money on good-quality olive oil and various vinegars, starting with some red wine vinegar and adding others as you go, plus sea salt. Make the dressing straight into the salad bowl each time, or whisk up enough for several salads and keep in the fridge – as convenient as any bought dressing but a million times nicer!
Avocado dressing v
A luxurious and pretty dressing that I like on almost any salad. Try it on top of a red bean salad with a base of shredded lettuce.
SERVES 4–6
1 large ripe avocado
juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp red wine or cider vinegar
1 tbsp best-quality extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco sauce or curry powder (optional)
Halve, stone and skin the avocado. Put the flesh into a blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients and whiz to a luscious pale green cream. Alternatively, put the ingredients into a deep bowl and use a hand blender.
You can perk up the flavour with a drop or two of Tabasco sauce or a pinch or two of curry powder.
Balsamic dressing with honey and mustard
This is a lovely sweet and tangy dressing, particularly good with slightly bitter salad leaves, though really it’s delicious on almost anything. For a vegan version, use agave syrup or maple syrup instead of the honey.
MAKES ABOUT 150ML (5FL OZ)
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
Either whisk the ingredients together in a bowl or put them into a screw-top jar and shake to combine. The latter is a handy way of making it because you can then keep the jar in the fridge.
Shake or whisk the dressing again before serving.
VARIATION
Balsamic dressing with garlic
Add a crushed garlic clove to the dressing and mix well.
Balsamic dressing with chilli and soy
Make as described, adding 1 tablespoon of soy sauce such as tamari and 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced.
Feta dressing
This tangy dressing is made with feta cheese. It’s a great way of adding protein as well as flavour to a salad.
SERVES 4
200g (7oz) feta cheese, drained and broken into pieces
5–6 tbsp milk
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Simply whiz everything together to a cream using an electric hand blender, liquidiser or food processor.
Honey and cider vinegar dressing
A sweet dressing that’s especially good on a shredded cabbage salad.
SERVES 2–4
1 tbsp clear honey
1 tbsp cider vinegar
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
Thoroughly combine all the ingredients in a bowl or screw-top jar.
VARIATION
Honey and mint dressing
Made by adding 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon concentrated mint sauce to the main recipe.
Easy blender mayonnaise
Here, the use of a blender makes it easy to produce a creamy, delicious mayo every time. You could use entirely olive oil, or half groundnut or grapeseed oil and half olive oil, as here, which gives a lighter flavour.
MAKES ABOUT 200ML (7FL OZ)
1 egg
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp mustard powder
2–3 grindings of black pepper
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
100ml (3½fl oz) olive oil mixed with 100ml (3½fl oz) groundnut or grapeseed oil
Break the egg straight into the blender and add the salt, mustard, pepper, vinegar and lemon juice.
Blend for 1 minute at medium speed or until everything is well mixed, then turn the speed up to high and gradually add the oil, drop by drop, through the hole in the lid of the blender.
When you’ve added about half the oil, you will hear the motor change to a ‘glug-glug’ noise and then you can add the rest of the oil more quickly, in a thin stream.
If the consistency of the mayonnaise seems a bit on the thick side, you can thin it with a little hot water.
Lemon mayonnaise
You can use homemade mayonnaise made by the traditional or the blender method, or you can use good-quality bought mayonnaise. I find this variation particularly lovely as a sauce for dishes, such as the new potato, pea and mint frittata or lentil croquettes; it adds a deliciously fresh yet rich note that complements them.
SERVES 4
4 heaped tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
1–6 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the mayonnaise into a bowl and stir in the finely grated lemon rind. Add the lemon juice gradually, tasting as you go, to get the mixture the right degree of sharpness for you. I like to use the whole amount, but then I love lemon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Traditional-method mayonnaise
Making mayonnaise by hand is hard work, but you get a beautiful, creamy result and it’s very satisfying to see the mixture gradually thicken as you whisk in the oil.
MAKES 200–275ML (7–10FL OZ)
2–3 egg yolks
4 tsp salt
4 tsp mustard powder 2 or 3 grindings of black pepper
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
200–275ml (7–10fl oz) olive oil and groundnut oil, mixed
Put the egg yolks into a bowl and add the salt, mustard, pepper, vinegar and lemon juice.
Whisk for a minute or two until everything is well mixed and creamy, then start to add the oil, just a drop at a time, whisking hard after each addition.
When you have added about half the oil, the mixture will begin to thicken and look like mayonnaise, and then you can add the oil a little quicker, still whisking hard.
Go on whisking in the oil until the mixture is really thick – if you use three egg yolks you will probably be able to use 275ml (10fl oz) of oil, otherwise about 200ml (7fl oz) will be enough.
If the consistency of the mayonnaise seems a bit on the thick side, you can thin it with a little boiling water.
Mayonnaise and yoghurt dressing
You can use either homemade mayonnaise or a good-quality bought one for this.
SERVES 4
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
Simply mix everything together.
Ricotta mayonnaise
My daughter Meg invented this dressing, which tastes very much like mayonnaise but contains only a fraction of the calories. You can vary the flavour by adding ½ teaspoon of Dijon mustard and you can also add a little skimmed milk if you want a thinner consistency.
SERVES 6–8
2 tbsp natural yoghurt
125g (4oz) ricotta
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Simply mix everything together to a smooth cream.
Soured cream dressing
Creamy and sweet and sour, this adds a touch of luxury to many green salads.
SERVES 6
275ml (10fl oz) soured cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground white pepper
Just mix all the ingredients together until creamy. Keep in a covered container in the fridge for 4–5 days.
Tahini dressing v
The creamy texture and slightly bitter flavour of this dressing is addictive. It goes well with almost any vegetable or pulse salad. Try adding some chopped fresh herbs such as flat-leaf parsley or chives.
SERVES 2–4
1 heaped tbsp tahini
2 tbsp cold water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the tahini into a bowl and gradually beat in the water and lemon juice. The mixture will be lumpy at first, but will gradually get light and fluffy as you beat in the liquid.
Add the garlic (if using) season to taste.
Tofu dressing v
This dressing, made from tofu or bean curd, is a bit like mayonnaise but considerably more nutritious and lower in oil. This is also nice with some chopped fresh herbs or spring onions added.
MAKES ABOUT 35OML (12FL OZ)
300g packet tofu – from health-food shops
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp muscovado sugar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
If you’ve got a blender, simply whiz all the ingredients together until combined. Or put the ingredients into a deep mixing bowl and use a hand blender.
Alternatively, put the tofu into a bowl and whisk until smooth, then add the vinegar, mustard and sugar and whisk again. Next beat in the oil, a little at a time. Season with salt and pepper.
Vinaigrette v
When I’m making this to dress a salad, I usually make it straight into the salad bowl, mix quickly and put the salad in on top. But if you need it for pouring over a salad, or for serving with avocados, for instance, it’s easiest to make it by shaking all the ingredients together in a clean screw-top jar, and for this you may want to double the quantities given here. Store in the jar in the fridge for up to a week.
SERVES 4–6
1 tbsp wine vinegar (preferably red)
3–4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix everything together, adding plenty of seasoning. Some chopped fresh herbs, a crushed garlic clove, also a little mustard and a dash of sugar, can be added to vary the flavour. You can also use different vinegars, such as cider or raspberry vinegar for a fruity flavour, balsamic vinegar for a rich, slightly sweet, mellow flavour, or rice vinegar, which is light and delicate.
VARIATION
Walnut vinaigrette v
Make as described, with 1–2 tablespoons of walnut oil replacing the same quantity of olive oil. Adding a crushed garlic clove also works well.
Yoghurt and green herb dressing
This is a fresh-tasting, slightly sharp dressing that’s good with most salad.
SERVES 4–6
275ml (10fl oz) natural yoghurt
1–2 heaped tbsp finely chopped fresh herbs, especially flat-leaf parsley, also chives and mint
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the yoghurt into a bowl and stir in the chopped herbs, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
VARIATION
Yoghurt and spring onion dressing
Make as in the main recipe, using 3 tablespoons of chopped spring onions instead of the chopped herbs.
How to sprout beans, grains and lentils v
Sprouted beans, grains and lentils may sound a bit ‘knit your own yoghurt', but it’s worth doing as they can add an interesting, crunchy element to salads and are highly nutritious, being rich in vitamins and minerals and containing high-quality protein.
Sprouting is easy to do. All you need is a jar (a big coffee jar is ideal), a piece of muslin or J cloth to go over the top, secured with an elastic band, and some beans or seeds. Most types are suitable, with the exception of red kidney beans and large beans like butter beans. Good ones to use are chickpeas, whole lentils, sunflower seeds, mung beans, aduki beans. Or you can buy some ready-made mixes of seeds and beans, which take the same amount of time to sprout.
Put half a cupful of your chosen beans or seeds into your jar, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 8–12 hours. Put the piece of muslin or J cloth over the top of the jar. Then drain off the water, fill the jar with fresh water, swish it round and then pour it all out again. All this can be done without removing the muslin or J cloth, which prevents the seeds or beans falling out. This rinsing has to be repeated twice a day, to keep the seeds damp (but they mustn’t be left soaking in water or they’ll rot rather than sprout). When I’m sprouting seeds, I keep them by the sink to remind me about the rinsing. They’re ready when they’re grown a little tail – usually in 2–4 days. They can be used straight away, added to salads and sandwiches, or kept in the fridge for several days.
Salads
Aigroissade
I love this French chickpea and vegetable salad, but with its creamy mayonnaise dressing it’s too high in fat and calories to enjoy very often. So I’ve gradually evolved ways of lightening it up. Chargrilled artichoke hearts can be bought from the deli section of any large supermarket.
SERVES 4–6
125g (4oz) chickpeas, soaked and cooked until tender or 400g can
350g (12oz) each of cooked carrots and cooked cut green beans
tub of chargrilled artichoke hearts
6 rounded tbsp natural yoghurt
6 rounded tbsp mayonnaise
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper crisp lettuce and watercress
chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Drain the chickpeas and put them into a large bowl with the carrots and beans.
Halve the artichoke hearts and add them to the bowl.
To make the dressing, put the yoghurt, mayonnaise, garlic and vinegar into a small bowl and mix well together until creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix carefully until everything is well coated.
Line a serving dish with lettuce leaves and watercress, spoon the vegetable mixture on top and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Alfalfa slaw v
SERVES 4–6
450g (1lb) grated cabbage
2 carrots, grated
125g (4oz) alfalfa sprouts
balsamic dressing
Mix together all the vegetables, then add enough vinaigrette to moisten.
Avocado and mushroom salad v
Made with fresh, tightly closed button mushrooms and ripe avocado, this is delicious.
SERVES 4
450g (1lb) baby button mushrooms
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 avocados
2 tbsp lemon juice
1–2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Wash the mushrooms, pat dry on kitchen paper and slice thinly. Put the slices into a bowl, add the vinegar, olive oil and some salt and pepper, and mix well. Leave to one side for 1 hour.
Just before you want to serve the salad, halve each avocado, remove the stone and peel. Cut the flesh into fairly large dice and sprinkle with the lemon juice.
Add to the mushrooms, together with the chopped chives, and mix gently.
Sprouted bean salad with carrots and spring onions v
In this salad, sprouted beans are combined with grated carrots, tomatoes, watercress and spring onions. It’s very vitalising!
SERVES 4
2 handfuls of mixed sprouts such as mung, chickpea, aduki and sunflower
350g (12oz) carrots, coarsely grated
4 large tomatoes, sliced
small bunch of spring onions, chopped
120g packet mixed baby leaf salad
80g packet watercress
vinaigrette dressing
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix gently. Add enough vinaigrette to moisten the salad and make it glisten. Season with a little salt and pepper and serve.
VARIATION
Layered sprouted bean salad with tahini dressing v
This is particularly attractive arranged in layers in a glass bowl, with tahini dressing poured over the top.
Beansprout, mushroom and celery salad with coriander v
This is a bit like a salad stir-fry! You could even serve it with some hot cooked rice or noodles.
SERVES 4
1 stick of celery, finely sliced
225g (8oz) beansprouts
175g (6oz) very fresh button mushrooms, finely sliced
a bunch of spring onions, sliced
a small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
grated rind and juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
dash of clear honey, maple or agave syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Put the celery, bean sprouts, sliced mushrooms, spring onions and coriander in a bowl and mix gently.
Add the grated lime rind and juice, the sesame and olive oil and the soy sauce. Mix until everything is coated. Have a taste and add clear honey, maple or agave syrup, salt and pepper to taste.
Three-bean salad with mustard dressing v
Thin green French beans, tender broad beans and kidney beans in a tangy mustard dressing.
SERVES 4
225g (8oz) thin French beans, trimmed
225g (8oz) frozen broad beans
1 tbsp Dijon or wholegrain mild mustard
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Cook the French beans in a little fast-boiling water for 4–5 minutes, or until just tender. Thaw the broad beans by putting them in a sieve under the hot tap, then add to the same pan and cook for about 4 minutes. Drain all the beans, refresh by putting them under the cold tap to preserve the colour, and drain again.
Mix the dressing straight into a large serving bowl, adding the mustard, oil, vinegar and some salt and pepper, and mixing together.
Add the kidney beans to the bowl, the cooked beans and the chopped parsley, and mix until all the beans are glossy with the dressing.
You can serve this salad straight away, but it’s even better left to stand for an hour or so, to let the flavours blend.
Black and white bean salad with lemon thyme v
Bean salads are especially attractive when made from two or more contrasting beans and this is a particularly lovely combination.
SERVES 4–6
400g can black beans
400g can cannellini beans
½ tsp mustard powder
½ tsp soft dark brown sugar
4 tsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped lemon thyme (or other fresh herbs as available)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Drain and rinse the beans.
Put the mustard, sugar and vinegar into a large bowl and mix together, then add the oil, herbs, beans and seasoning.
Mix gently, then, if there is time, leave for at least 30 minutes for the flavours to develop. Serve in a shallow bowl.
Beetroot, apple and celery salad v
This is a pleasant mixture of contrasting tastes and textures: soft, earthy-flavoured beetroot, crunchy sweet apple and salty celery.
SERVES 4–6
350g (12oz) cooked beetroot – with or without skin, but with no added vinegar
2 sweet eating apples
1 heart of celery
cider vinegar vinaigrette
a few sprigs of watercress
50g (2oz) shelled walnuts, chopped
If the beetroot still has its skin on, peel it off and rinse the beetroot under the tap. Cut into chunky dice and place in a bowl.
Peel, core and dice the apples. Slice the celery and add both to the bowl.
Mix the salad, adding enough vinaigrette to make it glossy. Put into a salad bowl, serving dish or divide between individual plates, adding a few sprigs of watercress and sprinkling with chopped walnuts.
Beetroot and horseradish salad v
A curiously pleasant mixture of flavours and textures, this salad makes a good accompaniment to cold savoury dishes.
SERVES 4
700g (1½lb) cooked beetroot (with no added vinegar)
1 eating apple
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1–2 tbsp horseradish sauce
Peel and dice the beetroot and the apple. Put them into a bowl with the caraway seeds, sugar, vinegar and horseradish sauce and mix them all together lightly. Chill in the fridge before serving.
Raw beetroot salad v
Raw beetroot is said to contain enzymes that are particularly valuable for health, and features in many natural cancer cures. It is also said to contain a substance that helps to break up fat deposits in the body and thus aid slimming! In any case, I like the sweet, earthy flavour and vibrant ruby colour of it; try it in this tasty main course salad.
SERVES 4
225–350g (8–12oz) raw beetroot
4 eating apples
4 sticks of celery, finely sliced
4 tbsp raisins