Salads in all shades!
Who says summer says… every shade of salads for picnics, barbecues, parties with friends: it is the ideal seasonal meal! Summer vegetable salads (zucchini, pepper, tomato, eggplant…), potato salads, grilled vegetable salads, fruits and vegetables salads… There is a salad for everyone - both quick and easy to prepare!
The first reflex to adopt: always think of grilling vegetables on the barbecue when it’s in use! A flavourful way to cook them which also saves time. Red peppers as well as yellow peppers, zucchinis and eggplants will then be easy to make into a salad for another meal, seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, a bit of salt, a pinch of cumin or other spices. Our eggplant and red pepper salad is delicious with grilled chickpeas; whereas zucchini and eggplant with basil make for another beautiful and simpler salad.
Another great summer ally: cheese! Whether you love tomato and mozzarella, green salad with roasted goat’s cheese or feta, there is a lot to enjoy. Beware of salt: cheese contains some naturally so do not add too much in your vinaigrette… and the green bean, corn and comté salad will be yours! It should soon become one of your summer staples. If indeed you love green beans in salads, be careful when you cook them: keep them nice and crunchy, cooking them a minute less if necessary. Vinegar and lemon juice mixed with oil tend to soften them as they cook them further - think about that if you are making a lunchbox! Also, make sure to season the green beans once they are cold so they can keep their crunch. It’s the exact opposite to successfully make a potato salad: once cooked, season them when warm with our vinaigrette (oil, wine or cider vinegar, salt, pepper) directly in the salad bowl before letting them cool down for at least 4 hours. They will be soft and lightly perfumed by the sauce…
Another friend of vegetable salads? Fruits! Pieces of apple, watermelon, cherries cut in half, tangy strawberries mixing so well with baby spinach. It’s always a good idea to add fruits for crunch and sweetness such as with this grape and gorgonzola salad with a bit of new onions and finely chopped red peppers