Salads

Pumpkin,Spinach and Walnut Salad/

Prosciutto, Fig and Mixed leaves Salad

A salad is one of the best ways to make the most of seasonal ingredients, lightly cooked, tossed in flavourful dressings, served hot warm or cold. Throughout my blog I will introduce some new salads I've experimented with along with a few twists to old favourites. I encourage you to experiment with different vinegars and oils, its amazing what this can do to your standard salad.

Pumpkin, Spinach and Walnut Salad

Ingredients
1 small butternut pumpkin peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
100g baby leeks sliced on the diagonal
170g baby spinach
70g toasted walnuts
3 rashes bacon cut into thin strips
1/3 cup apple balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup pumpkin seed oil
salt and pepper

Method
Toss the pumpkin in 2tb of olive oil,season with salt and pepper and roast for 15mins or until cooked.
In a dry pan toast the walnuts do not burn.
In the same pan fry the bacon and leeks until crisp.
In a small jar combine the vinegar and oil season with salt and pepper.
Once the pumpkin has cooled slightly combine all the ingredients together and pour over the dressing.

Prosciutto, Fig and Mixed leaves

Ingredients
170g mixes salad leaves
8 slices prosciutto
6 ripe figs quartered
20g shaved Parmesan
1/3 cup raspberry balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup walnut oil

Method
Combine the oil and vinegar in a jar shake well.
Arrange the remaining ingredients on a platter and pour over the dressing.



Different oils and Vinegars at Madinat Jumeria












 

Use these salads as a guide, feel free to add different ingredients, for example you could use different nuts or different salad leaves. I urge you to try different dressings, always taste the dressing before you dress your salad you may feel it needs more seasoning, or more oil your the best judge of this.
Have Fun!!!!!!