dressing | Canalside Community Food - Part 2

Vicki Behm is an outstanding cook, and this is a very good salad. As the name implies, it keeps well, in addition to being tasty. Consider packing some in a box to take to work for lunch. I think you could use other types of green olive if you don’t have any Castelvetrano olives to hand. Make-Ahead Lentil Salad, 4 servings Ingredients 1 large bunch kale12 ounces (measured in a measuring jug) of puy lentils3 spring onions4 garlic cloves1 lemon4 tablespoons olive oil4 tablespoons raw almonds, coarsely chopped1 tablespoon cumin seeds½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes140g feta150g Castelvetrano olives, crushed

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What are you going to do with all those cucumbers? This salad is a tasty way to enjoy them. It combines a touch of sweetness from the dried fruit with feta’s salty kick, and the richness of toasted walnuts. Note the enormous quantity of sumac, which brings a bright, lemony note. We ate this for lunch along with some brown bread. It would probably also be good alongside a piece of grilled fish, or a little lamb chop. Cucumber, Walnut, Feta and DillServes 2 for lunch. IngredientsSalad500g (or about 2) cucumbers, cut into matchsticks or spiralised20g dill (or mixed dill

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Fresh tarragon is lovely with potatoes. You can augment this salad with hard-cooked eggs or olives, if you like. It’s good on its own, and also as part of a meze spread. Warm Tarragon and Potato SaladServes 4 as a side dish Ingredients4 large waxy potatoes1 medium red onionzest and juice of 1 large lemon4 tablespoons olive oil½ teaspoon saltseveral grinds of pepper20g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped PreparationPut the potatoes in a pan with cold water. Bring slowly to the boil and then simmer gently over very low heat until tender. Depending on the size of your potatoes this could

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This salad is in honour of my younger son Isaac, who has moved to Peckham, home of Sally Butcher’s wonderful restaurant Persepolis. The recipe is adapted from Butcher’s 2011 Veggiestan. The combination of crispy, raw carrot and sweet, roasted beetroot works well with the orangey balsamic dressing. The original recipe includes several sweet potatoes alongside the beetroot. If you’d like to include these, peel and boil for about 15 minutes, and then toss with the other ingredients. Beetroot and Orange Saladserves 4 as a side dish IngredientsSalad2 large beetroots1 large carrot, peeled and grated1 big handful of parsley, coarsely chopped

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With new season carrots appearing in the share for the first time this week, there’s an opportunity for an interesting way to use the fronds, saving them from the compost heap. Carrots tops have a grassy, parsley-like flavour that makes them ideal for blitzing into a quick and simple pesto. It’s sensational served with roasted carrots, spread on toast, tossed through pasta or stirred with a few glugs of olive oil to make a delicious salad dressing. Carrot top pesto IngredientsBunch of carrots (tops only) – for best results discard any tougher larger stems and just use the feathery ones½

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Everyone knows roasted vegetables are good. Adding a punchy caper and parsley vinaigrette makes them even better. You can use different vegetables (potatoes, say), and you can also vary the vinaigrette by adding harissa paste, or using basil or mint instead of parsley.Served with rice or another grain to soak up the vinaigrette, this makes a good weekday dinner. You can add some salted yoghurt if you want additional creaminess (and protein). Roasted Parsnips and Squash with Caper VinaigretteServes 3-4 IngredientsFor the roast veg700g parsnips, peeled700g squash or pumpkin120ml olive oil4 medium red onions (optional)4 sprigs of thyme2 sprigs of

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Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall describes this as a ‘River Cottage classic’, and it is easy to see why. The unctuous quality of roast squash combines well with the umami flavours of the mushrooms and cheese. It tastes rich and luxurious without being heavy or cloying.You can also use other cheese such as shavings of parmesan, or a hard goat’s cheese in place of the blue cheese. Warm Salad of Mushrooms and Roasted SquashServes 3-4 IngredientsSaladapprox. 1kg squash12 sage leaves4 garlic cloves, thickly sliced100ml rapeseed oillarge knob of butter300g mushrooms, thickly slicedLarge handful of rocket or mixed salad150g blue cheese, crumbledSalt and pepper

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Here we have a warm, sustaining main-course salad made bright with greens and the bite of mustard. It’s a good use of that parsnip that’s still in your fridge. You can make a meal of this, along with some good bread and a glass of red wine. Roast Parsnip, Watercress and Lentil SaladServes 3 IngredientsSalad5 medium parsnips2 tablespoons oilsalt and pepper125g Puy or green lentils2 bay leaves1 medium onion, unpeeledseveral parsley stems (optional)several big handfuls of watercress or rocketany hard cheese, to shave over the top Salad dressing1 clove garlic½ teaspoon salt1 teaspoon English mustard2 teaspoons runny honey1 tablespoon lemon

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Here is a simple salad with pumpkin and soba noodles. Thomasina Miers recommends this as a weekday lunch, and observes that it is equally good warm or cold. She also points out that the dressing is tasty on grilled chicken or fish, or sprouting broccoli. Miso-roast Pumpkin with NoodlesServes 4 Ingredients750g pumpkin3 tablespoons white miso2 tablespoons olive oil125g soba noodles500g red cabbage, shredded1 large handful coriander, coarsely chopped2 spring onions, finely slicedChile oil, to serve For the dressing2 tablespoons sesame oil2 tablespoons light soya sauce2 tablespoons lime juice2 tablespoons tahini or other sesame paste1 tablespoons honey1 clove garlic, peeled and

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This is an ideal recipe when you have 4 or 5 cucumbers looking at you from the bottom of your veg drawer. Smashing the cucumbers, which is apparently a classic Chinese recipe technique, changes the texture by making them more absorbent so they really soak up the dressing. It’s refreshing, easy, and makes an excellent accompaniment to an Asian-style noodle dish, such as this one for sesame noodles with smashed courgettes by Meera Sodha. (By the way, I served the noodle dish warm, which worked just fine.) Chinese Smashed Cucumbers with Sesame Oil and GarlicServes 4 as a side dish

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