aindreas.com

Doing a Summer Salad Barbecue!
There are so many recipes I want to share, it is hard to know where to start. So, I’ll start like I cook. Naturally, organically, with my noise and eyes and hands. It’s Summer and what do I like to eat this time of year? Salads. Love them. And my favorite thing is to go down the country to do the catering for friends and family. So, what follows is what I would make for my friends and family. I hope you like. I will post more favorite easy to cook food.

Want to try good food? And more..

If I’m doing a barbecue somewhere, I like to be surprised. The hosts stock their cupboards with veg, fruit, condiments, meat, herbs and whatever they usually eat. I arrive and make up what comes to mind. It’s all very organic.
I like it if folk do some prep and do the meat/ or fish. Maybe do one of their favorite dishes before I come. Gives me a starting point. It could be as simple having some fresh new season potatoes on the boil. And also I like to see that they’ve got some nice cuts of meat. Simple is what I like. The meat could be barbecue sausages from the supermarket. Some simple lamb chops, beef burgers made in the local butchers. While the meat is cooked by the hosts I do my salads.
Depending what’s in the cupboards and fridge/ larder.

1. Couscous
Boil up some chicken stock, and couscous, cover and set aside. Once cold, put into a serving dish and it’s ready to put on the table for serving. I like it plain.

2. Twin Salads
Get the salad heads, iceberge/ butterhead/ lollo rosso (needs a very good wash, drain). Get two huge salad bowls. Tear the lettuce heads into equal amounts into the two bowls. Salad heads/lettuce should be torn by hand, and not sliced by knife, and done at the last minute.
Sprinkle a handful of salted peanuts onto one bowl. And toasted garlic croutons onto the other.
Prepare two french dressing; divide in two and mix some diced Gorgonzola cheese in one. Just before serving mix the cheese dressing into the crouton salad. And the other into the peanut dressing. Put on the table in the big bowls with serving folks.

3. New Season Irish Potatoes
The boiled new potatoes, divide in two. Keep warm. When serving, divide into two dishes. Drizzle salted butter on top on one dish of potaoes. And drip fresh warm garlic butter on the other. Serve warm.

4. Tomato Salad
Slice equal amounts of tomatoes and red onion. Peel cucumber and slice. Mix all, with a sharp grainy french mustard vinaigrette. Place in a serving dish.

5. Smoked Irish Salmon
Arrange sliced Irish smoked/ or marinated Irish salmon sparsely on a large plate. Serve along side sliced brown soda bread, and hard cheese brown soda bread.

6. Sweet Garden Peas Salad
Mix sweet garden peas with a light vinaigrette. Add fresh basil leafs, cooked lardons (cold) of bacon, and chopped up feta cheese. Serve in a deep dish.

The following make the night before!

7. Eithne’s Curried Cabbage Salad
This is a recipe that Eithne made for me in the Netherlands. It is served warm, but equally makes a great salad the next day!
Slice a white cabbage into thinly. In a large saucepan, add olive oil, a few bulbs of garlic (crushed), and a good wollop of medium curry powder. Add two raw cubed chicken breasts. Add cabbage. Add the juice of two large tins of peaches. Cover. When nearly cooked, add chopped peaches. Season. I like this served cold the next day.

8. Garlic bread
Slice and butter baguette with fresh chived garlic butter. Toast and serve with Curry Cabbage.

9. Sweet Roasted Chicken Wings
Mix equal amounts of soya sauce and sweet chilli sauce. I usually make up a large amount of this sauce. Marinade chicken in sauce if you can overnight. Liberally pour over chicken wings and legs. Roast in a hot oven. Turning continuously until cooked. Can be served hot. But I prepare to serve them the following day cold.

10. Barbecue Meats
While you’re getting the above ready get your other half/ hosts to get the meats on the barbecue. Lay the tables and get the wine and drinks sorted. Cool Rose wine [has to be from south of France and real Rose, not blended fizzy yuk ], some ice cool beers, some sodas, lots of cool water.

NB; when doing salads;

Only ever put dressing on salad/ lettuce just immediately prior to serving. It will go limp other wise.
I use salt sparingly, hence little mention of it about. Use nice fresh vegetables and the flavours will speak for themselves.
Prepare what you can in advance. But most importantly, enjoy your company and the occasion and smile
x
aindreas