Temperatures have plunged, nights are really chilly and we are always looking forward to comforting food that keeps us warm.
Although salads are favourites for the summer and spring seasons, the winter months also hold some delicious and interesting flavour combinations that pay homage to the time of year. So, embrace this time of year and get cooking.
Warm mushroom salad
Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
100g Shimeji mushrooms
50g enoki mushrooms
2cm ginger, peeled and finely diced
1 small red chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced
2 lime leaves, finely shredded
2 tbsp tamari
A small handful of coriander
1 tbsp peanut butter
Juice of ½ lime
2 tbsp hot water
Method
Heat a non-stick pan and heat up the oil.
Add the ginger and chilli and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the Shimeji mushrooms and lime leaves and cook for 3 minutes.
Meantime, prepare the dressing by mixing the peanut butter, hot water, and lime juice until a thick dressing is formed.
Add the tamari and enoki mushrooms and cook for another minute.
Add the coriander.
Serve immediately with the dressing.
Recipe by The Urban Kitchen.
Shaved vegetable salad with creamy cheese
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 (60g) balls Burrata cheese
8 cups shaved or thinly sliced crunchy raw fruits or vegetables, such as beetroot, radishes, turnips, apples, pears, carrots, kohlrabi, shallots, cauliflower, fennel, celery, cucumbers, scallions, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard stems, Brussels sprouts or parsnips
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 lemon, finely zested and juiced (about 2 tbsp of juice)
1 tbsp poppy seeds
2 tbsp white wine vinegar, plus more to taste
Fine sea or table salt
Method
Drain the Burrata and set aside at room temperature to soften for about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the vegetables with olive oil, lemon juice and zest, poppy seeds, vinegar, and a light sprinkling of salt. Toss with two spoons or your hands until evenly mixed and the vegetables are slightly softened, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Taste, and season with additional oil, vinegar, and or salt as needed.
Divide the Burrata between 4 plates, turning the casing inside out so the soft, creamy middle is exposed. Drizzle with more olive oil and season lightly with salt. Top with the vegetable salad and another drizzle of olive oil, and serve.
From recipes developer and food writer Ali Slagle.
Butternut squash salad
Serves: 8
Ingredients
1 butternut squash, about 500g
3tbsp olive oil
1tsp Szechuan peppercorns, crushed with a pestle and mortar
½ red cabbage, about 500g
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch of coriander, to garnish
For the dressing
1tbsp grapeseed oil
3tbsp soy sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Cut the squash in half lengthways, remove all the seeds, and cut across into thin slices, 5mm thick, with the peel still on.
Spread out on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, mix with the olive oil, Szechuan pepper, and some salt and bake for 10 minutes, then leave to cool on the sheet.
While the squash is in the oven, cut the red cabbage into slices about 5mm thick, rinse in cold water and drain well.
Mix the dressing ingredients, and just before serving mix the butternut, red cabbage, and dressing together, place on a serving dish, and decorate with coriander.
The recipe is adapted from Scandinavian Comfort Food by Trine Hahnemann.
Have you checked out the latest IOL Food & Drinks digital magazine? Read it here.