You might not know it from the recent weather in Auckland but it's summer time down here and that means lots of barbeques. It's the done thing to "bring a plate", usually a salad, along with some beer or a bottle of plonk. I have to admit that at first I was a bit overwhelmed and resorted to buying salads from the deli counter at the supermarket to bring along. I did however find myself sheepish upon arriving with my plastic tubs when everyone else came with with plates of what seemed to me like dazzling displays of domesticity! How much can change though in 4 years (yes, we're here 4 years this March!). Now I have a list of Top 5 salads that are easy peasy to whip up for summer barbeques. What's even better is that with our veggie patch, more and more of the ingredients can come directly from our backyard!
So, here they are - my current Top 5 summer salads. Click on the titles for links to the recipes.
This one comes courtesy of NZ celebrity cook Annabel Langbein.
We had a fantastic crop of beetroot this year and my favourite way to use it is definitely roasted. Yum!
You simply can't go wrong with this classic.
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Penne tossed in Green Pesto
Not strictly a salad but works well served cold so why not? It's been fantastic making fresh pesto from our own basil. This is the recipe I use.
& last but not least
Beetroot and Greek Yoghurt Salad
You'll have to wait until next time I make this for a photo but it is super easy and always gets lots of complements. Just take some canned beetroot chunks and mix with as much Greek yoghurt as to your liking - for 2 cans of beetroot, I generally go for between one half cup and one cup of yoghurt. Lightly toast some sliced almonds andtop. Et, voila!
