A Really Good Salad

[Lord Jim]

I just made up a couple of big bowls of Mediterranean Salad...

I used to buy it (sometimes also called "Greek Salad") at the deli section at the supermarket, but the price is so ridiculous (something like more than four bucks a pint) that several years ago I decided the hell with that, I could make it better myself for a fraction of the price...

It's pretty simple, I use cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, (I usually slice Roma tomatoes using just the thick crisp outer parts, but you can also use cherry tomatoes) red, green and yellow bell peppers, black olives and crumbled Feta cheese...

Also some basil and oregano, salt and coarse ground pepper, and then I toss it with a vinaigrette Italian dressing...

It's really tasty, especially when the weather's warm (as it has been around here lately. today it got up to 76)

There's a lot of chopping involved, but the nicest thing about it is that unlike a lettuce based salad, (which is already starting to get narly after just one day in the fridge) you can make up a huge amount of this salad at one time and it will taste good all week. (In fact it's actually better after a couple of days then when you first make it, because the veggies have had a chance to marinate and soak-in the dressing)

[Gob]

Greek salad is really popular round here (Aus has a large Greek population.)

Most chip shops sell it. Though i never bother as it's far to healthy to ruin good fish and chips with.

[MajGenl.Meade]

[kristina]

I make something very similar most days to take to work; just chop up whatever veg is in the fridge (except lettuce), add dressing and go. If there is lettuce, i just put it on top of the other stuff, and it's still fine by lunch time.

[rubato]

This year's garden discovery is that arugula (Mache and some others too) is easy to grow here and fresh from the garden is much better than store-bought.

We already had a lot of green herbs growing in the planters, chives, parsley, cilantro, thyme (several types) verbena (it turned out to be a woody herb so it was moved into the dirt) culinary sage &c.

So we supplement spinach and heads of lettuce with greens from the yard for lovely salads.

Other ingredients are: toasted nuts, walnuts and filberts often, sometimes with hot chiles or toasted savory, black berries and raspberries, avocado (this IS California after all) and we have morphed completely into making our own dressing. I'm amazed that we didn't make the switch sooner.

yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

I make pasties, they're much better than salad.

Making the Pastry
Pasty pastry, for four eight-inch pasties.

450g 1lb strong white flour (large pinch salt optional)
100g 4oz margarine (Echo or similar hard variety)
110g 4oz lard
175ml 1/3pt water

Put the flour and salt (if used) into a bowl. Cut off a quarter of the lard and rub into flour. Grate or slice the rest of the fats into the mixture and stir with a knife. Pour all the water in and stir until absorbed. Knead a little and leave at least 30 minutes in the fridge before using.
Pastry can be made the day before, wrapped in polythene and stored in the fridge overnight. Pastry freezes well, but remember to take it out the night before you need it. Do not refreeze.

Pasty filling, quantity for one pasty.
50g 2oz onion or shallot (some people like leek)
50-75g 2-3oz turnip (swede)
100g 4oz beef skirt or chuck steak
150g 6oz sliced potatoes
black pepper, salt



Making the pasties
Keep the sliced potatoes in a basin of cold water till needed. Trim and gristle off the meat and cut it (with some fat) into 6 mm (1/4 in) pieces.

Generously flour the board or area you are using. This allows the pastry to relax as you roll, especially if you flip the pastry up from the surface every now and then. Cut off a quarter of the prepared pastry. Roll it out, keeping the shape, into a circle 21-23 cm (8-9 in) across. The pastry should now be the right thickness. Place an upturned plate over the pastry and trim round to get a good shape.

Place most of the turnip and onion across the centre of the round. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper to taste.

Place meat along the top and well into the ends; season the meat with a little salt. Top the meat with most of the potato and the remainder of the turnip.

Sprinkle again with a little salt, and add the remaining potato. Do not season the top layer: salt directly in contact with pastry can make it taste slightly bitter.

Dampen one side of the pastry with a little water. If you dampen the pastry all round or use too much water you will find the edges slide instead of sealing, so don’t slosh it on.
Fold the damp side of the pastry to the other and press firmly but gently together, so that you have a seam down across the pastry, or by the side, whichever you find easier. From the right side if you are right-handed (or the left if you are left-handed) fold over the corner and crimp by folding the pastry seam over and over to the end. Tuck in the end well to seal. Alternatively, if you find this difficult, just curl the edge like a wave.

Make a small slit in the top with a knife and patch any other breaks or holes with a little dampened rolled-out pastry.

Brush the pasties with milk or egg wash or even just water and place them on buttered paper or a greased and floured tray, leaving 5 cm (2 in) between them.

Bake in a hot oven 220C (425F, gas 7) for 20 to 30 minutes. Check the pasties. If brown, turn them down to 160C (325F, gas 3). Bake for another 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave them in the oven for another 15 minutes with the door shut.

Remove from the oven and with a slice lift the pasty onto a plate. Cut in half, allowing some of the steam to escape.

If you are eating them picnic style, place the pasties onto a cooling tray and wait 15 minutes before eating. If you want to eat them an hour or so later, or are taking them on a journey, wrap them straight from the oven in paper and then a clean cloth. Pasties keep extremely hot for a long time and if well wrapped a pasty made in Helston would still be ‘hot’ when you reached Exeter. I’ve even been told by holiday-makers that their pasties were still reasonably warm when they reached London.



Variations
Many people vary their pasties by substituting pork for beef, by putting in a mixture of kidney and beef, or by placing some parsley in one corner or sprinkled over the filling. Here, however, are some popular variations from what is usually thought of as the ‘traditional’ pasty.



Vegetable pasty
Use ordinary pasty pastry, or wholemeal pastry if preferred. Roll out pastry as for a pasty, then fill with layers of onion, turnip and potato, seasoning as you go, except the top layer. Seal, and cook as you would a pasty, reducing time by about 10 minutes, Just before dishing up, dribble in a good ounce of thin cream if you like it. Alternatively, while making the pasty put in about 25g (1oz) butter. With or without cream or butter, vegetable pasty is surprisingly delicious.



Cheese pasty
Use ordinary or vegetarian pastry. Roll out a 20 cm (8 in) round of pastry and slice onto it a small or medium onion and 50g (2oz) turnip. Season with pepper to taste.

Cover with 50-75g (2-3oz) grated or sliced Cheddar, or similar cheese. Add one medium to large potato along the top and season with salt. Place a few more slices of potato along the top. Seal and crimp. Cook as for a pasty, reducing the time by about 15 minutes.

[Lord Jim]

Pasty filling, quantity for one pasty.
50g 2oz onion or shallot (some people like leek)
50-75g 2-3oz turnip (swede)
100g 4oz beef skirt or chuck steak
150g 6oz sliced potatoes
black pepper, salt

Wow, really living on the edge by including black pepper and onion...

It seems to me like that comes perilously close to actually adding flavor to this recipe; best leave them out....

[Crackpot]

Mm pasties

[Gob]

Wow, really living on the edge by including black pepper and onion...

Leek is an aberration too.

[Guinevere]

I love my chopped veg salad: cukes, tomatoes, a little sweet onion, feta, fresh basil and a little mint if remember to grab some. Tossed w my homemade French vinaigrette (equal emounts evoo and vinegar of choice, a dab of Dijon mustard, sea salt, fresh pepper). I'll put it over arugula or fresh ciabatta or both. Or eat it right out if the bowl with a spoon.

Another fave is fresh roasted corn, quartered cherry or grape tomatoes, red onion, fresh basil, salt, pepper and a vinaigrette I make with rice wine vinegar that plays up the sweetness of the corn.

[rubato]

I forgot the mint that's gone wild. I have to pull some of it out to keep it in one area but its nice to have a valuable plant that just takes care of itself. When I'm seeding in that area I'll pick a sprig and put it in my shirt pocket to enjoy.

Speaking of plants that take care of themselves. The huge old rosemary in front that I keep mostly because the bees like it, that one put out a branch that arced away and then hit the ground. By the time I noticed it roots had grown out. After a while I cut the connecting branch and now its an independent plant. I had planted some better culinary rosemary in back which got knocked down by mildew or something. I planted two more in a sunnier spot and they seem happier.

yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

[Lord Jim]

Okay, when I try the link to see that image, (which I don't see in Strop's post) I go to a page for something called "PomsInOz" that tell me either I'm not logged in or don't have permission to go to the page...

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/attachmen ... 804097.jpg

[rubato]

P.S. Chervil, also known as French parsley, is growing in the herb boxes. I am reminded that I need to start planting seeds so we will be supplied throughout the year.




It only takes a little sprinkled on the salad at the last minute.


yrs,
rubato

[oldr_n_wsr]

I always get black swallowtailed butterfly larvae on my parsley. We always plant two parsley plants, one for them and one for us.

[Gob]

Soz folks.

[rubato]

I always get black swallowtailed butterfly larvae on my parsley. We always plant two parsley plants, one for them and one for us.

I grow both italian and curly parsley but not had a problem yet.


yrs,
rubato

[oldr_n_wsr]

I don't find it to be a problem. I like butterfly's. I put a net cage over one plant so they cannot lay their eggs on it.

I have another tall net cage for the plant when the larvae get bigger. This keeps the birds from eating the larvae and supplies a place for the larvae to cuccoon.

I didn't get the tall cage on the plant soon enough and the carolina wren came down and ate all the catterpillars. Smart bird. I think it waited for eth larvae to get good and fat. His nest was about 15 feet away from the plant so I think he spotted them earlier.

[rubato]

I bought Mache at the market today. I'd never seen it there before.

Interesting.

yrs,
rubato

[rubato]

All of the arugula bolted last week and the stems got woody; there were critical comments made. So I dug half of it out and replanted 3 and a half dozen arugula starts. As a bonus they had basil and chervil so those got planted as well. Salad production will be off for a couple of weeks but after that all should be well.


yrs,
rubato