Peppery Vegetable Salad Food

BELL PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• Saute 2 smashed garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds in a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat, 30 seconds. Add 3 sliced red, yellow and/or orange bell peppers and cook until just warmed through. Toss with the juice of 1/2 lemon, some chopped parsley, and salt and pepper.

SUMMER PEPPER SALAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the green bell pepper, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, parsley, feta cheese, and olive oil. Chill at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving.

ROASTED PEPPER SALAD WITH CAPERS & PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Turn on the grill and line a baking tray with foil. Arrange the peppers, skin-side up, on the baking tray and brush with oil. Grill for 10-15 mins, turning, until skins are well charred. Put the peppers in a plastic bag and seal for 5 mins to loosen the skins.
• Meanwhile, crush the garlic and a generous pinch of salt to a paste using a pestle and mortar. Add the vinegar and oil, and blend to make a dressing. Strip the skins and seeds from the peppers, then quarter. Put the flesh in a bowl or food container. Pour over the dressing and scatter with the

QUICK-PICKLED VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• Prepare the pickled onions: Set the sliced onion in a small heatproof bowl. Combine the vinegar, sugar, coriander seeds (if using), salt and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high, then pour over onions. Stir to combine, let cool, then transfer onions and brine to a lidded container. Refrigerate until chilled. (Makes about 2/3 cup drained onions. Onions will keep up to 3 weeks.)
• Prepare the salad: In a medium bowl, combine the celery, carrots, olive oil, lemon zest and juice. Season generously with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
• When ready to serve, add the lettuce, radishes (if using) and herbs to a large bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper and gently toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the celery and carrots to the vegetables in the large bowl, leaving the vinaigrette behind in the medium bowl.
• To the vinaigrette, add the mustard, 1/4 cup drained pickled red onions and 4 teaspoons of the pickled red onion brine and stir to combine; season to taste. Add vinaigrette to salad, toss to coat and season. Serve immediately.

CHARGRILLED VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• First, blacken the peppers all over - do this directly over a flame, over hot coals or under a hot grill. When completely blackened, put them in a bowl, cover with a plate and leave to cool.
• While the peppers are cooling, mix the oil, vinegar, garlic and chilli in a large bowl. On a hot barbecue or griddle pan, chargrill the aubergine, courgette and onions in batches until they have defined grill marks on both sides and are starting to soften. The time will depend on the intensity of your grill, so use your judgement - courgettes and red onions are fine still slightly crunchy but you want the aubergine cooked all the way through. As the vegetables are ready, put them straight into the dressing to marinate, breaking the onions up into rings.
• When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel, remove the stalk and scrape out the seeds. Cut into strips and toss through the veg with any juice from the bowl. Mix in the tomatoes, olives, basil and seasoning. Drizzle with more oil, if you like, and serve either on its own or with mozzarella or crumbled feta.

PEPPERY GREENS WITH MEYER-LEMON DRESSING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together lemon juice, mustard, and sugar. Slowly add oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly; generously season with salt and pepper. Add greens; toss until leaves are evenly coated in dressing. Serve.