Warm Rocket Salad Food

ROCKET SALAD WITH BALSAMIC DRESSING AND SHAVED PARMESAN

Steps:

• Shake Balsamic Dressing in jar.
• Place rocket in a bowl, drizzle with Dressing then toss.
• Transfer to serving bowl. Shave over parmesan. Serve immediately.

SCRUMMY WARM ROCKET SALAD

Steps:

• Warm salads can be blooming amazing or a complete disaster. First, you have got to get your hungry guests around the table before you plate up, so as soon as their bums are on the chairs, you are tossing the warm ingredients in with the rocket leaves. Boom, boom, boom on a plate and it's in front of them.
• Peel, halve and quarter 2 medium red onions, then quarter again, to give you 8 pieces from each onion. Heat a frying pan and fry off 8 whole rashers of pancetta or smoked streaky bacon until crisp. Remove, add a couple of lugs of olive oil to the pan, and add 4 sprigs of thyme, the onions and a good handful of pine nuts with a tiny pinch of salt. Toss around and fry on a medium heat for about 5 minutes until caramelized and sweet (not black!).
• Put your pancetta or bacon back into the pan, toss around, then throw everything into a salad bowl with 4 big handfuls of rocket or any nice salad leaves. Drizzle generously with balsamic vinegar - this will make a natural dressing as it mixes with the olive oil. Serve with some shaved Parmesan over the top - you can use a potato peeler to do this. Munch away.

WARM STILTON SALAD

Steps:

• Use kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to snip the bacon crossways into fat matchsticks. Heat a small, dry frying pan on a medium heat and add the bacon. Cook for about 10 mins, until the fat has run and the bacon is crisp.
• To make the dressing, reduce the heat in the pan to low and stir in 1 tbsp water, then the vinegar, honey and mustard. Stir well, scraping up any residue on the base of the pan. Stir in the oil, taste and season.
• Meanwhile, heat a ridged griddle pan or grill and cook the pears for about 5 mins on each side, until browned. Place in a bowl and mix with the cubes of cheese (this melts the cheese a little, making it nice and squidgy). Tip the spinach into a serving bowl, and scatter the cheese and pear mixture over. Top with the warm bacon dressing and serve immediately.

WARM NEW POTATO & SMOKED MACKEREL SALAD

Steps:

• Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
• While the potatoes are cooking, mix the crème fraîche in a large bowl with the horseradish cream and lemon juice. Season well with freshly ground black pepper (there's no need for salt because of the saltiness of the smoked mackerel).
• Drain the potatoes, halve and set aside to cool down for a few minutes. Tip into the crème fraîche mix and stir so it coats them and becomes quite runny. Now add the smoked mackerel and watercress and toss gently together. Pile on two plates and serve straight away (it's best while still warm).

WARM ROAST ASPARAGUS SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan 180C. Snap off the woody ends of the asparagus and discard. Arrange the asparagus in a single layer in a baking tray with sides. Cut the tomatoes in half widthways, nestle them in with the asparagus, season with sea salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roll each bacon rasher into a tight roll (if large, first cut in half crosswise), and arrange in the tray. Drizzle the bacon rolls with the honey and bake for 20 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the bacon is crisp.
• In the meantime, boil the potatoes until tender. Whisk the vinegar, olive oil, mustard, some sea salt and pepper in a large bowl until blended. Toss the rocket or spinach leaves in half of the dressing, and arrange on a large serving platter.
• Drain the potatoes and cut in half. Gently toss them in the rest of the dressing, and arrange on the platter with the asparagus. Tuck in the tomatoes and bacon.

WARM SQUASH & ROCKET SALAD WITH GARLIC VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Slice the squash into 3cm pieces. Place on a large, greased baking tray and drizzle with 1 tbsp of the oil. Season well and roast for 25 mins or until golden.
• While the squash is roasting, make the vinaigrette. Heat the remaining oil in a small pan. Add the garlic, keeping the heat low, and cook until golden. Remove from the heat and add the vinegar and honey. Return to the heat for 1 min, whisking until the vinaigrette becomes syrupy, then set aside.
• To serve, arrange the rocket and mozzarella on 4 plates. Add mint to the vinaigrette. Divide the squash between the plates and drizzle with the vinaigrette.