Salads

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Puy Lentil Salad with Cranberries, Bacon & Gorgonzola

Grilled Peach, Mozzarella & Prosciutto Salad with Orange Blossom Dressing
Summer Salad with Toasted Pistachio Dressing
Bread, Tomato & Olive Oil Salad
Salad of Pickled Pears, Walnuts, Rocket & Gorgonzola
Broad Bean & Peas with Mint & Feta
French Beans & Mange tout with Hazelnut & Orange
Couscous with Barbecued Calamari, Mint, Lemon & Chilli
Couscous with Dried Apricots & Butternut Squash
Red Onion, Pancetta & Balsamic Salad
Green Bean Salad, with roast Red Onion & Parmesan
Warm Spinach Salad with Pine Nuts & Balsamic Vinegar
Chicory, Fennel & Orange Salad
Rocket, Fennel & Blood Orange Salad
Pan-fried Cavolo Nero, Salami & Borlotti Beans
Artichoke, Lemon & Borlloti Bean Salad
Radish & Broad Bean Salad
Caesar Salad
Fig, Buffalo Mozzarella & Basil Salad
Figs with Young Pecorino & Honey
Moroccan Broad Bean Salad
True Summer Delight
Summer Chickpea Salad
Thai Watermelon Salad
Watermelon & Ricotta Salad
Seared Beef Slices with Plum Sauce & Mint Salad
Shaved Fennel, Orange, Red Onion & Black Olive Salad
Squid, Chorizo & Chickpea Salad
Rocket, Fennel & Parmesan Salad
Fennel & Lemon Salad
Fennel & Feta with Pomegranate Seeds & Sumac

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

If someone was to ask me what my favourite type of dish was, I would immediately answer with salad. In
my opinion salads are a complete meal. There is no end to the amount of ingredients that can be thrown
together to constitute a salad. Growing up in Australia, we lived on salads in the summer. Most people think
of leafy greens, diets or a rabbit when they think about salads, but today salads are fashionable and can
contain a plethora of ingredients such as meats, seafood, pulses, cheeses, nuts and seeds. They can be
served hot or cold and contain just about any fruit, vegetable or ingredient which you can think of.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Puy Lentil Salad with Cranberries, Bacon & Gorgonzola

Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients
125g Puy lentils
2 bay leaves
2-3 shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp water
1 tsp castor sugar
60g dried cranberries
70ml red wine vinegar
8 streaky bacon rashes
80g baby spinach
120g creamy gorgonzola cheese
Salt and pepper
Method
Wash the lentils under cold running water and then drain. Transfer to a saucepan and add enough water to
cover them 3 times their height. Add the bay leaves, bring to the boil and then simmer for about 20
minutes, until the lentils are al dente. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Place the shallots in a pan with 2 tbsp of
the olive oil and saut over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until golden. Add the water, sugar,
cranberries and vinegar and continue simmering over a low heat for 8-10 minutes, until you get a thick
sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Drain the lentils well and immediately add them to the sauce
so they can soak up all the flavours. Stir together, taste and adjust the salt again. it will need quite a lot, but
remember you are adding bacon and gorgonzola later, which are salty. Set aside and cool down. Heat the
remaining olive oil in a saucepan and fry the bacon in it for 3 minutes on each side, until it turns quite
crisp. Transfer to a piece of kitchen paper to cool. Tear the bacon into large pieces and add the lentils, then
add the spinach and stir well. Taste and see if the salad needs any more oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to
serving plates and dot with broken chunks of gorgonzola.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Grilled Peach, Mozzarella & Prosciutto Salad with Orange

Blossom Dressing
A substantial starter, this salad is just summer bliss, offering contrasting textures and aromas. Use the very
best ingredients as it is crucial to this salads success. Taste the peaches; they mustnt be floury, but sweet
and deliciously juicy. Yellow-fleshed peaches are normally less watery that the white variety, to they will
char-grill more readily. Grilling though, is not essential. It will add to the presentation and give a slight
smokiness but you can chose to skip this step and leave the peaches as they are.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
5 ripe peaches
1tbsp olive oil
2 red or white endives, leaves separated
50g watercress
50g baby chard leaves or other leaves such as rocket
100g thinly sliced prosciutto
1 large buffalo mozzarella, carefully ripped apart into small pieces
Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Dressing:
3 tbsp orange blossom water
1 tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Method
Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones. Slice each half into 3 wedges, place in a bowl and add the
olive oil and some sea salt and pepper. Toss well to coat each slice. Place a ridged griddle pan over a high
heat and leave for a few minutes to heat. Place the peach wedges on the pan and grill for a minute on each
side. You want to get nice charcoal lines on all sides. Remove the peaches from the pan and leave to cool.
Place all the dressing ingredients apart from the oil in a bowl and whisk to combine. Trickle the oil in slowly
while you whisk to get a thick dressing. Season to taste. On a serving platter, arrange layers of peach,
endive, mozzarella, watercress, chard and the prosciutto. Spoon over enough dressing to coat all the
ingredients but not to drench them. Serve straight away.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Summer Salad with Toasted Pistachio Dressing

Serves 4
Ingredients
2 Lebanese (short) cucumbers, finely sliced
90 (1 cup) bean sprouts
1 red capsicum, julienned
1 orange, segments removed and finely sliced in half lengthways
30g (1 bunch) chives, chopped into 2cm lengths
2 handfuls baby rocket leaves
1 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoons wasabi
4 tablespoons olive oil
130g (1 cup) raw pistachios, toasted and roughly chopped
Method
Put the cucumbers, bean sprouts, capsicum, orange, chives and rocket into a large serving bowl and toss to
combine. To make the toasted pistachio dressing, put the ginger, honey, lemon juice, wasabi and olive oil
into a small bowl. Stir well to combine the ingredients and season with a little sea salt and cracked pepper.
Add the pistachios then pour over the salad.

Bread, Tomato & Olive Oil Salad

Serves 4

Panzanella

Ingredients
500g ripe tomatoes
1 large red onion, halved and finely sliced
500g 2 day old white, country style bread
2-3 stalks celery, about 250g using pale inner stalks, trimmed and finely sliced
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
About 10 basil leaves, roughly torn
About 8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 tablespoons of red vine vinegar
Method
Cut the tomatoes into small chunks and put them into a colander sprinkled with a little salt for about 10
minutes to drain away their juices. Put the onions into a small bowl of cold water sprinkled with a little salt
and a splash of vinegar. If your bread is not already in slices, break it up into chunks and put into a bowl
with enough cold water to just cover the bread. Leave it for about 10 minutes to soften. Squeeze the bread
thoroughly with your hands, and finely crumble it into a large serving bowl. If the bread is not squeezed
enough the salad will be soggy. Put the tomatoes, drained onions, celery, parsley and the basil into a
separate smaller bowl and dress with salt and pepper. Mix well and then add to the bread. Mix through well,
adjusting any seasoning to taste and serve.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Salad of Pickled Pears, Walnuts, Rocket & Gorgonzola

Serves 6
Ingredients
200ml red wine
2 bay leaves
1 small thyme sprig
4 juniper berries
50g castor sugar
2 firm, ripe pears (comice or conference)
100g freshly shelled walnuts
Bunch of rocket leaves
200g young gorgonzola cheese
3 tbsp balsamic roasted red onions
Method
Pour the red wine into a saucepan and add the bay leaves, thyme, juniper berries and sugar. Slowly bring to
a simmer over a medium heat. Meanwhile peel, quarter and core pears then cut each quarter in half
lengthways. Add to the pan and poach for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave the pears to cool in
the liquid. Their flavour and beautiful ruby colour will intensify as the poaching liquid cools. In the
meantime, shell the walnuts, wash and pat dry the salad leaves. Slice the gorgonzola into long, fine shards.
For the dressing, put the mustard, wine vinegar and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Whisk in the walnut
oil, followed by the olive oil. To assemble, dress the salad leaves lightly with 1 tbsp or so of the dressing.
pile into the centre of each serving plate and arrange the cheese, pears and roasted red onions attractively
around the top of the leaves. Scatter over the walnuts and drizzle a little more of the dressing over the top.
Serve.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Broad Bean & Peas with Mint & Feta

Serves 4
Ingredients
175g freshly podded broad beans
175g freshly podded peas
Small bunch of mint
Juice of lemon
50ml extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
175g Greek feta
cup balsamic roasted red onions
2 tbsp basil oil
Finely grated zest of lemon
Method
Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the broad beans, allow the water to come to the boil and cook for
45 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon to a colander and refresh under cold water. When cool, slip off
the dull greenish grey skins to reveal the limey green beans inside and place these in a bowl. To blanch the
peas, drop them into the same boiling water, return to the boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain and refresh
under cold water, then pat dry and add to broad beans. Tear the mint and toss through the peas and beans.
Squeeze over the lemon juice and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Toss to combine and season with a
grinding of pepper and perhaps the tiniest amount of salt (as the feta will be salty). Slice the feta into long
shards, or crumble it between your fingers if you prefer. Pile the salad into serving bowls and surround with
the feta. Spoon the roasted onions over the salad. Drizzle with basil oil and sprinkle with lemon zest to
serve.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

French Beans & Mange tout with Hazelnut & Orange

Serves 6
Ingredients
400g French Beans
400g Mange tout
70g un-skinned hazelnuts
1 orange
20g chives, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp hazelnut oil (or another nut oil)
Seas salt and black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180. Using a small sharp knife, trim the stalk ends off the French beans and the mange
tout, keeping the 2 separate. Bring plenty of unsalted water to the boil in a large saucepan you need lots
of space for the beans, as this is crucial for preserving their colour. Blanch the French beans in the water for
4 minutes, then drain into a colander and run them under plenty of cold water until cold. Leave to drain and
dry. Repeat with the mange tout, but blanch for only 1 minute. While the beans are cooking, scatter the
hazelnuts over a baking tray and roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Leave until cool enough to handle, and
then rub them in a clean tea-towel to get rid of most of the skin. Chop the nuts with a large sharp knife.
They should be quite rough, some can even stay whole. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the
orange in strips being careful to avoid the bitter white pith. Slice each piece of zest into very thin strips. You
could also just use a citrus zester. To assemble the dish, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, toss
gently, then taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Couscous with Barbecued Calamari, Mint, Lemon & Chilli

Serves 6
Ingredients
1 cups instant couscous
100ml extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
2 small red chillies, sliced
2 spring onions, sliced
10 sprigs mint, torn
8 sprigs flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons gherkins, chopped
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1 bunch asparagus, char grilled for 3-4 minutes and slices
1 lime, juiced and zested
1 lemon, juiced and zested
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
500g calamari, cleaned, scored and cut into diamonds
60ml olive oil,
Method
Place couscous in a large bowl, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and pour over 500ml boiling water. Stir,
cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 5 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small pan over low
heat. Add garlic and chilli and cook for 2-4 minutes or until aromatic. Add garlic mixture to couscous and
stir with a fork to break up grains. Add spring onions, mint, parsley, gherkins, capers and asparagus.
Combine lime zest and juice and lemon zest and juice in a small bowl with remaining olive oil. Mix well and
season. Toss calamari in extra olive oil. Cook on a preheated char grilled or barbeque plate over high heat
for 3-5 minutes or until cooked and lightly coloured. Pour citrus dressing over calamari, toss well and
combine with couscous. Serve immediately.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Couscous with Dried Apricots & Butternut Squash

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large onion, thinly sliced
6 tbsp olive oil
50g dried apricots
1 small butternut squash (about 450g) peeled, seeded and cut into 2cm dice
250g couscous
400ml chicken or vegetable stock
A pinch of saffron strands
3 tbsp roughly chopped tarragon
3 tbsp roughly chopped mint
3 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Grated zest of lemon
Sea salt and black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180. place the onion in a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of the oil and a pinch of
salt. Saut over a high heat, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes, until golden brown, set aside.
Meanwhile pour enough hot water from the tap over the apricots just to cover them. Soak for 5 minutes,
then drain and cut into 5mm dice. Mix the diced squash with 1 tablespoon olive oil and some salt and
pepper. Spread the squash out on a baking tray, place in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until
lightly coloured and quite soft. While waiting for the butternut squash, cook the couscous. Bring the stock
to the boil with the saffron. Place the couscous in a large heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling stock,
plus the remaining olive oil. Cover with cling film and leave for about 10 minutes, all the liquid should have
been absorbed. Use a fork or whisk to fluff up the couscous, then add the onion, butternut squash,
apricots, herbs, cinnamon and lemon zest. Mix well with your hands, trying not to mash the butternut
squash. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve warmish or cold.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Red Onion, Pancetta & Balsamic Salad

Serves 6
Ingredients
10 small to medium red onions
3 thick slices of pancetta, diced
4 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar
cup pine nuts
2 handfuls rocket leaves
Method
Slice the end off the red onions, trying to keep the stalk still intact so the onions will keep hold together
when cut. Cut onions in half and then peel the skin off. Cut halves into 2 or 3 pieces depending on the size.
Place onions, pancetta and balsamic in a baking tray and roast in over for 20 minutes. Keep checking
onions dont burn, you may want to cover with foil. Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small pan, stirring
constantly. When onions are soft, combine with pine nuts and rocket in a serving platter, toss together and
serve with parmesan shavings if preferred although optional.

Green Bean Salad, with roast Red Onion & Parmesan

You can prepare the onions for this salad a few hours before you need them or even the day before to
improve the flavour. It is important that they are quite soft, not crunchy.
Ingredients
2 large red onions
300ml red wine vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
100ml extra-virgin olive oil
240g fine green beans
2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan, plus extra for shavings
2 banana shallots, sliced thinly
Small bunch of chives, chopped
Salt and pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 220. Leaving their skins on. Wrap the onions in foil and bake in the oven for about an
hour until soft. While the onions are cooking put the vinegar into a small pan and boil until reduced by a
third. Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar until dissolved, then stir in the extra-virgin olive oil to make a
vinaigrette. When the onions are cooked, unwrap them and peel off their skins. While they are still warm,
cut them in half, separate the layers and season with salt and pepper, and then put them into the
vinaigrette. Blanch the beans in plenty of salted boiling water for about 5 minutes, then drain. Place in a
bowl, sprinkle with grated parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the onion layers on your
serving plates. Place the beans on top and sprinkle over the chives and shallots, drizzle some more red
wine vinegar over the beans and then shave over some more parmesan. Serve.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Warm Spinach Salad with Pine Nuts & Balsamic Vinegar

Serves 2
Ingredients
1 large bunch of spinach
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely sliced
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 tbsp pine nuts
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Method
Rinse the spinach thoroughly in cold water, then drain and set aside. Select a large frying pan or wok. Heat
the oil over a low heat. Saut the onion, garlic and chilli until the mixture is soft and translucent. Raise the
heat to medium. Add the pine nuts and cook until golden. Turn the heat to high and add the spinach. Cook
very briefly, just until the leaves begin to wilt. Then add the balsamic vinegar. Stir to ensure the leaves are
coated well with the vinegar. Transfer the spinach to a bowl and serve warm as a starter or side dish.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Chicory, Fennel & Orange Salad

Serves 6
Ingredients
1 lemon, juice only
35 ml extra-virgin olive oil
1 young chicory or endive
unpeeled orange, thinly sliced
baby fennel bulb, thinly sliced
Method
Whisk lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl,
season to taste, set aside. Wash chicory or
endive, drain well, coarsely chop, set aside
in a serving bowl. Scatter with orange and
fennel slices, drizzle with lemon dressing,
season to taste and serve.

Rocket, Fennel & Blood Orange Salad

Serves 2
Ingredients
1 blood orange
fennel bulb
2 handfuls rocket
10 mint leaves
10 flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Sae salt and cracked black pepper
Method
Grate the orange zest using a zester. Squeeze the orange just enough to release a little juice and add the
zest to the juice. Peel the pith from the orange and cut the flesh into segments. Remove the outer touch
layers of fennel. Slice the fennel as thinly as possible you can use a potato peeler for this then soak the
pieces in iced cold water. Rinse the rocket, mint and parsley leaves. Dry the leaves. To make the dressing,
place the olive oil, orange juice and zest and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and stir gently to combine.
Place all salad ingredients into a bowl and then drizzle the dressing over the leaves, toss and serve.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Pan-fried Cavolo
Nero, Salami &
Borlotti Beans
This is perfect as a side to roast
chicken but also hearty enough to
enjoy as a meal in its own right.
Youll need to begin this recipe a
day ahead.
Serves 4
Ingredients
200 gm dried borlotti beans,
soaked overnight in cold water
60 ml ( cup) olive oil
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
80 gm piece of Italian salami, cut into 1cm pieces
1 small dried red chilli, finely chopped
200 gm young cavolo nero
Method
Drain borlotti beans, place in a saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a simmer over medium heat and
cook until tender (45-50 minutes). Drain, set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium
heat, add garlic and saut until golden (2-3 minutes). Add salami and chilli, saut until salami colours (3-4
minutes), add cavolo nero and cook until wilted (3-4 minutes). Toss through beans, season to taste and
serve immediately.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Artichoke, Lemon & Borlloti Bean Salad

For 12
Ingredients
6 Sicilian lemons + juice of 4 lemons
18 small or 10 large artichokes
300g blanched almonds, toasted
8 tbsp runny clear honey
200ml extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp thyme leaves
Method
Put 5 of the lemons in to a snug fitting pan with 100g sea salt and cover with water. Put a lid on, upside
down to keep the lemons submerged and bring to the boil. Boil for 20 mins or until the lemons can be
pierced easily with a fork. Drain and cool. Halve the other lemon and add to a large pan with your
artichokes and cover with boiling salted water. Boil for 20 mins or until the inner leaves can be easily
pulled from the stem. Drain and cool. Remove the tough outer leaves and then slice in to halves or
quarters, depending on size and remove any chokes (furry bits!). Put in a large serving bowl and season.
Cut the lemons in half and scoop out the flesh. Tear the peel in to quarters and add to the artichokes along
with the toasted almonds. Combine the honey, lemon juice and olive oil with some salt and pepper and the
thyme leaves and stir this in to the salad.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Radish & Broad Bean Salad

Serves 4
Ingredients
500g shelled broad beans, fresh or frozen
350g small radishes
red onion, very thinly sliced
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
30g preserved lemon, finely chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tbsp chopped fla-leaf parsley
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
To serve:
200ml green tahini sauce (see basics)
4 think pita breads
Salt and black pepper
Method
Place the broad beans in a pan of boiling water and simmer for 1-2 minutes, depending on size. Drain
through a large colander and rinse plenty of cold water to refresh them. Remove the beans from their skins
by gently squeezing each one with your fingertips. Cut the radishes into very thin circles and mix with
broad beans, onion, coriander, lemon juice and preserved lemons, parsley, olive oil and cumin. Season with
salt and pepper to taste. To serve, pile a mound of salad in one corner of each serving plate, pour the tahini
sauce into a small bowl and stand it next to the salad. Set a pita bread next to them and Enjoy!

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Caesar Salad
Serves 6
Ingredients
250 gm piece flat pancetta or smoked bacon, cut into lardons
3 slices sourdough bread, crusts removed, cut into 2cm pieces
3 baby cos lettuces, leaves separated
150 gm parmesan, shaved using a vegetable peeler
6 drained anchovy fillets, halved lengthways
Caesar dressing
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 egg yolks
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
4 drained anchovy fillets
3 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup olive oil
Method
For Caesar dressing, process garlic, 1 tsp of sea salt, yolks, vinegar, mustard, anchovies and Worcestershire
sauce using a food processor until combined. With motor running, add olive oil in a slow steady stream
until dressing is thick, then season to taste with a pinch of sugar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Fry pancetta pieces in a large frying pan over high heat until crisp and golden, then, using a slotted spoon,
transfer to an absorbent paper-lined plate. Add bread to pan and fry in the pancetta fat until golden, then
transfer to plate with pancetta.
Place lettuce leaves, parmesan and enough dressing to coat in a large bowl and toss well to combine. Divide
among serving bowls and scatter with pancetta and croutons and top with anchovies. Serve immediately.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Fig, Buffalo Mozzarella & Basil Salad

Figs are my favourite thing to put in salads. They are a flavour I associate my childhood with. Used to pick
my Nonnos figs straight off the tree in his backyard and devour it before it had even been in my hand 1
minute. The sweet flesh, still warm from the heat of the day would burst into my mouth and I would grin,
ear to ear with my Nonna and Nonno, proud as punch next to me.
Serves 6
Ingredients
12 fresh, ripe purple or green figs
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
6 buffalo mozzarellas or 2 large Buffalo mozzarella
50g Rocket or chard
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 2 lemons
Extra virgin olive oil
Method
Wash the figs and cut off the stem. Break each fig in your hands into quarters. Pick the best basil leaves
from their stalks and wash, then dry them. Tear the mozzarella into pieces. Place the fig, rocket, mozzarella
and basil on individual plates then season with salt and pepper. Mix the lemon juice and 3 times the volume
of olive oil. Pour over each plate and serve immediately.

Figs with Young Pecorino & Honey

This is a recipe that is not worth making without perfectly ripe figs. Use black or green figs or a mixture,
just as long as they are ripe, sweet and heavy. Remember figs are very illusive. Somehow, the better they
look, the more tasteless they are. Fresh young pecorino is a subtle delicate flavour. Its soft texture
complements that of the figs well. Equally a good quality Mozzarella will do for this recipe.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp good quality honey
3 tbsp olive oil
600g ripe green or black figs
300g young pecorino or mozzarella
15 thinly sliced prosciutto
80g rocket, preferably wild
10g basil leaves
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Whisk together the honey and olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Cut the figs into
quarters. Use your hands to tear the cheese into large chunks. Arrange the figs, prosciutto, cheese, rocket,
basil in layers on individual serving plates or a large platter. Drizzle over honey dressing and finish with
some freshly cracked black pepper.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Moroccan Broad Bean Salad

This is a really great combination of flavours, colours and textures and, of course its best made with fresh
broad beans in season. The smaller beans can be used as they are, but the mid to large ones, with tougher
skin, will have to be peeled after cooking. Just pinch the skin between your nails and the bean will pop out
simple! I think my broad bean combination is pretty much perfect, but you can try it with fresh cannellini
beans as well if you fancy a change.
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 large handfuls of podded broad beans
2 lemons
Extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
a handful of fresh mint, leaves picked
1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds, bashed
A pinch of dried chilli
A handful of stale breadcrumbs
285ml creamy live yoghurt or sour cream
Method
First of all pod your beans, put the larger beans in a different bowl as they will need different cooking times
to the smaller ones. Blanch the beans in unsalted boiling water of a couple of minutes, giving the larger
ones a bit longer (dont add salt, as this will toughen the skins). Drain the beans and lay them flat on a tray
to cool down slightly. This salad always works best when the beans are eaten slightly warm. If your making
it in advance though, you could always give them a quick flash in the microwave just before serving.
Remove the skins from the larger beans if necessary. Place in a bowl and dress with the juice of 1 lemon
and 3 times as much olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a little more lemon juice if needed
feel free to adjust to your taste. At this stage I like to finely slice half the mint and add it to the beans
while they sit and marinate for a little while. In a shallow pan, on a medium heat, fry the chopped onion,
cumin seeds and chilli in a little olive oil. Stir and cook until softened. As the onions start to colour, add
your breadcrumbs and mix these really well into the onions. Continue to cook until the crumbs are crispy
and golden, them season them to taste and put to one side. To serve, divide the yoghurt or sour cream
between four plates or bowls. Give the broad beans a final toss, add the rest of the mint leaves and divide
between plates on top of the yoghurt. Finally sprinkle over the warm spiced crunchy bits. Sometimes I like
to zest a bit of lemon over the top to give it a little edge. Fantastic served with grilled chicken or as a tapas
or antipasti. Also goes great with flat breads such as pita.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

True Summer Delight

Only make this salad when the mangoes are silky smooth and not at all stringy. You should be able to cut
through them like butter.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 coconut
2 red peppers
4 punnets of cress
1 bunch of spring onions
2 ripe mangoes, peeled
For the dressing:
A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled
Zest and juice of 3-4 limes
7-8 tablespoons of olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
First of all crack open the coconut. Once you have got into your coconut, cut the peppers into quarters,
remove the stalks and seeds, then finely slice. Trim your cress directly from its punnet. Trim your spring
onions and finely slice them. Cut the mango flesh off the stones and finely slice it. get your pieces of
coconut and grate them finely. Put all these ingredients into a large salad bowl. Finely grate the ginger and
lime zest into a small bowl, and then add the lime juice and olive oil. Season to taste and add more oil as
necessary to balance the flavours of your dressing. Limes can be different strengths depending on their size
and juiciness. Dress the salad just before serving, saving a little extra dressing for another day. Serve onto
plates with a little extra grated coconut on top and eat straight away. Great just as it is or with some grilled
prawns or satay chicken.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Summer Chickpea Salad

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 small red onion, peeled
1-2 fresh red chillies, deseeded
2 handfuls of ripe red or yellow tomatoes
2 lemons
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1x410g jar of tinned chickpeas, drained or around 4 large handfuls of soaked and cooked chickpeas
A handful of fresh mint, chopped
A handful of fresh green or purple basil, finely ripped
200g feta cheese
Method
First of all, finely slice the red onion. Then finely slice the chillies then roughly chop the tomatoes, mixing
them in the onion and chillies. Scrape all of this and the juice into a bowl and dress with the juice of 1
lemons and about 3 times as much good olive oil. Season to taste. Heat the chickpeas in a pan, then add 90
per cent of them to the bowl. Mush up the remaining chickpeas and add these as well. they will give a nice
creamy consistency to the salad. Allow to marinate for a little while and serve at room temperature. Just as
your ready to serve, give the salad a final dress with the fresh mint and basil. Taste one last time for
seasoning you may want to add the juice from your remaining lemon half at this stage. Place on a nice
serving dish and crumble over the feta cheese.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Thai Watermelon Salad

Ingredients
Quarter of a Watermelon
2 handfuls of fresh coriander, leaves picked
2 handfuls of rocket
2 handfuls of fresh mint, leaves picked
1 small bunch of radishes, finely sliced
A handful of peanuts or sunflower seeds
115g feta cheese or ricotta
For the dressing:
A thumb sized piece of ginger, finely grated
1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
Juice of 3-4 limes
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Remove the skin from the watermelon and cut the flesh into small cubes, removing as many seeds as you
can be bothered to. Place coriander, rocket, mint, watermelon and radishes into a bowl. Put the ginger,
chilli, soy sauce, olive oil, sesame oil into a smaller bowl and add just enough lime juice to cut through the
oil. Season to taste and make sure the dressing is well balanced. Place the peanuts or sunflower seeds in
the oven or in a pan and warm through, then roughly pound them up in a pestle and mortar. Dress the
salad really quickly. Divide between the plates, sprinkle over the hot peanuts or sunflower seeds and
crumble the feta or ricotta cheese over the top.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Watermelon & Ricotta Salad

Serves 4
Ingredients
of a watermelon, cut into 2cm pieces
2 large kiwifruit, cut into wedges
small red onion, sliced
60g baby rocket leaves
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil
teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper
200g ricotta
Method
Combine watermelon, kiwifruit, red onion, and rocket leaves in a large bowl. Whisk sherry vinegar, hazelnut
oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over the salad and toss gently. Divide the salad between
plates and crumble ricotta over.

Seared Beef Slices with Plum Sauce & Mint Salad

Serves 4
Ingredients
4 tablespoons plum sauce
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns
4 spring onions, finely sliced
400g sirloin steak, trimmed
100g bean sprouts
1 butter lettuce
80g mint leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped raw cashews
Method
Put the plum sauce, olive oil, vinegar, ground Sichuan peppercorns and spring onions into a bowl. Stir to
combine. Heat a frying pan over a high heat and sear the steak for 2 minutes on both sides. Remove from
the heat and allow to rest in the pan. Divide the bean sprouts and butter lettuce between 4 plates. Top with
a scatter of mint leaves. Finely slice the beef and lat it over the salad. Spoon over the plum sauce mixture
and scatter with the cashews. Serve with a warm baguette.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Shaved Fennel, Orange, Red Onion & Black Olive Salad

Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large fennel, trimmed and very finely sliced
1 orange, zested, cut into segments and juice reserved
2 large blood oranges, zested, cut into segments and juice reserved
1 small red onion, finely sliced
Cup of black olives
4 small gherkins, finely chopped
100ml olive oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
6 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Method
Combine fennel, orange segments, onion, olives and gherkins in a large bowl. Combine orange zest and
juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour dressing over the salad and set
aside for 15 minutes. Serve with scattered parsley.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Squid, Chorizo & Chickpea Salad

Serves 4
Ingredients
8 small squid (about 40gm each)
70 ml olive oil
1 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tsp smoked paprika
Juice of 2 lemons
400 gm canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 chorizo, thickly sliced diagonally
2 cups (loosely packed) flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely torn
25 ml sherry vinegar
Method
Remove and discard head and insides of squid, including cartilage, then rinse well under cold running
water. Use a sharp knife to open out body lengthways. Scrape out and discard membrane, then score flesh
lightly in a cross-hatch pattern and cut into strips. Combine squid, 50 ml olive oil, onion, garlic, paprika
and lemon juice in a bowl and marinate for 20 minutes. Place chickpeas in a heatproof serving bowl. Heat
remaining olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add chorizo and cook, tuning once, until crisp
(2-3 minutes). Add to chickpeas and return pan to heat. Drain squid from marinade, add to pan and cook
quickly until squid just turns opaque (1-2 minutes), then add to chorizo mixture. Add marinade to pan,
cook briefly until onion is tender (1-2 minutes), season to taste, then pour over squid and chorizo mixture.
Add parsley and sherry vinegar, toss to combine and serve immediately.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Rocket, Fennel & Parmesan Salad

Serves 10
Ingredients
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
80 ml (1/3 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
4 bulbs of fennel, thinly sliced lengthways on a mandolin or V-slicer
200 gm wild rocket
200 gm shaved Grana Padano
Method
Place vinegar and 1 tbsp sea salt in serving bowl and, using a fork, mix to combine and dissolve salt then
add olive oil, a little at a time, whisking to emulsify. Season to taste with freshly ground back pepper. Add
fennel, rocket and Grana Padano, toss and serve immediately.

Fennel & Lemon Salad

Fennel and lemon mixed with cumin make a startlingly different tasting salad.
Ingredients
1 lemon
3 fennel bulbs, thinly sliced crosswise.
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
Salt
Freshly ground green peppercorns
1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Method
Peel the lemon, carefully removing all the white membrane. Cut crosswise into very thin slices and remove
any seeds. Combine the fennel and lemon slices in a salad bowl. Add the cumin seeds and salt and ground
green peppercorns to taste; mix well drizzle the olive oil and mix well let stand for 10 minutes for flavours
to blend then serve.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

Fennel & Feta with Pomegranate Seeds & Sumac

Ingredients
pomegranate
2 medium fennel heads
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp sumac, plus extra to garnish
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp tarragon leaves
2 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
70g Greek feta cheese, crumbled
Sea salt and black pepper
Method
Start by releasing the pomegranate seeds. The best way to do this is to halve the pomegranate along its
belly (you only need half a pomegranate here), then hold the half firmly in your hand with the seeds facing
into your palm. Over a large bowl, start bashing the back of the fruit with a wooden spoon. Make sure you
dont hit it too hard, as you will bruise the seeds and break the skin. Magically, the seeds will just fall out.
Pick out any of the while seeds which fall into the bowl. Remove the leaves of the fennel, keeping a few to
garnish later and trim the base, making sure you leave enough of it still attached to hold the slices
together. Slice very thinly lengthways. In a bowl mix the olive oil, sumac, lemon juice, herbs, and some sea
salt and pepper. Add the fennel and toss well. Taste for seasoning but remember, the feta will add
saltiness. Layer the fennel, then the feta and then the pomegranate seeds onto individual plates. Garnish
with fennel tips, sprinkle over some sumac and serve immediately.

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons

Salads

My Travelling Kitchen

Kimberly Parsons