My favourite Jenny Salad (crunchy chinese cabbage salad)

1/2 medium chinese cabbage, shredded
1 bunch shallots, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
3/4 cup (60g) flaked almonds, toastsed
1/3 cup (55g) sunflower seeds, toasted
100g packet fried noodles (may be hard to find, can get at Claremont Fresh for those of you in Perth)

Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce

Combine all ingredients except noodles and dressing in large bowl.
Just before serving add noodles and dressing. Toss well.

Dressing: combine all ingredients in a jar, shake well.

Grublover comment
I love it when Jenny makes this salad. It is really light and fresh and has a great crunch.

Birthday Salad

Handful of cos lettuce
Handful of roquette
One pear sliced
Crumbled/cubed blue cheese
Caramelised pecans (put a dessert spoon of sugar and a cup of pecans in a dry saucepan – when sugar starts to melt give the pecans a toss – leave for about a minute on the heat and then allow to cool)
Avocado
Your favourite version of a classic French dressing

Jill would add smoked chicken (shredded) if this was a meal rather than a side salad. Smoked chickens can be bought from any good supermarket. They are usually in an airtight packet and the meat can just be cut off the bone).

The salad is pretty versatile – you could add spinach or basil or cucumber as well if you like however I like to keep it looking very green (no carrot, tomatoes or red capsicum).

Grublover comment
Jessica made me this delicious salad for my birthday yesterday. The caramelised pecans are a winner - so sweet, going perfectly with the bite of the blue cheese. Yum!

How to make a French dressing…by Jess Anderson

wholegrain mustard (or Dijon)
sugar
garlic
balsamic vinegar (can be replaced by lemon juice, red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar)
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
finely chopped spring onions (optional)

Sometimes I add two types of vinegar or two types of mustard.

There are 2 main things to remember:

1. Always put the oil in last. The sugar needs to dissolve in the vinegar, and the garlic needs to loosen up a bit in the acid. Pour the oil in while whisking with a fork and this will make it more like a dressing/sauce (a bit like how you make mayonnaise).

2. Always taste it before you put it over the salad otherwise you could be kicking yourself.

Shredded thai chicken salad

Serves 2

4 tbsp Thai fish sauce
2 limes , juiced
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 small red onion , halved and finely sliced
2 cooked skinless chicken breasts , shredded
½ small white cabbage , shredded
2 large carrot , shredded
2 red chillies , shredded
a small bunch mint , roughly chopped

Combine the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar then put in a bowl with the onions.

Toss and leave for 10 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together.

Susy's Sensational Salad

Rocket
Asparagus
Avocado
Macadamia nuts

Dressing
Macadamia nut oil
Balsamic vinegar
Wholegrain mustard
Sugar

Put rocket in salad bowl.

Cook asparagus until crunchy. Cool and place on top of rocket, slice avocado on top of asparagus and then scatter with macadamia nuts.

Dress with vinaigrette made with macadamia nut oil, balsamic vinegar, little bit grainy mustard, little bit sugar - all to taste.

Grublover comment
This salad is, as the name suggests, sensational. You can have it as a snack, for lunch or serve it with some nice roast meat for a dinner that will surely impress.

Susy's Sensational Salad

Rocket
Asparagus
Avocado
Macadamia nuts

Dressing
Macadamia nut oil
Balsamic vinegar
Wholegrain mustard
Sugar

Put rocket in salad bowl first, cook asparagus until crunchy, cool and place on top of rocket, slice avocado on top of asparagus and then scatter with macadamia nuts.

Dress with vinaigrette made with macadamia nut oil, balsamic vinegar, little bit grainy mustard, little bit sugar - all to taste.

Susy's Sensational Salad

Rocket
Asparagus
Avocado
Macadamia nuts

Dressing
Macadamia nut oil
Balsamic vinegar
Wholegrain mustard
Sugar

Put rocket in salad bowl first, cook asparagus until crunchy, cool and place on top of rocket, slice avocado on top of asparagus and then scatter with macadamia nuts.

Dress with vinaigrette made with macadamia nut oil, balsamic vinegar, little bit grainy mustard, little bit sugar - all to taste.

Jessica Mary Anderson's German Potato Salad

2 large potatoes (or 4 smaller ones)
Spring onion (optional)
White Vinegar
1-2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 rashers bacon - cut into strips
1 brown onion, sliced

Cut the potatoes into nice bite sized pieces and put in a pan of cold water. Put on the heat and cook until water is boiling. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, cook the onion and bacon in a pan until it is just browned.
Once it is browned add 1-2 Tablespoons of sugar and a good splash of vinegar.
This becomes the sauce so don’t cook it down too much, just for about 30 seconds to take the edge off the vinegar.
Chop the spring onion and toss through at the end.
Delicious as a side with some nice red meat.

Grublover comment
This salad is so easy and delicious. I love it with a barbeque. Always a winner.