Just Call Me The Bionic Woman!

Because I’ve recently been kitted out with 2 titanium discs and a brantigan cage around the vertabraes in my neck. This means I can now scale tall buildings and lift giant trucks with my bare hands!  Joking aside, it does mean that I’m almost as good as new.

I was fortunate to have eminent neurosurgeon Professor Steven Gill perform the operation. Apparently he did the exact same op on actor Richard Le Parmentier, better known as Admiral Motti from ‘Star Wars’ so I’m in good company.

My time on the computer is limited, which means I can’t dish up any new recipes just yet. However, I have got a few salads ideas up my sleeve you might like to try, plus 4 recipes below that were already typed up . Sorry there aren’t any images, but I’m sure under the circumstances you’ll understand.

Tabbouleh

Tomato Cucumber & Dill Salad

Insalatona Pantesca

Fattoush

For special occasions make a statement with fresh fig, thinly sliced fennel and pecorino shavings tossed in a tangy pomegranate dressing. Or for a fruity starter try papaya, melon and mango, scattered with pine nuts poppy seeds and drizzled with a citrusy lime dressing.

Salads – Think Outside The Box !

But even with everyday salads it’s good to get adventurous.  If in doubt, think colours – what goes well together in nature is likely to go well together in food. The key is to use ripe seasonal ingredients bursting with flavour and add plenty of fresh herbs. Dill, mint, parsley and basil all work well and are capable of lifting a salad out of the ordinary into something spectacular.

As always, a snappy dressing is key and it’s always worth using top quality oils and vinegars over cheaper ones. To give your dressing some pazzazz, try squeezing a little wasabi paste into the mix, it works particularly well on salads containing oranges and apples.