These recipes appears in today’s LoveFood Magazine in the Irish Independent. Perfect for a picnic with a twist, or for a summery Wednesday Wind-down.
Asian Tuna Salad
This is a really versatile salad. Apart from the rocket, don’t worry if you lack some of the vegetables specified here. The salad is all about the dressing!
Ingredients:
1 bag of rocket leaves, washed (about 60g)
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
6-10 baby carrots or 1 large grated carrot
A few pieces of baby sweetcorn
Around 12 mangetout
A head of broccoli, broken into around 8-10 florets
2 spring onions, chopped into small rounds
1 dessertspoon of sesame seeds
Around 200-250g canned tuna, drained
For the dressing:
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons lime juice (or use rice vinegar or white wine vinegar)
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional: add this if you like a spicy dressing)
To Prepare:
Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing. Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for just one minute. Run it immediately under cold water. Now dry fry the sesame seeds on a pan, shaking occasionally, until they begin to brown and release their aroma. When ready, add the seeds to all the vegetables and the tinned tuna.
Keep the dressing and salads in separate containers. Pour over the dressing and mix before serving.
Noodle, Ginger and Coriander Salad
The flavours in the Asian Tuna Salad are bold and gutsy, so you’ll need no more to accompany it than this simple salad. This works well hot and cold.
Ingredients:
4 portions of dried egg noodles (around 200g)
2 inches of fresh ginger, finely chopped or shredded
6 spring onions, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon of groundnut or olive oil
A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped finely
Fresh black pepper
To Prepare:
Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions. Rinse the noodles under cold water and drain well. Toss them in a tablespoon of the oil. Heat a wok until hot and add the remaining oil. Toss in the ginger, stir-fry for a few seconds, then add the noodles and spring onions. Stir-fry for another two minutes, sprinkle over the soy sauce, black pepper and chopped coriander, and place in a container for your picnic.
Photo: Sue Jefferson
Dessert: Fresh Pineapple with Cardamom and Lime
Pineapple travels very well. For four people, simply chop a whole, juicy pineapple into squares, squeeze over the juice of two limes, crush the seeds of 6-8 cardamom pods, and mix well. Place in an airtight container.