Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – The Food and Cookery Column with Carol Taylor -#Coleslaw, Potato Salad and Potato Cakes

Time for Salad

Last week I gave you ham and bacon this week as many of you still have glorious sunny weather I thought I would bring you some sides to go with your ham…

Starting with my simple Coleslaw which is lovely as a filling in a jacket potato and equally at home with your main fish or meat dish…

There are so many permutations of this dish and all wonderful in their own way…My version, 5 ingredients plus mayo and you have a beautiful slaw to eat with anything…

I add no sugar as carrots and apples have their own natural sweetness.

So….Lets Get Chopping.

• Shred half a white cabbage or red or half and half.
• Peel and quarter at least one apple and then slice thinly.
• Grate or dice a carrot.
• Cut up some spring onions or finely chop a few shallots.
• Put all the ingredients in a bowl, add some mayo, pinch of salt, freshly ground black pepper and a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
• I go easy on the mayo as I don’t like slaw with more mayo than vegetables.

Keep in the fridge until you are ready to serve. It will keep in the fridge maybe covered until the next day but I just make it as I want it…an easy dish to make for 1 or 10.

Enjoy!

Another salad which accompanies many dishes is Potato salad and again there are so many versions made with either crushed new potatoes, peeled potatoes cubed and boiled, cubed and boiled in their skins or steamed.

Whatever potatoes you use I add to mine some chopped spring onions and or shallots maybe some crispy bacon, just enough mayo not too much and stir through I always do mine when the potatoes are still warm…Season really well with salt and fresh black pepper add some lemon or lime juice an easy one to knock up and again a nice accompaniment.

Lovely creamy mashed potatoes also go well with a salad…they are lovely served with cold meats and a lovely mixed leaf salad.

Have you some left over mash then these lovely little potato cakes are so good.

This recipe use diced cherry tomatoes, okra chopped and lightly sautéed in a little butter or oil, and spring onions.

Using one cup of Sally’s Mayonnaise and to that add 6 cloves of roasted garlic, mashed, I tbsp lemon/lime juice and a tsp of cayenne pepper.

Mix well and season with salt and pepper and set to one side until required. Or cover and put in the fridge.

For the potato cakes:

• 3 or 4 cups of mashed potato.
• 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes diced.
• 1/2 cup of okra chopped and lightly sautéed.
• 1/4 cup finely chopped spring onions again some prefer to sautéed the onions before adding to potato I add them raw.
• 1 egg beaten
• Salt and pepper to season.
• 2 tbsp parsley chopped.

Let’s Cook!

Add okra, spring onions and tomato to potato, season with salt and pepper and mix in beaten egg.

Shape into round patties. Heat your oil and cook for 4-5 minutes until they are golden on both sides.

To serve:

Sprinkle with a tbsp of the parsley and also decorate the top of the mayonnaise with parsley.

These little cakes also freeze well but defrost before cooking.

N.B Depending on the texture of your mash some people like really soft mash and others like a firmer mash but it may impact the texture of your potato cakes you may need more or less egg or if very soft add a little flour.

Sometimes I also use fresh breadcrumbs and beaten egg and dip my potato cakes in this before frying it just gives a crispier texture.

Or you could also add some parmesan to the breadcrumbs which is very nice.

Enjoy!

Rice Salad is something I have made for years and years as something to eat with ham/chicken as a salad…

The dressing:

• ¼ cup of lime or lemon Juice
• ½ cup virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1tsp of fresh oregano finely chopped
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1/8- ¼ red pepper flakes

Ingredients for rice…

• ½ each red, yellow peppers chopped finely
• 1/2cup chopped spring onion
• 2 sum shallots chopped
• 1 sm cucumber peeled and chopped finely

Let’s Cook!

Cook rice as per normal. Whisk the dressing ingredients together.

Add the dressing to the rice and allow to cool down.

Add the other ingredients and stir to combine. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Caesar Salad is very popular here the Thais love it…with crispy croutons it is lovely on it’s own as a starter or as a side with ham and salad.

Ingredients:

• anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
• 1 small garlic clove
• Kosher salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more
• ¾ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
• Freshly ground black pepper
• A romaine or cos lettuce.

Preparation

Chop together the anchovy fillets, garlic and a pinch of salt. Use the side of a knife to mash the mix to a paste then scrape it into a medium sized bowl.Whisk in egg yolks, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, and mustard. Adding drop by drop to start, gradually whisk in olive oil, then vegetable oil; whisk until dressing is thick and glossy. Whisk in Parmesan. Season with salt, freshly ground pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.

This can be made 1 day ahead.

The croutons:

Make your own. Tearing, not cutting the bread ensures nooks and crannies that catch the dressing and add texture.

Preheat oven to 375°. Toss bread with olive oil on a baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Bake, tossing occasionally, until golden, 10–15 minutes.

The Lettuce:

The whole leaves are crisper and just right to absorb the dressing.

The cheese…use a vegetable peeler to shave a small amount on top for salty little bursts.
I find it best to use your hands to gently toss the lettuce, croutons and dressing then top with the shaved parmesan cheese.

You could also serve just a nice, crisp salad like this…

That’s all for side dishes today to go with your ham or other meat until next week enjoy the sunshine and salads.

©Carol Taylor

As the weather continues to blaze down on us in this part of the world, these salad dishes will be most welcome.. my thanks again to Carol for her efforts each week to bring us a varied and healthy way to prepare our meals.

The other posts in the series can be found in this directory: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/carol-taylors-food-and-cookery-column-2018/

About Carol Taylor

Enjoying life in The Land Of Smiles I am having so much fun researching, finding new, authentic recipes both Thai and International to share with you. New recipes gleaned from those who I have met on my travels or are just passing through and stopped for a while. I hope you enjoy them.

I love shopping at the local markets, finding fresh, natural ingredients, new strange fruits and vegetables ones I have never seen or cooked with. I am generally the only European person and attract much attention and I love to try what I am offered and when I smile and say Aroy or Saab as it is here in the north I am met with much smiling.

Some of my recipes may not be in line with traditional ingredients and methods of cooking but are recipes I know and have become to love and maybe if you dare to try you will too. You will always get more than just a recipe from me as I love to research and find out what other properties the ingredients I use have to improve our health and wellbeing.

Exciting for me hence the title of my blog, Retired No One Told Me! I am having a wonderful ride and don’t want to get off, so if you wish to follow me on my adventures, then welcome! I hope you enjoy the ride also and if it encourages you to take a step into the unknown or untried, you know you want to…….Then, I will be happy!

Carol is a contributor to the Phuket Island Writers Anthology:  https://www.amazon.com/Phuket-Island-Writers-Anthology-Stories-ebook/dp/B00RU5IYNS

Connect to Carol

Blog: https://blondieaka.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheRealCarolT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.taylor.1422

If you have missed previous posts in the Cook from Scratch series you can find them here: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/cook-from-scratch-with-sally-and-carol-recipes/

Thank you for dropping in today and Carol would be delighted to answer any of your questions and we always enjoy your feedback. Thanks Sally