“And I think this word ‘sallet’ was born to do me good…” – Henry IV, Part II
When I worked at the White House, the Bushes held a dinner one year to celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday. The menu card contained a quotation from Shakespeare to accompany each course, and this quote from Henry IV came from the salad course. I don’t think I’ve ever had more fun planning a dinner, pouring through Shakespeare quotations looking for just the right one. (Dessert: ‘The daintiest last, to make the end more sweet…’) The calligraphers used parchment paper and faded brown ink, and mimicked the Bard’s hand in writing the menu and placecards, which is a long way of getting around to saying that summer salads are deeply and importantly satisfying. Here are two – one with grilled salmon, the other with roasted chicken – that you can throw together, safe in the knowledge that you’re eating healthy and enjoying it anyway!
Chicken Salad with Chickpeas and Soft Boiled Eggs
Adapted from the Everything I Want to Eat Cookbook
Serves: 4
Prep time: 90 minutes if you’re roasting the chicken yourself, 30 minutes if you’re using a previously cooked chicken
Ingredients
- 1 roasted chicken
- ¾ cup chickpeas
- 4 large radishes, sliced thinly
- 6 cups lettuces of assorted kinds (use your favorites)
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 3 soft-boiled eggs
- 4 slices multigrain bread, toasted to be crispy
- ½ cup cream and mustard dressing
- ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Shred the meat from the chicken into bite-sized pieces and put in large salad bowl.
- Slice the radishes and add.
- Add the chickpeas, salad greens and the juice of half a lemon.
- Add dressing and mix well.
- Top with eggs and bread and serve.
Roasted Salmon Salad with Celery
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound piece of salmon fillet, skin on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus 4 tablespoons for the turnips
- ½ cup wholegrain bulgur wheat
- 1 pound young turnips, quartered
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 celery hearts, chopped roughly
- ½ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup celery leaves
- ¼ cup parsley, roughly chopped
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and toast walnuts for 5-8 minutes. Allow to cool and then chop finely.
- Increase heat to 400 degrees. Mix together 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and garlic powder and cook for 20 minutes.
- Cook bulgur wheat, simmering in water for 20 minutes, covered, until water is absorbed. Set aside.
- Chop the turnips and sprinkle with one tablespoon of oil. Roast at 325 degrees for 20 minutes, until turnips are browned and cooked through. Add salmon to pan and roast for 12 minutes more.
- Mix together yogurt, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons olive oil for a dressing. Add in walnuts, celery, and bulgur and mix well.
- Drizzle turnips with lemon juice on serving plate. Cover with bulgur wheat and pieces of cooked salmon. Top with celery and parsley leaves and serve.
