Tired of the same old coleslaw? Try these fresh ideas for braai salads

CRUNCHY RED SALAD

This combination of fruit and veg makes for a great display and a gorgeously crunchy salad.

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1 red cabbage, finely shredded

1 red oak leaf lettuce or radicchio, washed and dried

2 large red apples, cored and sliced into thin wedges, leaving the skin on

Juice of 1 lemon

1  punnet of strawberries, washed and hulled and sliced if large (you could also use fresh raspberries or cherries)

A handful of dried cranberries

A handful of pecan nuts, chopped

Dressing:

1 red onion, finely sliced

80ml (⅓ cup) cranberry or apple juice

80ml (⅓ cup) white or red wine vinegar

5ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard

30ml (2 tbsp) runny honey

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Spread the cabbage and lettuce on a large platter.
2. Toss the apple slices in the lemon juice and then sprinkle them over the cabbage along with the strawberries and cranberries. Toss lightly to mix through.
3. For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a jam jar with a lid. Close the lid, give it a good shake and let it stand for 30 minutes; this will allow the onion to soften and absorb the other flavours.
4. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving sprinkled with the pecan nuts.

AVOCADO AND PAPINO SALAD WITH SECRET DRESSING

No-one will guess what the nutty flavour of the delish dressing is — crushed papino seeds!

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 large butter lettuce, washed and dried

2 avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced

2 smallish papinos, peeled, pitted saving the seeds and then sliced

A handful of mixed seeds, lightly toasted in a dry pan

Dressing:

80ml (⅓ cup) papino pips

50ml brown sugar

60ml (4 tbsp) olive oil

100ml white wine vinegar

Method:

1. Arrange the salad leaves, avocado and papino slices on a large platter.
2. For the dressing, place the reserved  pips in a mini-chopper or blender and blend until roughly chopped. Add the sugar, oil and vinegar and blend until well mixed.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving sprinkled with the toasted mixed seeds.

NAARTJIE, FENNEL AND BILTONG SALAD

Beautiful bold colours with different textures, the zing of the citrus dressing brings this salad alive.

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 red oak leaf lettuce

6 naartjies, peeled and sliced horizontally into 3-4 slices removing as many of the pips as possible (you could also use oranges or minneolas)

2 bulbs of fennel, thinly sliced

2 sticks of celery, thinly sliced (or replace with ½ English cucumber, chopped)

3-4 spring onions, finely sliced

100g thinly-sliced biltong

Dressing:

80ml (⅓ cup) olive oil

Rind and juice of 1 orange

1 clove of garlic, crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pinch of chilli flakes, optional

Method:

1. Wash and dry the lettuce and place in a large flat serving dish. Add the naartjie, fennel and celery slices.
2. Sprinkle over the spring onion and toss so the ingredients are well mixed.
3. Top with the biltong slices and cover with plastic wrap till serving.
4. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a jam jar with a lid and shake together well. Pour over the salad just before serving, tossing to mix.