RECIPE | Six hacks for restaurant-style salads to make at home

1. Spice it up — not just with salt and pepper — but with spices, herbs, sweetness such as honey, and citrus have a way of adding a zing of flavour, and a flourish, like a final sprinkling of finely grated citrus zest will awaken the taste buds.

2. Remember the big Cs — crispy, crunchy, creamy, crumbly are the hallmarks of a perfect restaurant-style salad.

3. Greens go beyond iceberg lettuce — use the exciting varieties available in different shapes, textures and colours. Don't forget baby spinach, green and purple cabbage for crunch and even the brassicas such as broccoli and cauliflower.

4. Grains and pulses are good — lentils, chickpeas, beans, rice, nuts and seeds provide texture and are conveniently available in cans.

5. Get stoned — South Africa is blessed with a plethora of fruit and seasonal and fabulous deciduous fruits such as peaches, nectarines and plums that are affordable. Adding fruit doubles the pleasure.

6. Finish by adding pizazz with flavour bombs — cheese, meats, seafood, nuts and seeds.  

Now make this exotic but easy salad.

CRAB STICK SALAD WITH PLUMS AND NECTARINES

Jenny Morris, aka The Giggling Gourmet, brings her salad A-game with an easy and inexpensive seafood concoction.

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

500g crab sticks, shredded (you could replace with cooked shrimps or drained flaked tuna)

1 large carrot, julienne 

2 firm ripe nectarines, cut into thin matchsticks

3 firm ripe red plums, cut into matchsticks

250ml (1 cup) shredded red cabbage or green cabbage

Dressing:

180ml (¾ cup) quality mayonnaise, Japanese mayo is great

Finely grated zest of 1 lime

15ml (1 tbsp) lime juice

30ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

15ml (1 tbsp) fresh ginger, grated

60ml (4 tbsp) runny honey

Salt and pepper to taste

10ml (2 tsp) Wasabi paste, optional

Garnish:

Black and white sesame seeds, toasted

Method:

1. In a serving dish combine all the salad ingredients.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing, taste and check seasoning. Shake well and use to dress the salad. Sprinkle over sesame seeds and serve.