Celebrate Garden Day with a cool salad in your own backyard

South Africa's biggest garden party takes place on Sunday and everyone is invited.

Now in its eighth year, the Garden Day movement calls on everyone to kick back and enjoy the fruits of their labour with family and friends — in their own backyard, garden or any green space to soak up the gifts that nature provides us.

There's nothing like a wholesome, crowd-pleasing smoked chicken salad to toast an outdoors occasion. It's easy to make, tasty, and it's the sort of recipe that can be doubled or trebled to feed everyone.

Add a few sticks of French bread, a chilled white wine such as a lightly wooded Sémillon/sauvignon blanc or a bottle or two of ice cold bubbles, and something sweet to end the meal on a high note.

SMOKED CHICKEN AND APPLE SALAD

Serves 4

Juice of 1 lemon

4 small or medium Granny Smith or Pink lady apples

A packet of washed mixed salad greens

300g smoked chicken fillets, sliced thinly (for veg version, use sliced smoked tofu)

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

100g (1 cup) mixed nuts such as walnuts, pecans and macadamia, or use ready-caramelised nuts for a sweet/salty combination

Dressing:

1 clove of garlic, chopped

5ml (1 tsp) Dijon mustard

25ml (5 tsp) rice or white vinegar

15ml (1 tbsp) water

5-10ml (1-2 tsp) runny honey

45ml (3 tbsp) fresh basil leaves or 30ml (2 tbsp) basil pesto

60ml (4 tbsp) olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Fill a bowl with water and add the lemon juice. Slice the base of each apple so it stands easily. Thinly slice the apples horizontally into discs and keep the apples upright — a toothpick will hold each stack together in the lemony water. If this seems too much like hard work, place the apple slices in the water to stop them going brown.

2. Serve on a large platter or individually on plates and spread the salad leaves on the platter or divided on the plates. Top with the sliced apples, removing the toothpicks if using.

3. Combine the chicken slices, celery, onion and nuts in a bowl and sprinkle on the plates.

4. Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a screw top container and, just before serving, shake well and drizzle over the salad. Serve with French bread and wine or bubbles.

Cheers!