I mentioned on Monday that I am taking some time off work – two weeks to be exact. Being at home means more time for reading (actually have two books on the go for the first time in ages), time to do some clutter clearing (I was very pleased with the results of reorganising the herbs and spices today), doing a new jigsaw, listening to podcasts and going for walks. I’ve also been browsing cookbooks, seeking ideas and inspiration now I have a bit more time to try things out.
One book I really enjoy for inspiration is Peter Gordon’s Savour, a book of ‘salads for all seasons’. It is full of all sorts of ideas, some with only vegetables, some with meat, some with fish, and all looking interesting. The few I have tried have been really good (for example, the minted baby potatoes, peas and crème fraîche and one based on patty-pan squash with olives and mushrooms), so on Monday, with a bit of extra time on my hands, I made this carrot based salad. I used the mini purple and orange carrots I had in the fridge, parboiling them before browning them in a cast iron frying pan. I used Thorvald sheep milk curado (a manchego style cheese) and maple syrup rather than agave since that was what I had in the larder.
The result…the combination of carrots, oranges, pecans, sultanas and salty cheese was gorgeous. A really lovely salad, that was even better for lunch the next day. I used rocket (arugula) as the base as suggested, which worked well, and sprinkled a few micro greens on top. I served it with roast chicken breasts and quinoa for an evening meal, and just as it is for lunch, with a little extra cheese on top.
Have you tried any new dishes recently? Are you like me and sit with post-it notes and mark recipes to try in books?
You can find Thistles and Kiwis on Facebook, and also on Instagram@thistleandkiwis. As for Twitter….am totally inactive these days. If you want to get in touch, email me on thistlesandkiwis@gmail.com
Thistles and Kiwis 
Your salads look really delicious – perfect for hot days and evenings! In order to take the humdrum out of providing daily meals, I try out at least one new recipe a week; this adds a bit of ‘spice’ to my cooking and in this way I have discovered some firm favourites. It is surprising how many different things can be created from the same ingredients 🙂
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Oh you are so right – mince based recipes can be changed to all sorts of things!
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It’s winter in Maine, so I have been experimenting with soup. Tomorrow, a mushroom soup with a cream of cauliflower base. But will be moving on to salads as the weather gets warmer.
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We are still in the ‘bit too hot to cook’ weeks, though didn’t stop me making meatballs tonight!
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Well, exceptions must be made from time to time. 😉
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Looks good to me. I’m pretty much a make it up as I go sort of cook and I very rarely follow recipes, it may change one day, you never know.
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What you made looks good! We are still in soup season here, and I often just use what is at hand. 🙂
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I love salads – your look great.
I have over 200 recipe books – postcard markers in most of them – trying new recipes all the time for my blog!
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I find there are so many things I want to cook, but when am I going to eat them all? 🙂
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Yum to the salad there were some ingredients I have never heard of which is something i love about reading new recipes. My latest venture in the kitchen was all passionfruit this week. I will blog soon. Have a fun chillaxed rest of the week.
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Looking forward to reading what you did with passionfruit, one of my favourite fruits.
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That’s the good thing about Summer, you can just about live on Salads.
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That does look good! I seem to spend a lot of ti e with Ottolenghi these days, especially ‘Flavour’ and am I. Love with all things charred 🤣
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I was thinking about you this morning after the earthquakes….
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I slept through the first one 😬
I did check the council tsunami map though, and spent the morning making sure our emergency kit was, Er, actually in existence.
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I woke up with the first one…husband and cat didn’t! Our emergency kit….well….shall I say has not been updated since Kaikoura….
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That was probably the last time I’d looked at ours too.
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The food looks divine, but most of all I was thrilled by your description of two weeks at home: reading, decluttering, jigsaw puzzles, podcasts and walks. That, too, sounds divine!
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It has really been a time of rest and recuperation.
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That is a good looking salad!
How wonderful that you had time & space to read and try out a new recipe and walk to your hearts content! and catching up on all your favourite things.
We are a family that still pores over recipes books …. we leave bits of scrap paper tucked in the pages which we want to try ….
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I have a packet of post it notes handy when I pick up a recipe book!
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