January is all about chucking everything together in a bowl and calling it a salad! These divine seasonal ingredients make ideal ingredients and sides for your next barbecue or al fresco dinner.
Marvellous Mango
Does anything taste more tropical than a juicy, sweet mango? A few lucky gardeners (mostly in Northland and warm, sheltered climes) have managed to grow these wonderful fruit in New Zealand, but most of our mango supply comes from large plantations in Queensland and the Northern Territory. A brilliant topping for pavlova, chuck mango in anything from your morning smoothie to a side salad. One of my favourite mango dishes is a spicy salsa; finely chop red onion, mango, a couple of chillies and some coriander, add a squeeze of lime juice and some salt flakes, mix and serve, either as a dip or a topping on tacos, fish or wraps.
Pantry Staple: Fabulous Feta
Technically a fridge staple, feta brings joy and zing to virtually every salad. It pairs very well with fruits, especially the tropical-based ones like mango; try adding a sprinkle of feta to a grilled peach or apricot and drizzling with honey for a real flavour sensation. It’s an easy topping for breads, crostini, crackers…whatever you’ve got in the cupboard. Greek feta is traditionally preferred for salads, but don’t be afraid to mix it up a bit; basil-flavoured feta is delicious in tomato-based dishes or in a fruit-based savoury salad.
Radical Radish: Daikon
Otherwise known as Japanese horseradish, if you haven’t tried the mild, slightly sweet and peppery daikon before, pick one up next time you’re at the farmer’s market. Varying in size from a large courgette to something you can use as weights next time you exercise (check out your local Korean shop to see just how enormous they can get!), daikon is delicious raw, cooked or pickled. Sliced thinly, cubed or julienned, it’s fantastic in salads and coleslaw, or cut into fine slices, season and bake to make a tasty, fat-free chip! Daikon tea is also used as a digestion aid, and if you are lucky enough to get a daikon that still has its leaves on, don’t throw them away – they make great salad leaves.
