‘Raconter des salades’ is an expression that means ‘telling lies’ in French… Well, on this occasion, we won’t be telling you lies when we talk salad.

What’s to say about salad? For a start, I have always been puzzled by the way some people look at me, when I offer salad with a meal I have cooked. Their expressions (no doubt conveying their thoughts) ranges from quizzical – ‘do I look like a rabbit?’, to quite simply horrified – ‘have you lost your mind?, before declining politely.

Let’s put the record straight: yes, I do realise my guests are not rabbits and no, I’m not crazy. There is nothing wrong with eating salad with your meal.

In our family (on both sides- French and Greek), a big bowl of salad always thrones in the middle of the table; whether it’s lettuce with a homemade vinaigrette or a traditional Greek salad (tomatoes, peppers, onions, feta cheese, olive oil with a bit of seasoning).

It doesn’t need to be particularly elaborate. Our favorite is really simple (we do it every evening no matter what). For 2:

– Take 1 X little gem lettuce (Rinse thoroughly and cut)

– add 4 to 8 cherry tomatoes and homemade vinaigrette

For the vinaigrette, use 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of mustard and a bit of salt & pepper.

It takes less than 5mn and (beyond the Continental Touch) it has the feel good factor; it’s refreshing, contributes to our ‘5 a day’ and reminds us of summer all year round.

Truth being told, we can’t imagine a meal without salad and all the little rituals around it, from someone shouting enthusiastically ‘who wants to finish the bowl?’, to dipping bread in the last bit of vinaigrette and fighting over who will get the last drop.

Categories: Food & Drink

Tags: dinner, healthy meals, salad, salads, traditional Greek salad, vinaigrette