Tuscan Style Salad

Recipe By: Jamie Oliver
Serving Size: 4
Yield: 4 -6 (as a side dish)

Summary:
Delicious summer salad that is almost a whole meal on it's own. Just add some barbecued/grilled meat, chicken or fish and you're done.

The original recipe (from Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals) is actually made with jarred red peppers, but on one occasion I had run out and so substituted with some olives. You could actually use a combination of both olives and peppers for a super flavour kick.


Ingredients:
1/2 ciabatta loaf, (or other loaf)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
a few sprigs oregano or rosemary
1 tablespoon small capers
2 anchovy fillet
a small bunch of fresh basil
10 Welly Boot table Olives, pitted
1 clove garlic
4 vines of cherry tomatoes, red and yellow preferably
3 large tomatoes
red wine vinegar
parmesan cheese, to cheese
Seasonings
Welly Boot Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions:
1. Tear the ciabatta into 2cm pieces. Put into a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and toss with the fennel seeds, a few sprigs oregano or rosemary and a pinch of salt. Mix so bread is coated then put under a high grill for 10 minutes or until golden.

2. Roughly chop together the capers and anchovies with most of the basil leaves and the olives.

3. Crush over the garlic clove. Add all of the tomatoes, roughly chopped. Put into a large bowl with a splash of red wine vinegar, a good drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the ciabatta then toss and squeeze the whole mixture together with your hands.

5. Top with the rest of the basil leaves and finely grated parmesan to serve.

{TIP} A great way to use up leftover bread bread. I have used ciabatta, baguettes, french sticks any nice loaf of bread really. It can be a couple of days old too!

Chicken Ceasar Salad

This recipe is adapted from the Donna Hay Modern Classics version of Ceaser Salad. I have reduced the amount of bread and bacon and the addition of chicken and a poached egg, although not entirely original, is by me :) Serve either for lunch or light dinner.

Ingredients:

6-8 chicken tenderloins
4 rashers bacon
2 baby cos lettuce
4 eggs
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
¼ cup parmesan, shaved
Croutons
½ baguette, thinly sliced (20 sliced)
Welly Boot Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ clove garlic
Dressing
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 anchovy fillet, roughly chopped
¼ cup parmesan, finely grated
½ cup Welly Boot Extra Virgin Olive Oil, (medium or delicate)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F). Put a medium sized saucepan ¾ full of water on a medium/high heat. Heat the barbecue OR place a large frypan on a medium/high heat.

2. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill on the barbecue or in a hot frying pan for 5 minutes each side. Remove to a plate, cover with foil and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, to make the croutons. Place the baguette slices on a baking tray, brush with the olive oil and bake for 10 minutes or until crisp and golden. Rub each slice with the cut garlic and set aside.

4. Place the bacon on a baking tray and cook under a hot grill (broiler) until crisp. When cooled, tear into large pieces. Trim the lettuce leaves, reserving the smaller inner leaves and roughly chopping the larger ones.

5. When the water in the saucepan boils, reduce heat so that it is only gently bubbling. Poach eggs using these instructions. Set aside until ready to serve.

{Poachies available from Woolworths}

6. To make the dressing, process the egg yolk, mustard, garlic, lemon juice, anchovies and parmesan in a food processor until combined. With the motor running, gradually add the oil in a thin stream and process until smooth and creamy.

To serve, toss together the lettuce, two-thirds of the dressing, the bacon, croutons, salt and pepper. Heap into four individual serving bowls. Spoon over the remaining dressing and top with sliced chicken, a poached egg each and the shaved parmesan. (Serves 4)

{WORKING MUM TIMESAVER TIP}: Use a good quality store bought ceaser dressing (Paul Newman's is quite nice).
But do try making your own. It doesn't take too long, and freshly made really does taste best.