Whoever thinks salads are for Ms. Skinny-Wannabes is partially right and also a dooch-bag. Pardon my French but salads are amazing appetizers and tastebud-teasers. They’re easy to put together and always very flavourful no matter what you use. You hardly need to think about the prep work either because you can use just about everything that you’ve got in the fridge, with dressing or no. Lately, we’re all really big on salads. The weather has been calling for a salad meltdown and there’s nothing like clean, crisp flavours that’s cooling and comforting enough for spring.

It’s hot, like unbelievably warm that you are in tanks and bikini (or shirts and shorts for the lads) all week (indeed that’s summer clothes for you - everyone gets so darned flashy). You crave something cool and light because something heavy and cooked weighs you down a lot. Also, a summer body is in order so everyone’s pretty much watching what they eat. But honestly, all I really want is a great big jug of iced tea with lots of lemon. Maybe a touch of Pimm’s would do that iced tea a bit of good too. Pair that with this salad and you’re set for a nice evening meal, possibly out in a well-groomed garden. I have neither of that, so this salad is pretty lonely and looks rather sad as well. Not the best presentation I agree, but this dressing is very good and dirt easy. So it’s definitely going to made again and again.

The dressing doesn’t require too much effort and is a great base for warm seafood like squid and prawns or a light sauce base for noodles. Never assume that salad dressings are only meant for salad dressings! They’re brilliant with loads of other stuff too. This is quite similar to one that’s found in Jamie’s Cook with Jamie but I’ve tweaked that a little. If you’re worried this is alcoholic, don’t worry - it only contains 1 tsp of sake in 1 serving. And if you’re still worried about that, you can use cooking sake instead which has a lower alcohol content that normal drinking sake. Although it’s quite warm lately, I want to try this dressing again with the addition of chilli oil. I think that might ruin the sake but I don’t know. I think it’ll be worth a try. Who knows?

Also, if you’re thinking to cut out the grapes because you don’t do sweet and savoury then that’s fair enough. But if you aren’t too fussy about sweet and savoury combinations, please please I beg you do give this a try. The grapes go very well with the slightly biting taste of the dressing. It’s just lovely and I was mildly surprised at how well it went. The grapes were simply an afterthought. I usually have my fruit after my meal and I was too lazy to make 2 trips into the kitchen for the meal then my fruit. So I just combined both. By golly, I’m one lazy chipmunk now aren’t I?

Alright then. Before I forget, a thank you to those who’ve sent me little messages of ‘good luck’ and ‘all the best’ for my exam today. It went alright and I’ve done my best. Did consume quite a lot of Starbust sour sweets during that three hours of writing though. Hopefully, all that ‘intelligent bullcrap’ I spilled out onto 2 exam booklets will yield great rewards. So phew, that’s done. One down, two to go. In between these two exams, I hope to post as much as I can because not posting and not making something cool to eat that I can put up on me blog makes me feel slightly empty.

So till the next post, here’s a salad serving for 1!

Tuna on Grape & Peppers Salad with Japanese Sake Dressing
Ingredients

handful of green grapes, washed and patted dry
a serving of salad leaves, preferably rocket, spinach and watercress
1/4 cup of tuna (get one that’s been canned with springwater)
1/4 of a pepper, thinly sliced

For the sake dressing:
1 spring onion, chopped
1 tbs teriyaki sauce
2 tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp grapeseed oil (optional)
1 tsp sake
1/4 tsp sugar
pepper for seasoning

To prepare the dressing, combine everything together and give it a stir with a whisk or fork. Or you can multiply the amount according to the number of servings you’re preparing in a jar, cap it and give it a good shake.
Prepare your salad in a bowl, top it with tuna. I’ve used tuna from springwater to reduce any interferences of flavours from olive oil or brine. Pour dressing all over from the top. Throw the grapes on and serve.