The Perfect Salad

In 2013 I was asked to cater for the wedding of Sarah and Jo. All the weddings that I have catered are memorable and I feel grateful for the opportunity to have been part of their special day.  Sarah and Jo’s wedding I remember so well as I was amazed at how relaxed and surrendered they were about the catering. 

 

After the initial booking I asked Sarah if she would like to meet with me, as most wedding couples like to and she told me she was too busy to do that, putting full trust in my catering services. That was very fine by me. We did have a few emails but not many and those emails were many months prior to the wedding. Then on the very morning of the wedding Sarah rang to just double check that I was all ok for the catering, I hadn’t heard from her for two weeks leading up to the wedding. I was amazed by how relaxed Sarah was, it was so easeful for me to cater for someone like that and everything ran super smoothly. 

 

In addition I got two fabulous gifts from Sarah and Jo, one of the gifts was 55 china saucers, which over the years I have used to serve cakes on at events I have catered, including the chef training graduations. Sarah and Jo and their families had travelled around Op Shops  (second hand shops) and picked up the most beautiful dinner plates, saucers and cups for their table ware at the wedding. All pieces were uniquely beautiful and they gifted me most of the saucers. I will be eternally grateful for them.

 

Also one of the salads they requested at their wedding was a favourite salad of theirs. At first I actually thought it was a strange combination but now as I look at it and have made it so many times myself I realise that there is nothing strange about it, it is almost like a Mexican salad and seems an incredibly well matched salad. This is the salad recipe I share with you all now as it is one of my favourites and as it is my birthday as I write this blog I thought it perfect to treat myself to this salad and get the photo for the blog at the same time.

 

It’s a perfect salad for the Christmas time festivities too. 

 

2 baby cos or other green lettuce 

1 large mango cut into strips

300g cherry tomatoes cut in half or quarters depending on the size

1 large ripe avocado sliced

1 cup of washed mint leaves

Sprouts for garnish (optional) 
 

¼ cup cold pressed olive oil 

¼ cup red wine vinegar (or other vinegar)

1 tsp maple syrup 

½ tsp Dijon mustard

1 clove boiled garlic minced

Salt and pepper 

 

For the dressing place everything in a blender and blitz or in a jar and shake vigorously.

 

For the salad place the ingredients in layers in a big salad bowl or platter.

 

Who has a copy of my cookbook? If you do which is your favourite recipe to make? If you don’t, have you considered getting a copy or even buying a copy as a birthday gift? There are over 150 recipes and the feedback over the years has been that the recipes are delicious and simple to make. 

 

The book itself is printed locally so does not have any pictures due to it being too costly to print in colour here in our shire. However I actually love that it does not have any photos as when cooking from the book you have nothing to compare your creation with, which can be a really good thing for your self esteem and for not stifling your creativity. 

 

So many times I have cooked something from a cookbook and the result looks nothing like the photo. This puts me off cooking again from the book, as I fear falling short again. Yet in reality the dish I made was delicious but just because it doesn’t look like the photo I think it’s not good enough.  So in my book there is nothing to compare it with so you will get a great tasting creation with your own idea on how it should look and therefore making it your own creation and not one you have tried to impersonate. 

 

If anyone does want a copy of Veet’s Cuisine Delicious Vegan Recipes you can purchase them online in time for Christmas.

 

Have a glorious week everyone 

 

Love Veet