Mediterranean Salads
You know temperatures are on the rise when Mediterranean-inspired seafood and effortlessly dressed salads are on the menu. delicious.’ Helena Moursellas serves up sun-kissed plates that will transport you to a taverna.
The sun’s out – time to get grilling!
CHARGRILLED OCTOPUS ROMESCWITHWITHARTICHOKEROMESCO SERVES 4-6
4 (500g each) whole octopus, cleaned 2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp peppercorns
1 red chilli, sliced
2 tbs lemon olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 tsp dried oregano
1 bunch rocket, trimmed
1 lemon, chargrilled, to serve
ARTICHOKE ROMESCO
2 red capsicums, halved, seeds removed
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 cup (50g) whole blanched almonds, roasted, roughly chopped
150g sourdough, toasted, torn into pieces
200g marinated artichokes, drained, roughly chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp sherry vinegar
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Place octopus in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Add bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns and chilli. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until octopus is tender. Remove octopus skin and separate the hood from the tentacles then place in a large heatproof bowl. Discard heads. Drizzle with extra lemon oil, season and toss to combine. Set aside until ready to use.
Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease a large oven tray and line with baking paper.
For the romesco, place capsicum and tomato on prepared tray and roast for 45-50 minutes until charred. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and stand for 10 minutes to soften, then peel and discard skin.
Place garlic, almond, sourdough and artichoke in a food processor and whiz, scraping down the sides occasionally, to a paste. Add tomato, capsicum and remaining romesco ingredients and whiz until combined. Season and set aside until ready to serve.
Preheat a large lightly greased chargrill pan to high. Chargrill octopus, turning frequently, for 2-3 minutes until charred. Transfer to a bowl, add lemon olive oil and oregano, and toss to combine. Place romesco on a serving bowl and top with octopus and rocket. Serve with chargrilled lemon.
BARBECUED CALAMARI, OLIVE TOM AT TAPE NA DE, TAPE NA DE, HEIRLOOM TOMATO SERVES 4
600g mixed baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 cup (160g) pitted kalamata olives
2 garlic cloves, crushed Juice of
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup loosely packed flflat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
750g fresh whole calamari, cleaned, hoods halved lengthwise, scored
1 small radicchio, trimmed, shaved
Preheat oven to 230°C. Place tomato, on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season and roast for 8-10 minutes until blistered.
To make the olive tapenade, place olives and garlic in a food processor and pulse, scraping down the sides, to a coarse paste. With the motor running, gradually add olive oil until combined. Season, add lemon juice and parsley then pulse to combine. Set aside.
Preheat a lightly greased barbecue or chargrill pan to high. Place calamari in a large bowl, drizzle with extra olive oil, season and toss to combine. In batches, barbecue calamari, turning frequently, for 2-3 minutes or until cooked and charred.
Place tomato, radicchio and calamari in a bowl, season then toss to combine. Divide the olive tapenade among serving plates and top with tomato, radicchio and calamari. Serve immediately.
CRISPY LAMB MINCE, EGGPLANT, TAHINI & YOGHURT DRESSING SERVES 4
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra
to drizzle
1 brown onion, fifinely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed
Pinch of nutmeg
1/4 tsp each coriander seeds and
cumin seeds
300g lamb mince
2 tbs pomegranate molasses 1/4 cup (40g) pine nuts, toasted, chopped Juice of 1 lemon, plus extra lemon slices
to serve
6 (400g total) Japanese eggplant, halved
lengthwise, scored
80g red grapes, sliced
1/4 cup each tightly packed mint leaves
and flflat-leaf parsley leaves
TAHINI & YOGHURT DRESSING
1 cup (280g) Greek yoghurt
3 tsp hulled tahini (we used Woolworths
Macro Organic)
Pinch of cinnamon
Juice of 1 lemon
Heat a medium frypan over high heat. Add olive oil, onion, garlic and spices, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and onion has softened. Add lamb and cook, breaking up mince with a wooden spoon, for 5-6 minutes until meat is just cooked. Stir in pomegranate molasses and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until meat is browned and caramelised. Add pine nuts, lemon juice and toss in the pan to combine.
Preheat a lightly greased chargrill pan over high heat. Place eggplant in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, season and toss to combine. Chargrill eggplant, cut-side down, for 2-3 minutes until charred. Turn and chargrill for a further 2-3 minutes until charred. Drain on paper towel.
For the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl, season and set aside.
Place eggplant on a platter and scatter over lamb mince. Drizzle with tahini dressing and scatter with grapes, mint and parsley leaves. Serve with lemon slices.
ZUCCHINI SALAD WITH PEAS AND CHORIZO DRESSING SERVES 4-6
4 (400g total) zucchini, thinly sliced
(we used a mandoline)
1/ 3 cup (55g) fresh podded peas
1 cup (260g) stracciatella (from gourmet food shops – substitute buffalo mozzarella, ricotta or soft feta cheese)
1/4 cup loosely packed mint leaves, torn
1/ 3 cup (40g) pine nuts, toasted
CHORIZO DRESSING
2 x 240g dried chorizo, casings removed, cut into 5mm pieces
2 eschalots, fifinely chopped
1 red chilli, thinly sliced
1 tbs red wine vinegar
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1/ 2 lemon
For the chorizo dressing, place chorizo in a non-stick frypan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for
5- 6 minutes until fat starts to render. Add eschalot and chilli, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until eschalot has softened. Stir in vinegar and olive oil, and cook, stirring continuously, for 2-3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, season and stir to combine. Set aside.
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Add the peas and blanch for 30 seconds. Refresh in iced water, drain and set aside.
Place peas and zucchini in a bowl with 2 tbs chorizo dressing, season and toss to combine. Place zucchini mixture in a serving bowl and scatter over stracciatella, mint and pine nuts. Drizzle with remaining chorizo dressing to serve.
KING PRAWNS, POTATO, FENNEL & CAPER BUTTER SERVES 4
750g kipfler potatoes, scrubbed
12 extra large green king prawns, split
through the belly, deveined
1/4 cup each parsley and tarragon,
fifinely chopped
1/4 bunch dill, fifinely chopped, plus extra
to serve
2 baby fennel, thinly sliced (we used a
mandoline)
FENNEL & CAPER BUTTER
200g unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tsp toasted fennel seeds
2 tbs baby capers, drained
1 garlic clove, crushed
Zest of 1 lemon
Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Heat over high heat, bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and
simmer for 20-25 minutes or until cooked. handleDrain,Drain,andwhencoolenoughtohandle, peel and discard the skin. Slice potatoes to 1cm thick diagonally. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and set aside.
Meanwhile, for the butter, place all the ingredients with ½ tsp salt flflakes in a food processor and whiz, scraping down the sides occasionally, until white and creamy. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat a lightly greased chargrill pan or barbecue to high. In batches, chargrill prawn, shell-side down, and brush with fennel and caper butter. Chargrill for 4-5 minutes, adding more butter if needed, until cooked through and shells are crispy. Season. Keep warm until ready to serve. Repeat with remaining prawns and butter.
Transfer warm potatoes to a large platter and drizzle with remaining butter. Scatter over herbs and baby fennel. Season to taste and toss to combine. Top with chargrilled prawns and scatter with extra dill to serve.
BUTTERFLIED CHICKEN WITH ANCHOVY & PECORINO DRESSING SERVES 4
2 tbs finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tbs fifinely chopped dill, plus extra to serve
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp ground cumin
1/ 2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil 1.4kg chicken, butterflflied
3 cos baby lettuces, trimmed, halved
2 eschalots, thinly sliced
1/ 2 cup (80g) roasted whole almonds, chopped
ANCHOVY & PECORINO DRESSING
8 anchovy fifillets in oil, drained, fifinely chopped
1 cup (80g) pecorino, fifinely grated, plus extra to serve
Juice of 1/ 2 lemon
2/ 3 cup (160ml) lemon olive oil
Preheat oven to 220°C. Grease a large oven tray and line with baking paper. Place the herbs, garlic, cumin and olive oil in a large bowl. Season to taste and stir to combine. Place the chicken in the bowl and rub the marinade all over the chicken.
Place chicken, skin-side up, on prepared tray and roast for 35-40 minutes until golden and cooked through. Reserve any cooking juices from the chicken and place in a small bowl. Transfer chicken to a wire rack to rest, covered loosely with foil, for 15 minutes.
For the anchovy and pecorino dressing, place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz to combine. Add reserved cooking juices to the dressing, season to taste and stir to combine.
Chop chicken into desired portion sizes. Place lettuce on a large serving tray and top with chicken pieces. Scatter over the eschalot and almond and drizzle over dressing. Scatter over extra pecorino, to serve.
HERB-BAKED RICOTTA WITH PANZANELLRYERYEPANZANELLA SERVES 6-8
750g firm ricotta, drained
1/ 2 cup (40g) fifinely grated parmesan
1 1/2 tbs thyme leaves Zest of
1 orange
1/ 2 cup basil leaves, fifinely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
300g rye bread, torn into 5cm pieces
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
500g heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 Lebanese cucumbers, roughly chopped
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve
TOMATO SEED DRESSING
500g ripe tomatoes, halved
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1/ 2 cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease base and side of a 20cm round springform pan and line with baking paper. Place ricotta, parmesan, thyme, zest, basil and egg in a bowl, season and mix until combined. Press ricotta mixture into base of prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. Cover with foil and bake for a further 15 minutes or until fifirm and golden. Cool completely in pan.
Line an oven tray with baking paper. Scatter over rye and drizzle with olive oil. Season and bake for 10-12 minutes until crispy. Set aside.
For the tomato seed dressing, scoop out tomato seeds and juice into a bowl. Chop up tomato and reserve. Add red wine vinegar and olive oil, season and whisk to combine.
Place heirloom tomato and cucumber in a bowl with 2 tbs tomato dressing, season and toss to combine. Tear baked ricotta into large pieces and place on a platter. Scatter over thinly sliced tomato, chopped tomato and cucumber mixture with rye bread. Drizzle with tomato seed dressing and scatter with parsley to serve.