Glamping, camping or a barbecue at the beach with friends, simple summer salads like this one are my go-tos. Created by Mary Cox, using delicious vegetables with a great blast of flavour. Simplicity is the key!
Serves 6 to 8
EF, GF, NF, VEGAN
Ingredients
Dressing
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small clove garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of coconut sugar or soft brown sugar
Salad
1-2 corn cobs, husk left on
2 eggplants, sliced into rounds, approximately 2cm thick
4 tbsp rice bran oil
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large heirloom tomatoes, sliced into rounds
1 cup fresh basil and fresh coriander leaves
¼ cup spicy paprika toasted seeds
Method
1. To prepare the dressing, place all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well.
2. To prepare the corn, heat your barbecue grill. Leave the husk on the corn and run it under cold water (sea water works too) to dampen the husks. This helps steam it while it cooks.
3. Place the whole corn cobs straight onto the barbecue grill. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the husks are nicely charred – if you have a lid on your barbecue, close it. This will help cook the corn faster. Turn the corn often to cook it evenly.
4. Remove the corn and allow it to cool a little, then remove the husks. Slice the corn from the cob, place it in a small bowl and set it aside.
5. To prepare the eggplant, place the eggplant slices into a mixing bowl. Pour over the oil and add the smoked paprika. Turn to coat in the oil and paprika and season well with salt and pepper. Using the grill on your barbecue, cook the eggplant, turning every few minutes until well-charred on each side.
6. Serve on a platter layer the corn, tomatoes, charred eggplant, and then some of the herbs. Season with a good grind of salt and pepper. Pour over the dressing and top with the toasted seeds and the remaining herbs.
Ripe’s Oven-toasted Seeds
Makes 2½ cups
DF, EF, GF, NF, VEGAN
Ingredients
1 cup (160g) pumpkin seeds
1 cup (160g) sunflower seeds
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp rice bran oil (optional)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and spread out evenly on the tray. Cook for 5-10 minutes until golden. Give the seeds a good stir halfway through the cooking time.
2. When making the clusters, add a small spoonful of the mixture to the tray instead, so they cook in little clusters. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
Note: you can dry toast them, but we recommend using oil with the flavoured seeds below, as that helps the spice flavours bind to the seeds.
Flavour additions to add to the basic recipe:
• Spicy paprika toasted seeds: add 1 tsp of each – smokey paprika, chilli pepper or flakes, garlic powder
• Turmeric and ginger toasted seeds: add 2 tsp of turmeric powder, 2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• Sriracha toasted seeds: add 4 tsp sriracha
• Sumac, tahini crusted seed clusters: add 1 tsp sumac, 2 tsp tahini mixed with 2 tsp of honey or date syrup
• Soy toasted seeds: add 2 tsp tamari soy sauce, for a sweet and spicy version add 1 tsp sweet chilli sauce and 1 tsp sriracha
• Indian toasted seeds: add 1 tsp ground cumin, 2 tsp curry powder
Extracted from Ripe Recipes: Thought for Food by Angela Redfern & The Ripe Deli Team, photography by Sophie Merkens.
(Beatnik Publishing, RRP $60, beatnikpublishing.com)
