Easy as Pie (Salads)

Member Name: deanne

Product:	Salads
Date:	14/08/01 (526 review reads)
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Barbecue season, and I always get stuck on what salad dishes to serve up. I look through magazines for idea's but they are always disgusting or cost a fortune! So, here are a few of my favourites and I hope you enjoy:

Rice and 'things':

Ingredients:
Rice (approx 3 mugs)
Mixed Peppers (2 of each)
Mushrooms (any kind except flat) (1 kilo)
Sesame Oil (approx 4 tblsp)
Dark Soy Sauce (approx 4 tblsp)

The above amounts will serve 10-12.

Cook your rice. Now, I just want to tell you how I cook my rice. I always use Sainsburys Easy Cook American rice. I refuse to use anything else. I always get perfect rice.
Boil your large saucepan of water, add your rice, when it comes back to boiling point, stir it once (I always use a chopstick to stir), then reduce heat to 'just bubbling'. Add a lid but leave a 'gap'. LEAVE IT ALONE.
DO NOT TAMPER WITH IT!!! Leave it for about 12-13 minutes. Don't even lift the lid 'just to check'. When the time is up, drain and then rinse with boiling hot water. Allow to drain thoroughly. Follow these rules and I promise perfect rice every time.

Cut or break your mushrooms into pieces. For example, if a mushroom was the size of a 50p piece then just cut it in half. Place in a large bowl add a tablespoon of water and microwave on full power for about 10 minutes. Or, cook on the hob. Up to you. This gets rid of all the water in the mushrooms. Drain. Put to one side.

De-seed the peppers and dice. Soften in the microwave. (or hob). If you cannot be bothered to de-seed and dice, buy a packet of frozen sliced peppers and 'break' into pieces.

Add the peppers to the mushrooms and add half the soy sauce and sesame oil. Mix well. Cook for a further 3 minutes. Put the remaining soy sauce and sesame oil in the serving bowl. Add the rice and stir to coat.
Once the peppers and mushrooms are ready, add to the rice (juice as
well) and mix.
Thats it. The smell and flavour are incredible. Try it. Its easy, quick and cheap.

Tuna Pasta

This is a very popular dish and Im sure known to most of you. Here is how I do it.

Ingredients:

Dry pasta (I use twists)
Dessert spoon Olive Oil (stops pasta sticking)
155g tinned Tuna in brine or water
3 Tblsp Light Mayo
Small tin of drained sweetcorn (optional)

Cook the pasta. Again, I swear by Sainsburys own pasta. Boil the large saucepan of water, add a dessert spoon of Olive Oil. Add the pasta. Keep the heat as high as possible without it boiling over. Cook for about 13-14 minutes. Stir with a chopstick every 3-4 minutes. Do not cover. When cooked, drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water.

Drain the tuna, and 'fork' it to break it up. Add the mayo and mix. Add the pasta and mix. Add the sweetcorn. Job done. Tasty, cheap and filling.

'My' Bombay Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 Medium size potatoes
3 large onions
Tblsp Medium Curry paste
4 Tblsp Olive Oil

Peel potatoes and cut into pieces. I would say the size of roast potatoes. Boil potatoes being careful not to over boil. To be safe, I usually give them a long slow boil. You need to retain the firmness.
Drain when cooked.

Peel and thinly slice the onions. Cover the onions with water and boil until very tender.
Drain. Add the oil and paste and mix well. Cook again for about 5 minutes.

Place the potatoes in a serving dish and pour the onions over the potatoes trying to coat each one. Delicious served hot or cold.

Crab stuff

Medium tin of Crab meat (drained)
3 Celery sticks
1 Tblsp Light Mayo
1 Medium Apple
Large Iceberg Lettuce
1 Tbsp lemon juice

'Fork' break the Crab and place in a serving dish. Dice the celery sticks and apple (coring first!) and add to the crab. Wash and slice the lettuce a
nd add that too. Add the mayo and mix well. If you are feeling generous, add a diced advacado too! Sprinkle with the lemon juice. I would prepare this dish just prior to serving, other wise the lettuce will go soggy.

That is it.

Makes a change from a bowl of lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes!.

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