I, like many I assume, considered salads to be something akin to rabbit food; a couple of whole lettuce leaves, a tomato cut in half, a boiled egg, maybe a chunk of cheese, smothered in salad cream. It was something I was given in the summer when no-one could be bothered cooking, or something that would barely sustain me when I was trying to get fit. Salads were basically synonymous for suffering and laziness.

It was only when I emigrated that I discovered the reality, and the rich variety of proper salads. Now, I understand that not many are going to go to the extreme of emigrating in order to appreciate a good salad, so, I thought maybe by giving you some simple hints, and guidelines, you could start to experiment yourself, you never know, you may actually like it!

I am not going to post a string of "recipes" for salad, mainly because I don't consider them recipes as such. They are more a matter of presentation, and combination for me, but I will post photos of salads I have made, and the foods they accompany, or that accompany them.

GUIDELINES

1)Use a variety of "lettuce-leaves", and I include spinach and herbs in this category, mint, basil, and coriander (all are intensely aromatic, so it is advisable to use them in moderation, and not all together) for example, mixing colours and flavours. The mixture of of the deep rich colours is pleasing to the eye, and and the aromatic qualities of the herbs whets anyone's appetite.

2)Cut your ingredients into small chunks or pieces. You should be able to pinch several ingredients at a time with your fork, not just stab half a tomato, the mixture of flavours should explode on you tongue, creating curiosity as you attempt to identify individual flavours. I find tearing the lettuce leaves to be more attractive, and gives the salad a more natural, almost chaotic, appearance;

3)This may sound odd, and re-enforce your belief that salads are rabbit food, but, adding seeds, nuts, and dried fruits are not only healthy and tasty additions to your salads, they give them a contrast in textures and a burst of colour. I personally like pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts (crushed), and hazelnuts, but you can add whatever your preferences are;

4)Never add pieces of boiled egg, it is almost impossible to make them look appealing, and they dominate your dish. If you want to use egg, grate it over the salad, it is far more attractive, and the flavour doesn't dominate in the same way.

5)Dressings and sauces! hmm, I'm not the best person to give you advise on this, given that I have an aversion to most of them. I don't like the fact that they dominate the taste of the salad, and stop you actually tasting the ingredients (although, if you're going to use cucumber, that's probably a good thing). On many occasions, you would be better advised to drink a glass of dressing or sauce, and save yourself the trouble of making a salad!

6)Oil. This, to me, is the best way to dress your salads. A healthy (and I refer to the quantity as well as the fact that olive oil is extremely good for you) drizzle of olive oil, poured over a salad, gives it a refreshing brilliance that is hard to surpass. Always use olive oil if you can, virgin olive oil better still, but beware! some of the virgin olive oils have a particularly pungent taste, that not everyone likes. Never use sunflower, vegetable, or any other insipid oil. They are great for frying, but certainly not for dressing your food.

NEVER, and I mean NEVER, put the olive oil on your salad until you are about to eat it. Soggy, flat, salad-soup, is disgusting, and that is exactly what you will get if you pour the oil over your salad and then leave it for half an hour, or worse still, put it in the fridge!!!

7)Eating should not leave you hungry, so, add something hot to your plate. The contrast in temperature, and texture compliments perfectly your salads, and gives you a sense of having satisfied your hunger. Adding 2 or 3 croquets, a piece of pie, a couple of nuggets, a stuffed jacket potato, basically whatever you fancy, in moderation, will make your meal complete, and it doesn't need to be fattening, just hot.

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