Avacado Dressing

I can’t remember where I found this recipe. I think it is based on Green Goddess dressing, but without the anchovies which the boy and I can’t stand.

1 large ripe avocado

2tsp lemon juice

½ cup Greek yoghurt

1tsp hot sauce

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

¾  tsp salt

The boy is hungry after cricket practice, so he’s getting more than just a salad. We’re having cold meats and salamis as well, with some nice crusty bread.

It’s a robust dressing so the salad needs to stand up to it – we’re having green beans, tenderstem broccoli, baby sweetcorn and chantenay carrots, all lightly blanched (one minute maximum)  and then cooled.

The avocado needs to be ripe and soft, and the oil and salt should be good. We like Tabasco, Cholula or Crystal for the hot sauce.

The recipe is just one word – blend! (Add more oil or yoghurt if it looks to thick. A quick taste will tell you which)

Sweet & Sour Sauerkraut Salad

The boy likes this as it is quite sweet. It is packed full of vitamin C so it will ward off colds and the unlikely chance of scurvy. It’s a German recipe

1 large jar/can of Sauerkraut (about 900g)

1 large carrot

1 red pepper

½ an onion

2 stalks celery

½ tsp caraway seeds

½ cup sugar

¼ cup olive oil

First empty the sauerkraut into a sieve over a bowl. You need to save about half a cup of the brine. Press it down to get all the excess out. Lightly bash the caraway seeds with a pestle and mortar and sprinkle them over.

Put it in a bowl and mix in the sugar. Give it about 20 minutes to rest, so the sugar completely dissolves. Just turn it from time to time.

Coarsely grate the carrot and dice the celery and red pepper. We are actually using roasted red pepper from a jar, Turn it over so you get a good mix.

Make a dressing from the half cup or reserved brine and the oil, and season well. It does need a few hours for the flavours to combine and mellow.

The boy is persuading me to let him have hot dogs with this. Only if he buys and cooks them.