Photo by Rochelle Eagle
There are many people out there, no doubt, who feel that the title of Alice Zaslavsky’s new book, Salad for Days, is more of a threat than an inducement, but I can promise them that once they have this fabulous book open in their hands and see what treats are contained within its pages, they will rapidly adjust their mindset! “Stunning, fresh, luscious!” Yotam Ottolenghi, Sir Sensational Salad himself, enthuses on the cover, and I join in with this rapturous assessment. Indeed, I’ve rhapsodised similarly about two of her previous books on CookbookCorner — and she just gets better and better.
Zaslavsky is one of life’s enthusiasts — and that’s putting it mildly — and a true vegetable evangelist or, as she would say, Vegelante. She’s exuberant, ebullient, excitable but focussed, and so is her food. Her effervescence is engaging enough but, crucially, it is matched by a flair for flavour and a talent for writing recipes that are as reliable as they are joyful. Alice is nothing if not thorough: salads of every hue and for every season are to be found here, along with a dazzling number of dressings, categorised (for further approachability) as Spicy & Funky, Zippy & Zesty, Rich & Creamy, Bright & Light, plus Crunchy Bits for scattering on top. It may not feel like conventional salad season here in the Northern Hemisphere, but Zaslavsky is a Melburnian and they know about cold winters, so there’s plenty for those of us entering the months of darkness. In giving you a shortlist of winning numbers, though, I will include more sprightly, summery offerings, too. Shall we begin? I salute her Tomato Tonnato with Crispy Capers; her Japanese Slaw with Wasabi Mayo Dressing; Cauli Tabouli with Lemony Tahini and Pomegranate; Shaved Zucchini and Edamame Salad with Pickled Ginger; Asparagus Ribbons with Pickled Pink Dressing; Grilled Cos Wedges with Anchovy Aïoli; Tropical Prawn Salad with Archipelago Dressing, this being her Aussie take on Thousand Island; Frisée, Witlof (chicory to us in the UK) and Grilled Fig with Goat’s Cheese; Carrot and Wild Rice Salad with Marmalade Dressing; Warm Winter Slaw with Honey and Juniper Dressing; Sticky Eggplant (Aubergine), Tofu and Noodle Salad; and Brown Butter Broccoli and Brussels with Pecorino Cloud. And yes, that actually is a shortlist! All that remains is for me to tell the recipe I have chosen with a glad heart to share with you today, namely the enticing Hot Cheeseboard Salad with Honey-Walnut Dressing.
Salads for Days: Breezy Ways With Veg, All Year Round by Alice Zaslavsky is published by Murdoch Books, £20.00, www.murdochbooks.co.uk
Photo by Rochelle Eagle.
