Roasted Strawberry Poppy seed Salad

I told you I had strawberries coming out of my ears, didn't I? Forget 4 kg of berries...the quantity eventually exceeded that, and I fear this whole month will be comprised of strawberry recipes due to us all wading through those fat, shiny and delicious berries here in Queensland.
I don't hear anyone complaining.
And I certainly wasn't complaining when I discovered a delightful Strawberry Poppyseed Salad through The Savvy Kitchen. I missed out on being part of the Secret Recipe Club last month but I'm back in the game with this tantalizing and festive looking combination of leafy greens, poppyseeds and fruit. I admit, it's an unusual medley, and something that has been on my to-make list for a long time. Thankfully my husband enjoys the occasional blind-date with a new and unusual gourmet creation of mine, so I put it to the test with him 1.) knowing that he hates small seeds such as poppy seeds and strawberry seeds in anything because they are hard to get out of your teeth, and 2.) that he comes from a line of people who do not have fruits or nuts in their salads.
The outcome? "That's really good! surprisingly good!" says he as we stabbed our forks around that colourful bowl of salad.
And so it was. The textures and the flavours were beautifully balanced--the nuttiness of the slivered almonds, the crunch of the onion, the tanginess of the strawberries, and the sweetness of the dressing were all a feast for the senses. Not to mention how pretty it looked. To top it off,  neither of us ended up with any demon seeds in our teeth.
I made this recipe with a little twist, as I had been experimenting with strawberries at an earlier point. I decided on baking a tray of sliced strawberries for a few hours in the oven and arrived at a very interesting new garnish. I thought these roasted strawberries would go beautifully in this salad. The roasting process seems to infuse the air with the sweetest strawberry aroma, removing that sweetness from the berry and leaving a very tangy crisp strawberry chip at the end. I think it went beautifully in the salad, but if you cant afford the time in strawberry roasting, fresh berries would be equally as delightful.

ROASTED STRAWBERRY POPPY SEED SALAD (adapted from The Savvy Kitchen)

2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. poppy seeds
1 tbsp. vinegar
1 bag mixed lettuce
1 cup roasted strawberries
3 tbsp. slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly

In a small bowl, combine sugar, mayonnaise, milk, poppy seeds and vinegar. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
Ina large serving bowl, place the washed lettuce leaves. Spinkle the strawberries, almond slivers and onions over the lettuce. Dollop the poppy seed dressing onto the salad and serve.

Serves 6 as sides

Zucchini Boats

Have you ever come across someone that says they don't like eating something particular, and then you find out that they have never tasted it in their life? Have you ever wondered what makes people dislike certain  things they know nothing about? Just because an eggplant is called an eggplant doesn't mean it tastes like egg. Just because a chocolate icing looks brown like mud doesn't mean it tastes like mud!
You would think I'm talking solely about little children, but I'm talking adults here too. Well, I'm included there, I often find myself feeling prejudice against the poor old cauliflower, the parsnip and spinach. I think it comes down to families and what is frequently eaten and not eaten in the home. I love when people say they don't like something in particular because it sets me on a mission to convert them over.
This instance I converted myself!
Besides my zucchini soup which I love, I found it hard to prepare zucchini in a way that didn't repulse me. How could this stuff be cooked in a way that made it delicious? Well I was delighted when I came across this recipe for Zucchini Boats, and they look gourmet too (Something that never goes astray in my books). They're very easy to prepare and don't use many ingredients, but they pack a punch of flavour.
My little son and I found some cherry tomatoes that had grown in our very neglected vegie patch--somehow surviving the deathbed that it grew up in. We picked them, sliced them and put them on this garlic and lemon seasoned zucchini half, amongst the cheese that was then grilled and browned into a sizzling, delicious, golden crust.

ZUCCHINI BOATS (adapted from Proud Italian Cook)

4 small zucchinis
1 tbsp crushed garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
dash of lemon juice
pinch of salt and pepper to taste
1 punnet (approximately 16) cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
sprinkling grated Parmesan cheese

Set the oven at 180C.
Slice the zucchinis lengthways and arrange on a baking tray. Slice a slither off the bottoms if they do not lay evenly. Using a teaspoon, scrape the seeds out of each zucchini half, and discard.
In a small bowl, combine crushed garlic, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Brush the tops and ridges of the zucchinis with this mixture, then place the tray in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the tray from the oven and sprinkle the mozzarella in the zucchini ridges. Top with halves cherry or grape tomatoes, then sprinkle with a little Parmesan. Place underneath a hot grill or broiler and cook until sizzling and the cheese has browned. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 zucchini boats

Sharing the Coveted Recipe--Italian Salad

Someone get me a crane! For heaven's sake, I need it! I sound like a dying moose every time I have to do anything slightly strenuous...and that means everything from getting out of bed to lifting my son. Yes...I made the mistake of getting on the scales the other day and looking at how much weight I'd gained since becoming pregnant 6 months ago, and almost broke the scales.
Is it going to stop me from baking? Not in your life. The baby calculator tells me I can safely put on another 10kg and I'm guessing I will. But it does feel rather unattractive. Thankfully I'm not an emotional eater. I'm just an emotional baker. And I tell you what, those pregnancy hormones have a way of making an emotional wreck out of this ship sometimes.
Anyway, my hormones are making me feel giving, so I'm going to pass on a coveted recipe of my mother's. Shh. Don't tell her! Its for salad, just so you know, I do eat other things besides sweets, in case you were wondering.
It's a divine Italian salad sporting all their favourites, from tomatoes to olives and cheese quite typically and without all the greens. I'm not usually into eating salads as a main, but I tell you, you'll want to with this one! You wont be able to stop!

ITALIAN SALAD

800g firm, ripe tomatoes, sliced into bite sized chunks
1/4 tsp sugar
125g garlic sausage, rinds removed and thickly sliced
60g black olives, halved and pitted
125g mozerella cheese, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp. french mustard
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley or basil

Put the chopped tomatoes in a large serving bowl and sprinkle with sugar. Cut each garlic sausage into small peices, ass to the bowl with the olives and cheese and stir gently to mix. In a seperate bowl whisk together the oil and lemon juice until thick, then whisk the mustard and salt and pepper into the dressing to taste. Pour this dressing over the tomato salad, add the onion and parsley and mix gently until the salad is thoroughly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired, then cover and chill until serving time.

Serves 6

NOTES: If preparing the salad ahead of time, do not add the dressing, onion and herbs until just before serving.

Porky at 24 weeks