With the change in seasons comes an innate desire to cheer ourselves up, whether that be through warming nourishment or soothing gastronomy. Regardless of how dark the shortening days become, an Irish proverb assures us: Laughter is brightest in the place where the food is.
So what should we couple with Rozza rotisserie meat when the leaves are falling and the jet stream shifts allowing the cool weather in?
If you are fortunate enough to have an allotment or some green space at all, you might already have a glut of homegrown hardy vegetables such as kale, spinach, carrots, beetroot, onions, broad beans or garlic. These can often pair beautifully within an autumnal salad.
It's all in the slice
Finely shredding or dicing fresh produce rather than chopping into chunks can make a huge difference with how appetising a salad is. I find that using an attachment such as a grater on a KitchenAid or investing in a basic spiraliser makes for an interesting and varied dish that can be easily layered in a salad bowl or heaped onto a wooden board.
Pile it on
Try chopping kale, broccoli florets or baby spinach.
Dice some red onion or apples (add these last minute so they don’t brown or squeeze over some lemon juice).
Shred some carrots or beetroot.
Scatter sliced almonds, pecans, dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, dried onion or toasted crumbs (you can cheat and buy these readymade).
Crumble feta or goats cheese or grated cheddar.
Then add in a little olive oil, salt or even bio yoghurt or sour cream if it works.
Pouring power.
For a scrumptious dressing, just use an olive oil or get daring with something like walnut oil and experiment with the following additions:
Lemon or lime juice, red wine, white wine or apple cider vinegar, Dijon or wholegrain mustard, honey, sugar, garlic, maple syrup or even pureed root veg such as pumpkin.
Herbs like oregano, mint, parsley and sorrel add an extra layer and give the dressing a lovely dimension with their tiny green organic flecks.
For a full stomach.
Roasting root vegetables ahead of time, such as butternut squash, brussel sprouts, chanteray carrots or parsnip batons makes a salad hearty.
Including pasta or quinoa can make a salad much more filling and then doubles up really well for lunch the next day.
Tinned items are great for storing and adding if you don’t have time to get to the shops. Think in terms of broad beans, chickpeas, lentils or black beans.
If you are a pickle fan, add gherkins, red onions, beetroot or shallots finely diced or sliced.
The variety and possibilities are truly endless when it comes to compiling an Autumnal side dish and it really does come down to personal preferences, availability and some forethought regarding combinations that will compliment each other and textures that will support and lift ingredients in order to make the salad work well together and flavours don’t get lost.
So whether you checkout with a few clicks or pull on your wellington boots and grasp a wheelbarrow, next time you do the food shop remember how versatile you can be with your rotisserie meals and embrace the elements.