Salad

Apricot Pasta Salad

Servings: 6
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Simple
A very easy but yet tasty dish excellent for hot luck, beach parties and the like. The chicken and sausage can be substituted with left over bbq meats. If the latter is used add black pepper during the pasta making stage as well to heighten taste

6 oz. fusilli (corkscrew) pasta
6 fresh apricots (cut into quarters)
1 whole chicken breast (diced into bite sized pieces or about the same size as the sausage)
2 cooked spicy sausage (diced)
2 small zucchini (1/2 lb), julienned (long pieces)
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp.
Apricot Basil Dressing (please see separate entry in our recipe box)

1. Cook pasta until chewing consistency (ie not soft). Drain and let cool slighty.
2. Whilst waiting for pasta to cook reserve several pieces of the chicken, sausage, zucchini, peppers and apricots.
3. Whilst waiting for the pasta to cook combine all the ingredients except the pasta with 2/3rds of the dressing.
4. When pasta has cooled slightly add the remaining 1/3 dressing and stir well making sure the pasta does not stick.
5. Combine steps 3 and 4, decorate with the ingredients reserved in step 2. Crack black pepper over the dish for aroma.
6. The dish can be served hot or cold. If not hot enough, place in microwave before decorating for 2 minutes (remember to cover with cling wrap to make sure it does not dry out).

Servings: 4
Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: Simple
Suitable for almost every occasion. Can be used to separate a heavy soup with a heavy main course in which case cube all the fruits smaller and serve like a sorbet with springs of mint.

2 cup fresh apricots, halved or quartered
1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh
2 oranges peeled and cut into bite sized
1 pint sour cream
¼ cup of chopped chives
Black olives (optional)

1. Mix sour cream and chives adding a little apricot liquerur if the cream is too thick.
2. Combine all other ingredients except the olives and then gently stir in the sour cream.
3. Cover and chill well preferably for a day or two.

Spoon into sherbet glasses or, my favour, into chilled lettuce cups. Top of sprinkle with black olives for contrast.

Rocket, Apricot and Prosciutto Ham Salad

This is a salad with bold favours but is well balanced with bitter sweet and savoury meat depth.
Serves 4.

Ingredients
2 large apricots stoned and sliced (about 10 from each apricot)
1 cup frozen corn (or 4 ears of fresh corn on the cob)
1 bunch (or 2 cups) rocket (washed and hand shredded – do not use metal knife to cut)
4 slices prosciutto ham sliced (can also use Spek, Jamon Serrano, Ardennes etc ham)
½ cup of mild red onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
¼ tsp of seed mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
 Cook corn.  For frozen corn, boil water and then plunge frozen corn into water and allow to come to boil again.  Wait 3 minutes then drain.  Leave to one side to cool.  For fresh corn, place corn with husk in large pot to boil.  Boil for 10 minutes.  Drain and allow to cool, then separate with knife working from tip to stem.

Peel and smash garlic (hard) and wipe a wooden bowl with the garlic.  To make dressing, smash garlic again and place in a small glass with olive oil, white wine vinegar, seed mustard, red onion and salt & pepper.  Stir (if too thick add a little cold water).

Place rocket and most of the corn, apricot and prosciutto ham in the wooden bowl.  Add the dressing and toss.  Use the remaining corn, apricot and prosciutto ham to dress the salad.  Add a touch more salt & pepper to taste.  Enjoy.