Free Cooking Recipes

Fresh herbs make all the difference in this summer salad. For a change, substitute the ham with flaked tuna fish, and the basil with fresh tarragon.

SERVES 6
173 g/ 6 oz cooked chicken
125 g/4 oz cooked ham
75 g/ 6 oz French beans or green (string or snap)
beans, lightly cooked
175 g/6 oz new potatoes, cooked
4 plum or cherry tomatoes (yellow or red variety)
1/2 cucumber, peeled
12 black olives
15 ml/1 tbsp each freshly chopped basil, parsley
and chives
1/4 cupi60 ml/4 tbsp olive oil
15 ml/1 tbsp white wine vinegar
I5 ml/7 tbsp lemon juice
pinch dry mustard powder
pinch cayenne
pinch caster (fine) sugar-
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 anchovies
fresh herb sprigs to garnish

Directions:

1. Cut the chicken and ham into neat strips. Cut the beans into 2.5 cm/1 in lengths and the potatoes into small chunks. Place in a large bowl.
2. Halve or slice the tomatoes, depending on size. Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, scoop out and discard the seeds, then cut the flesh into matchsticks. Add to the bowl.
3. Fold these ingredients together carefully, together with the freshly chopped herbs and olives.
4. In a screw top jar, shake together the olive oil, wine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard powder, cayenne, sugar and seasonings until well blended. Pour over the chicken salad.
5. Spoon the salad into a glass serving dish. Garnish the top with fresh anchovies, and sprigs of fresh herbs. Chill for at least one hour before serving to allow the flavours to develop.