Posts Tagged ‘Basil’

Tomato Salad with Potatoes, Green Beans and Chick Peas is perhaps one of our favourite salads in the summer time. We always bring this as a healthy side yet frugal dish to any backyard bbq’s we may go to and it’s a hit. This tomato potato salad is a heart healthy dish and we like to serve it along side a protein such as lamb which we marinate and grill on the bbq.

If you don’t already know from my many garden posts we grow an abundance of varieties of tomatoes such as …..

  • Roma Tomatoes
  • Beefsteak Tomatoes
  • Cherry Tomatoes
  • Plum Tomatoes
  • Grape Tomatoes

Originating in South America the tomato often called a “vegetable” is actually a fruit although most consider it a vegetable. There is nothing better than organic tomatoes ripened on the plant for easy summer salads. Tomatoes are also popular in a myriad of other dishes and condiments such as …..

  • Tomato Soup
  • Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  • Tomato Juice
  • Pasta Sauce
  • Ketchup
  • Salsa
  • Pizza
  • Tomato paste
  • Beverages such as the Bloody Mary

Some people even enjoy slicing tomatoes, breading them and frying them in vegetable oil until crispy on the outside. You can top these little treats with fresh mozzarella and melt it under the broiler.

I always keep our tomatoes out of the refrigerator as I find it affects the taste and texture of the tomato. When we make a fresh tomato salad we always let it sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the spices and extra virgin olive oil. It also helps to build flavour and juices (great for dipping with my Olive Bread). If you pick tomatoes that are not yet ripe simply leave them on a counter at room temperature and eat with-in 2-4 days for optimal taste.

Believed to be beneficial for the heart tomatoes also offer carotene lycopene one of the most powerful antioxidants you can find. We take pride in our tomatoes and enjoy them while we can but if we have more tomatoes than we can eat we simply scald them in hot water, peel them and freeze them in a freezer bag for later use.

Other Variations of Tomato Salads you might enjoy are….

What types of tomatoes do you grow? What is your favourite kind of tomato salad?

Mr.CBB’s Tomato Salad With Potatoes, Green Beans and Chick Peas

Feeds: 6-8 side salad

Prep Time

  • 15 minutes to boil potatoes in salted water until cooked but firm
  • 15 minutes to boil the green beans then soak in ice cubes and water
  • Soak Dry Chick peas overnight then boil until cooked then chill in water in the refrigerator (or use canned chick peas)
  • 10 minutes to make salad
  • 30 minutes to let the flavours come together

Tools

  • 3 pots
  • cutting board
  • knife
  • 3 large bowls
  • strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry chick peas
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup of red onion minced
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • dry oregano
  • fresh garlic
  • fresh basil
  • 4 large tomatoes
  • 4-6 potatoes
  • 1/2 lb fresh green beans
  • 1/2 fresh lime

Preparation

  • 4-6 medium-sized potatoes peeled, cubed and boiled in salted water then chilled in the refrigerator
  • 1/2 fresh green beans boiled in salted water until cooked but still firm, drain then chill in the refrigerator
  • Boil in salted water 1 cup of  dry chick peas soaked over night until cooked then chill
  • On your cutting board cut 4 large tomatoes into wedges and put in a bowl, juices, seeds and all.
  • Add in 1 tablespoon of dry oregano
  • Add in 4 cloves of minced fresh garlic
  • Add in 6-10 leaves of fresh basil rolled and chopped (2 tablespoons)
  • Add in 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
  • Add in 1 teaspoon of pepper to taste
  • Add in 1 tablespoon of salt to draw out the flavours and juices
  • Add in the juice of half a lime
  • Add in the minced red onion
  • Add in the cooled potatoes
  • Add in the cooled green beans
  • Add in the cooled chick peas
  • Mix the salad, taste for flavour
  • Let sit for 30 minutes
  • Serve you Tomato Salad!

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Cucumbers and radish in the summer almost go together naturally,at least for us.Toss in some fresh mint and a lemon garlic dressing and you have a salad fit for any occasion that won’t dig into your pocket-book. It also looks elegant in a fancy serving dish perfect for any back yard gathering.

We grow Mentha also called Mint every year BUT,we don’t put it in the ground. If you know anything about mint you know that it will grow and it won’t stop as it has a network of runners that just keeps on giving but is very aromatic. We have grown both garden mint and lemon mint although there are many species of mint around the world.

We opt for putting it in a relatively decent sized pot so it has enough room to grow.The results are always..too much but we make good use of it. You know paying $1.99 for a small packet at the shops hurts the budget so growing it is our number one option. You can pick up packets at the dollar store for $0.50 and no effort required except water and partial shade but enjoys plenty of sun. If you have friends who grow mint, I’m sure they’d be happy to give you some as they likely have far too much.

Other Uses for Mint- as per Wikipedia

  • Alcoholic Beverages- such as the Mojito, Grasshopper,mint julep
  • Garnishes- to decorate.. we use mint to garnish in our home
  • Lamb- Nothing says mint more than Lamb which it is essential for optimal flavour especially in the UK where we eat lots of lamb.
  • Tea,Jelly,Syrup,Candy,Ice Cream..etc
  • Aromatherapy-essential oils but was once used as a room deodorizer by spreading it around the floors and stepping on it to release the smell.
  • Insecticides- such as Mint Oil to kill  Wasps,Hornets,Ants and Cockroaches
  • Medicinal Remedies- such as stomach pain and chest pains

When the summer rolls around you can’t stop your nose from smelling all the BBQ’s flaring up in and around the neighbourhood. Oh come on you know you’ve done it and wish they would invite you over… you know that Steak on the Barbie smell then you sniff it and close your eyes at the same time. Then you say to yourself,”why doesn’t it smell like that when I barbecue.”  You never know when a neighbour may pop around and invite you to a back yard party so be ready with some awesome summer fresh salads. One of our other favourite salads is Mr.CBB’s Cold Tuna Pasta Salad with a Kick. It’s a no brainer,frugal and relatively easy to make, as are all of our salads.

If your garden is over flowing with tomatoes or you load up as they typically go on sale at the shops in the summer give Mr.CBB’s Fresh Tomato salad with Basil, Fennel and Chickpeas a try. This salad is a hit every time we take it to a party.

So that’s it Mint is the flavour of this salad and I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 1 large seedless cucumber
  • 6 red radish
  • 1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves chopped
  • 1/4 cup red onion minced

Dressing

  • 1/4 extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 fresh lemon juiced
  • 2 cloves of fresh garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • pepper to taste

Preparation

  • In a bowl slice your cucumber not too thin but about 1/4 inch thick or to your liking
  • Slice up the radish fairly thin add to the cucumber
  • Mince up your red onion and add to the cucumber and radish
  • Toss in your fresh mint
  • In a jar combine the dressing ingredients and give it a shake. Taste for consistency and adjust salt as needed.
  • Add the dressing to the vegetables and mix
  • Serve at close to room temperature, but let the flavours meld together for about 15 minutes for optimal flavour.

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Photo Credit Steak-Copyright (c) <a href=’http://www.123rf.com’>123RF Stock Photos</a>