Sexy Salad for One

This is what I mean by 'sexy'!

I know, this sounds a bit contradictory ... and if you're not on your own on a weekend evening I encourage you to double this and share. But, if like me you find yourself alone and watching Masterchef on the couch all evening, this salad will be the perfect accompaniment.

The great thing about this salad is that:
1) It's a salad, so you'll feel virtuous enough to have extra dessert

2) It's got fried cheese and avocado and sour cream - need I say more?

3) It might even make up for a crazy week where your partner was overseas and your daughter had a virus from the day he left until very likely the day he comes home ... (or maybe salad + wine + dessert will be required for that - I'll let you know in an hour ... )

On to the recipe ...

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Sexy Salad for One

Serves 1
Very loosely adapted from Jamie Oliver's Jamie Cooks at Home

Ingredients
The salad:
2 large carrots, cut into thick slices
a few cups of boiling water
2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 avocado, cut into small chunks
100g haloumi, cut into 1cm-thick (1/2 in) slices
2-3 g mixed greens, washed and torn
1 tsp toasted cumin seeds

The dressing:
2 Tbs sour cream (you can use yogurt but it won't taste quite so amazing)
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 garlic clove, crushed
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp cayenne powder
1 Tbs tomato paste (or ketchup will do, in a pinch)
1 tsp salt

1. Put any young children to bed, especially ones that are cranky. Open a bottle of wine and pour yourself a glass.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C, 375F.

3. Put the carrots into a small saucepan, pour boiling water over to cover and boil for about 5 min until they're tender. Drain the carrots and put them into a roasting pan with 1 Tbs of olive oil. Mix to coat with the oil, and put into the oven for around 30 min, until nicely roasted. Set aside to cool.

4. While the carrots are roasting, mix together all the dressing ingredients and set aside. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan until they start to pop ... and set aside. Pull out a nice bowl.

5. Ok, now it's time to fry the haloumi. Heat the other Tbs of oil over med-high heat, and put your cheese slices into it. Turn them after 3-5 min, when they are nicely browned on the bottom side. When they're browned on both sides, you're done! Cut them in 1/2 and drain on a paper towel.

NOTE: I actually used the carrot-roasting oil for my haloumi - yum!

6. Assemble in the bowl - mix your greens + avocado + roasted carrot + haloumi. Put dressing on and mix well ... don't use all the dressing to start with, see how you go - people vary in how much dressing they like. So add it to taste. Sprinkle the toasted cumin seeds over top.

NOTE: If you have some stale bread on hand, slice it thinly, rub the slices with a clove of garlic and toast them up in the frying pan and oil you did the haloumi in ... cut into small chunks and you've got some lovely croutons!

Hmmm ... costing this up or having dessert? Sorry guys - this time I'm going with chocolate!

Have a lovely Friday!
Amanda xx