Talking salads

OK, I am back! Yesterday's food demo was a huge success. We were worried that no one would come, but at the end we had a healthy audience of 15-20 people, all munching on my lovely salads. There were lots of Indian veretarians in the room and I think Vinegret (Russian beetroot and potato salad) will make it to their tables too. Delighted.

On the note of salads, I have to say I have never been a big fan of the British salads. Lots of salad leaves, a few toms and cucumbers, olive oil and vinegar - that sort of thing. My dad would call it goat food. Meeh! Meeh!

BUT! I am very keen on the pulses/grains based salads and I made one of them, loosely based on a recipe from the BBC Good Food Magazine (and inspired by a salad I ate with my two veggie friends in EC1).

Now this is just yummy. Here is the recipe in full: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/7995/squash-and-barley-salad-with-balsamic-vinaigrette

I didn't have olives or sundried toms, but it worked beautifully without. Just use a bit more capers. And if you don't have broccoli - use any old green brassicas. 

My friend Zhenya and I ate the barley salad, while chopping all the lovely winter salad veg for the cookery demo at the Russian day in my local library. It certainly kept us going, unlike lettuce leaves in oil...