Chicken Schnitzel Salad

As the temperature continues to rise heading into Summer, salads are appearing more regularly on the menu.  This Chicken Schnitzel Salad is a variation of one recently featured in Super Food Ideas.  I’ve already made it twice – the first time being after the ‘freezer incident’ (see Bacon & Egg Fettuccini).  Both times it has been met with much excitement by the family combining several favourite ingredients – chicken schnitzel, bacon and egg.

The beauty of a salad like this is that it is a substantial meal that can be served alone while being quick and easy to prepare.  Taking the effort to make your own chicken schnitzel is worth it if you can but store bought ones will certainly do the job.

Chicken Schnitzel Salad

Chicken Schnitzel Salad

Chicken Schnitzel Salad

Ingredients

Adapted from Super Food Ideas

Vegetable oil
500g chicken schnitzel
6 rashers shortcut bacon, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
Lettuce leaves (as much as you like)
½ cup salad dressing

Method

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.

Arrange lettuce, egg and  bacon on plates or in serving bowls.

Pour sufficient oil over the bottom of the frying pan to cover it and heat over medium-high heat.  Cook the schnitzels until golden brown and cooked through – 4-5 minutes each side.  Remove from pan and place on a paper towel to drain.  Thinly slice the schnitzel and add to salad.  Pour over dressing.  Serve.

The Klutzy Cook Notes

  • Use different salad dressings to make different variations of the salad.  Our favourite is to make it a Caesar salad – use Caesar dressing and sprinkle with shaved parmesan.
  • Add other salad ingredients for variety also – tomatoes, grated carrot and cucumber all work well.
If you have any comments or questions about this recipe, please leave them below.

December 2nd, 2009 | Tags: , , , , | 4 Comments »

Vietnamese Noodles

This Vietnamese Noodles dish is a wonderful fresh salad and is perfect in the warmer months. It combines soft rice vermicelli noodles with lemongrass chicken and crunchy salad vegetables all doused in a traditional Vietnamese dressing. With all these ingredients, it is a meal in itself and makes a great light lunch or dinner alternative.

At first glance, the Vietnamese Noodles recipe looks a little complicated, but in fact it’s really easy. While there are a lot of ingredients, there is very little cooking involved. Most of the work is simply in chopping the vegetables and herbs.

My kids really liked this dish too (it was included in Menu Plan #8). I served the salad dressing on the side and minimised the herbs on their plate as the flavours for these can be a bit overpowering for little people. They happily tucked in and gave it the thumbs up.

Vietnamese Noodles

Adapted From Australian Good Food

Vietnamese Noodles

Vietnamese Noodles

Ingredients

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup fish sauce
¼ cup white sugar
1 ½ tablespoons peanut oil
1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped
500g chicken thigh fillet
375g rice vermicelli noodles
2 cups (160g) beansprouts
½ iceberg lettuce, coarsely shredded
1 carrot, coarsely grated (using a vegetable peeler)
1 cucumber, cut into thick matchsticks
1 cup mixed herbs eg mint, thai basil, Vietnamese mint, coriander
2 tablespoons lime juice

Method

Make the marinade by combining half the garlic, ¼ cup fish sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon peanut oil and lemongrass in a bowl. Add chicken and ensure it is well coated. Cover and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

To prepare the rice vermicelli, place the noodles in a heatproof dish. Pour over enough boiling water to cover the noodles. Allow the noodles to stand until tender, about 5 minutes, and use a fork to gently separate the noodles as much as possible. Once ready, drain off the water and rinse them well under cold water. Drain again.

Make the base of the salad by dividing the noodles between the serving bowls. Top with the vegetables and herbs.

To make the salad dressing, combine the remaining garlic, fish sauce, sugar and peanut oil with the lime juice and ½ cup water. Set aside.

Now it’s time to cook the chicken. Preheat a grill or barbecue to medium heat. Place the chicken on the heat and cook until well browned and cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat and slice into strips.

To finish off the salad, add the chicken strips and any extra garnish. Serve with the dressing alongside.

The Klutzy Cook Notes

  • Ensure rice vermicelli is used not bean-thread vermicelli.
  • It is important to choose nice fresh herbs and lettuce so there is plenty of crunch in the salad. Use whatever Asian herbs are readily available.
  • A finely chopped birdseye chilli can be added to the salad dressing for a little heat.
  • Chopped peanuts can be used as a garnish to add extra crunch.
If you have any questions or comments about this recipe, please leave them in the comments section below.

November 3rd, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Easy Potato Salad

One of my oldest friends, Shirley, married a Frenchman.  There were many benefits to this multicultural union (Shirley is very much Australian), not the least being that she got to learn a lot of great recipes from his Grandmother.  This Easy Potato Salad is one of them and she has been kind enough to share it with me (and many others – everyone loves this salad).

Soon after Frank and Shirley were married, they travelled to France so Shirl could meet his family – including his much beloved Grandmother.  She took Shirley into the kitchen and taught her firsthand how to make many of the foods Frank had grown up with and loved.  As they say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!  For Shirley, her time in France was a wonderful experience and the good thing for her friends was that we got to learn too.

This Easy Potato Salad is a little different as the potatoes are peeled after they are boiled.  This gives them maximum flavor.   You need to allow about ½ an hour for the dressing to be absorbed and the salad is definitely best served warm.

Bon Appetit!

Easy Potato Salad

Easy Potato Salad

Easy Potato Salad

Ingredients

1kg potatoes
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt

Method

Scrub the potatoes well and cook whole in their skins until just tender.  Allow to cool slightly or run some cold water over them quickly.

Peel the skins from the potatoes – it should come off quite easily.  Cut the potatoes into large cubes and place into a bowl.  Add the onions, parsley, vinegar and olive oil and combine well.  Season with salt to taste.

Cover and leave the salad for about ½ an hour if time permits.  Taste it and add extra dressing (vinegar and oil) or salt as required.  Serve.

The Klutzy Cook’s Notes

  • Waxy potatoes are best for this salad – ask the greengrocer for ‘salad’ potatoes.  They hold their shape better and won’t crumble when mixing the salad.
  • The salad can be made a day ahead and reheated in the microwave.
  • If the salad dries out a bit after sitting for a while, add more vinegar and oil keeping the ratio similar (1 part vinegar to 2 parts oil).
If you have any comments or questions on this recipe, please leave them below.

October 30th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments »

Noodle Salad Recipe

When you are cooking some Asian inspired food, there is not a better accompaniment than this Noodle Salad Recipe.  We had it recently with some chicken satay skewers done on the barbecue and it was delicious.

The Noodle Salad Recipe comes courtesy of my friend Michelle, who makes it regularly for her family and they always completely devour it.  It is a fantastic combination of crunchy, sweet and nutty flavours.

Noodle Salad Recipe

Noodle Salad

Noodle Salad

Ingredients

1 wombok (Chinese cabbage)
6 shallots, chopped into 5mm lengths
100g slivered almonds
100g packet fried noodles

Dressing

¼ cup white vinegar
¼ cup castor sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
½ cup olive oil

Method

Lightly toast the almonds by putting them into a small frying pan over low heat.  Be careful to only cook them until golden.  Allow to cool.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a small saucepan and stir will over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.  Allow to cool.

Toss the cabbage, shallots and almonds in a bowl.  Pour over the dressing and mix well.

When ready to serve, stir through the noodles.

The Klutzy Cook Notes

  • If you don’t have fried noodles, the recipe can also be prepared using other egg noodles.  Break the noodles into small pieces and then prepare them according to the packet directions.  They can be mixed into the salad before adding the dressing.
  • The sesame oil is optional, but it adds a lovely nutty flavour to the dressing.
  • To make the salad a one dish meal, add some shredded chicken or barbecue pork.
If you have any comments or questions regarding the Noodle Salad Recipe, please leave them below.
September 3rd, 2009 | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments »