Sydney-based chef Michael Rantissi, of Kepos Street Kitchen, shares three spring salad recipes that stand alone as meals. Written with his wife and cookbook co-author Kristy Frawley, the dishes draw on Mediterranean flavours and simple techniques to maximise freshness.
One tip from Rantissi is to boil corn cobs for a full half hour to ensure they stay juicy. His sweetcorn and risoni salad combines tender kernels with pine nuts and a parsley-preserved lemon dressing. The result is a vibrant, textured dish ideal as a main or side.
Another recipe, the eggplant tomato and almond salad, was a favourite from the early days of his relationship with Kristy. Deep-frying the eggplant until golden adds depth, while almonds and pine nuts provide crunch. The dish is finished with lemon juice and fresh herbs.
The third salad, Salma’s Canteen Waldorf, is named after Rantissi’s mother. It mixes crisp celery, red apples, walnuts and dried cranberries with a simple mayonnaise and lemon dressing. This salad is excellent for barbecues or picnics, offering a balance of sweet and salty.
Rantissi’s advice for better salads is to shop at local farmers’ markets and master a few dressings. The recipes are from his book Salata (Murdoch Books, £34.99).
