Fridge raid salads have long been my favourite kind of meal. They’re how I became confident in the kitchen, by playing around and experimenting. They’re flexible too, which is particularly helpful for veg box life. Of course, having a well-stocked fridge/cupboard helps, but even if your shelves are looking a bit bare, you might be surprised by what you can come up with. Go on, challenge yourself.
Although there are a million and one possible combinations, upon making more and more of them (and considering myself a bit of a fridge raid wizard), I came to realise there’s a simple formula I tend to follow, so here it is.
For the bulk of the dish, consider a mix of carbs, veg and leaves:
Carbs: Think cooked grains (spelt, pearl barley, lentils, couscous), jarred/tinned beans (I love Bold Bean Co), or even rice and pasta (orzo works well).
Veg: Whatever you have in the fridge! Roasted (sweet potatoes, peppers), pan-fried (asparagus) or even shredded and used raw (cabbage, carrots, spring onions).
Leaves: Mixed salad leaves, shredded spring greens, kale (rub with oil to tenderise and use raw), watercress or rocket.
Next, add some protein: Grilled meat, tinned fish, crispy tofu and halloumi all work well. This is a chance to add a hit of flavour too – cook the meat in spices or glaze the halloumi in marmalade or chutney (mango chutney halloumi is amazing).
Give it crunch: Nuts and seeds are an easy way to elevate a salad bowl, and are so good for you. For the best flavour and crunch, toast them in a dry frying pan first.
Something sweet: I love adding fruit for that sweet and salty combo. Try crunchy apple, juicy orange slices or strawberries when in season. Dried fruit works well too.
Add herbs: Always, always, always use herbs to freshen it up. I have mint, parsley and coriander to hand at all times as my staples.
A good dressing: Keep it classic with olive oil, lemon, mustard and honey, or go with the direction of the dish i.e. for Asian flavours try miso, lime, soy and peanut butter. Pastes like harissa and pesto also
work, just loosen them up with yogurt or water.
Our News from the Farm posts come from Riverford. They are the digital versions of the printed letters which go out to customers, every week via Riverford’s veg boxes. Guy Singh-Watson’s weekly newsletters connect people to the farm with refreshingly honest accounts of the trials and tribulations of producing organic food, and the occasional rant about farming, ethical and business issues he feels strongly about. Riverford’s monthly Farm Kitchen letter is written by Riverford’s team of chefs, recipe and content creators: Emily, Bob, Hannah, Lewis & Freddie.
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