Saturday, January 31, 2009

Oven roasted


Have I mentioned yet that it’s hot in Canberra at this time of year?

To anyone who is reading from the northern hemisphere: I promise you I am not gloating. I know you’re chilled to the bone and, in some cases, up to your ears in snow. I am accepting offers to trade that for 38C (that’s 100.4F) and sunshine so strong you want to hide from it.

It is a dry heat, which I think is an improvement over Boston humidity. It makes you feel as if you’re being roasted in an oven during the day, but as compensation it cools off enough at night that you can at least get some sleep.

Under the circumstances, it’s difficult to find the motivation to turn on the oven and cook anything (although some days this past week it’s been so hot in my kitchen that I can’t actually tell that the oven is on). I’ve been eating this salad a lot. It’s filling enough to be a meal in itself without being heavy, and is quick and easy to make. It is also a good way of using up leftover bread, should you happen to have any of that lying around. *cough*


Too Hot to Cook Salad
1 avocado, halved, stoned and cubed
10-12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
3-5 balls bocconcini mozzarella, quartered
1 cup croutons
3-4 leaves basil, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

Arrange the avocado, tomatoes, mozzarella, and croutons in a salad bowl, and sprinkle the basil over. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle olive oil and vinegar over everything. Toss to combine, if desired. (I don’t.)

Serves 1, with a very, very large glass of ice water.

2 comments:

Linda Valenti DeVincent said... Best Blogger Tips

Okay, I believed you weren't gloating until the "dry heat" comment. Our dry heat consists of 47 degrees today with a storm on tap for tomorrow. Eeeesh...

And, it's snowing more in London than it has since 1991. Hopefully THAT will be over with by the time I get there!

Peace,
LV

PS - the salad sounds yumm-y

Roving Lemon said... Best Blogger Tips

LV - Trust me, dry heat doesn't help nearly as much as you think it will.

I thought of you when I saw London buried under a foot of snow. But knowing England, it'll be 52 and raining by the time you go.

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