As summer sets in, lighter, more vibrant dishes become essential to everyday dining. Celebrating this seasonal shift, Chef Ajay Chopra, Ambassador for the European Union’s More Than Food Campaign in India,
presents a curated selection of summer salads that bring together fresh, seasonal Indian produce with premium European ingredients.
Through these recipes, Chef Ajay Chopra showcases how high-quality ingredients can seamlessly integrate into Indian kitchens, creating dishes that are fresh, flavourful, and perfectly suited for the season.
Pickled Watermelon Rind, Grilled Peach & Feta Espuma Salad
A refreshing summer salad that balances sweet, tangy, and creamy elements, featuring charred peach, pickled watermelon rind, and a light feta espuma. The use of Feta PDO from Greece adds a distinctive creamy texture with balanced tanginess, while Azeite de Trás-os-Montes PDO from Portugal brings a smooth, fruity richness that ties the dish together.
Ingredients
For Pickled Watermelon Rind:
150 g watermelon rind (julienned)
100 ml apple cider vinegar
30 g sugar
10 g salt
5 g mustard seeds
For Grilled Peach:
2 peaches (halved)
10 ml Azeite de Trás-os-Montes PDO from Portugal
1 g salt
For Feta Espuma:
100 g Feta PDO from Greece
80 ml fresh cream
40 ml milk
2 g black pepper
For Basil Oil:
30 g fresh basil
100 ml Azeite de Trás-os-Montes PDO from Portugal
For Salad Base:
50 g rocket leaves
30 g candied walnuts
1 g black pepper
Method
Heat the vinegar, sugar, and salt until dissolved. Pour over the watermelon rind with mustard seeds and chill to pickle.
Brush the peaches with Azeite de Trás-os-Montes PDO from Portugal, season, and grill until lightly charred.
Blend Feta PDO from Greece with cream, milk, and pepper until smooth. Strain for a lighter texture or keep it creamy.
Blend basil with Azeite de Trás-os-Montes PDO from Portugal and strain to make basil oil.
Lightly toss the rocket leaves with seasoning.
To assemble, plate the rocket and pickled rind, add the peaches, pipe or spoon the feta espuma, drizzle with basil oil, and finish with candied walnuts.
To Serve: Serve fresh. The dish combines the sweetness of grilled peaches, the tang of pickled rind, and the creaminess of feta, highlighting the depth and quality of European ingredients.
Burrata with Charred Jamun & Spiced Seed Crumble
A vibrant summer salad that pairs caramelised jamun with Burrata from Italy and a spiced seed crumble. Terra di Bari PDO from Italy adds a smooth, fruity richness, while honey from Germany lends a delicate sweetness that balances the spice and enhances the overall flavour.
Ingredients
For Charred Jamun:
120 g jamun (deseeded)
10 g brown sugar
2 g black pepper
For the Burrata Base:
1 whole Burrata from Italy
35 ml Terra di Bari PDO from Italy
For Seed Crumble:
20 g pumpkin seeds
20 g sunflower seeds
10 g sesame seeds
25 g honey from Germany
2 g Kashmiri chilli powder
2 g salt
For Greens:
40 g baby spinach or amaranth leaves
5 g green chilli (sliced)
5 g micro herbs
For Dressing:
20 ml balsamic vinegar
10 g honey from Germany
10 ml lime juice
20 ml Terra di Bari PDO from Italy
1 g salt
Method
Toss the deseeded jamun with brown sugar and black pepper, then sear or torch until caramelised and glossy.
Dry roast the pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds. Add honey from Germany, Kashmiri chilli powder, and salt; toss well and allow to cool into a crisp crumble.
Lightly reduce the balsamic vinegar, then whisk with honey from Germany, lime juice, Terra di Bari PDO from Italy, and salt to prepare the dressing.
Lightly toss the baby spinach or amaranth leaves with sliced green chilli.
To assemble, plate the greens as a base, place the Burrata from Italy in the centre, and gently open it. Arrange the charred jamun, drizzle with dressing, and finish with the seed crumble, micro herbs, and a final drizzle of Terra di Bari PDO from Italy.
Serve immediately. The dish balances sweet, tangy, creamy, and spiced elements, showcasing the versatility of European ingredients in summer salads.
