During silage, I usually make a big dinner each day, as well as “salad-y” bits for lunch.
The workers will come in once they’re done in the evening for a meal and even if they can’t all come in together for lunch, there is always food laid out on the table.
That way, if someone has a few minutes, they can pop in for a quick plate of salads and a cup of tea.
One of my tried-and-tested silage recipes is my creamy bacon pasta salad. In it, crispy bacon combines with al dente pasta, fresh, chunky vegetables and a garlic lemon dressing. It’s addictive. In fact, I don’t just save it for silage – it’s also my go-to recipe for family barbecues or potlucks in the summer months.
The flavours scream summer, and the salad is a great side dish for grilled chicken, steak or burgers and sausages. It’s also great on a summer salad plate, with tomatoes, coleslaw, potato salad, ham, chutney and brown bread.
Creamy bacon pasta salad
Serves 8-12
Janine's creamy bacon pasta salad.
500g dried pasta (I like macaroni, fusilli or a rigatoni here), cooked al dente (8-10 minutes) and cooled
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 cucumber, seeded and roughly chopped
300g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
250g bacon or bacon lardons, cooked until crisp and drained on kitchen towel
200g feta, crumbled
Juice and rind from one lemon
1 large clove garlic, crushed or finely grated
200g mayonnaise
2 tsp dried oregano
200g sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Spring onions, thinly sliced (to garnish)
1 Cook the pasta, then drain and spread out on a lined baking sheet to cool. Drizzle the pasta with the rapeseed oil so it doesn’t stick together.2 Cook the bacon until crispy and drain on kitchen towel, then roughly chop. Set aside.3 Seed and chop the cucumber, dice the red onion and halve the cherry tomatoes. Add to a large bowl. Add the crumbled feta and cooled bacon.4 When the pasta is completely cool, add to the vegetables, cheese and bacon. Mix to combine.5 In another bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, oregano and lemon rind and juice. Mix well and generously season with salt and pepper.6 Drizzle the dressing over the pasta and toss together until everything is coated. Chill until ready to serve. *Once chilled, I always check for seasoning and adjust with more salt and pepper before serving, if necessary, as the flavour can change after it’s been in the fridge for awhile.
During silage, I usually make a big dinner each day, as well as “salad-y” bits for lunch.
The workers will come in once they’re done in the evening for a meal and even if they can’t all come in together for lunch, there is always food laid out on the table.
That way, if someone has a few minutes, they can pop in for a quick plate of salads and a cup of tea.
One of my tried-and-tested silage recipes is my creamy bacon pasta salad. In it, crispy bacon combines with al dente pasta, fresh, chunky vegetables and a garlic lemon dressing. It’s addictive. In fact, I don’t just save it for silage – it’s also my go-to recipe for family barbecues or potlucks in the summer months.
The flavours scream summer, and the salad is a great side dish for grilled chicken, steak or burgers and sausages. It’s also great on a summer salad plate, with tomatoes, coleslaw, potato salad, ham, chutney and brown bread.
Creamy bacon pasta salad
Serves 8-12
Janine's creamy bacon pasta salad.
500g dried pasta (I like macaroni, fusilli or a rigatoni here), cooked al dente (8-10 minutes) and cooled
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 cucumber, seeded and roughly chopped
300g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, diced
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
250g bacon or bacon lardons, cooked until crisp and drained on kitchen towel
200g feta, crumbled
Juice and rind from one lemon
1 large clove garlic, crushed or finely grated
200g mayonnaise
2 tsp dried oregano
200g sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Spring onions, thinly sliced (to garnish)
1 Cook the pasta, then drain and spread out on a lined baking sheet to cool. Drizzle the pasta with the rapeseed oil so it doesn’t stick together.2 Cook the bacon until crispy and drain on kitchen towel, then roughly chop. Set aside.3 Seed and chop the cucumber, dice the red onion and halve the cherry tomatoes. Add to a large bowl. Add the crumbled feta and cooled bacon.4 When the pasta is completely cool, add to the vegetables, cheese and bacon. Mix to combine.5 In another bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, oregano and lemon rind and juice. Mix well and generously season with salt and pepper.6 Drizzle the dressing over the pasta and toss together until everything is coated. Chill until ready to serve. *Once chilled, I always check for seasoning and adjust with more salt and pepper before serving, if necessary, as the flavour can change after it’s been in the fridge for awhile.
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