A winter salad to alleviate the snow blues....

We've been up since dawn, noses pressed against the window, hoping it will snow like this again....

Remember you can see loads of Cornwall in the snow pictures here including an aerial video of snowy Cornwall.

Although we should be eating hearty stews and shepherds pies I wanted a salad last night. A warm, comforting salad as crisp as the ice underfoot. Next winter I'm going to try and have a steady stream of salad from the garden.

Chicken and Ratatouille Salad (serves 2)

1 bag of mixed salad leaves
1 handful basil leaves
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 handful cherry tomatoes
1 red onion
2 courgettes
2 handfuls penne pasta
1 handful green olives
2 chicken breasts
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
1 pinch sugar
salt and pepper

Put the mixed salad leaves in a bowl. Chop the onion, courgettes, peppers and tomatoes and place in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and roast in a 180'c oven for 20 minutes or until slightly charred. (I cheated because I had a glut in the summer and had roasted a frozen loads of vegetables, so I just popped them in the oven to defrost them)

Rip up the basil and chop the olives roughly and add them to the salad leaves.

Pop the penne pasta in boiling water and boil for 5 minutes or until soft.

Roll the chicken breasts with a rolling pin to make them thinner and cook them on a griddle for 7 minutes on each side.

Slice the chicken into strips. In a bowl mix 2 parts olive oil to 2 parts balsamic vinegar and mix. Add the sugar and salt and pepper.

Add the roasted vegetables and warm pasta to the leaves and with your hands mix in the dressing. Place a good sized pile on each plate and top with the chicken and a few more basil leaves.