Salad Days

Only one thing is truly inevitable over the Christmas and New Year period. We might have turkey on the day, we might have goose. We might put the tree in the main room or in the study. Or even in the conservatory. We might have a wild and raucous New Years Eve or we might go to bed early (this year was an early night). But one thing never changes. At some point between Christmas Day and the 3rd January we will have Ken Hom's Thai Beef Salad. And tonight is the night. It's a reaction to all the rich food over the Christmas period; we get to a point where we crave something fresh and with sharp, zingy flavours and this always fits the bill. They say you can tell people's favourite recipes by looking for the dirtiest pages in their cook books; anyone looking through this would have no trouble identifying it.

Of course there are still nuts to finish off. And twiglets. And crisps. And chocolates. And that box of mint chocolates. And the cheese. That Panetone hasn't even been opened yet.

Pickled onion anyone?