Philippa Cameron and a Favourite Salad Recipe

Tell us a bit about why you set up @philippacameron_whatsforsmoko. At first it was to share recipes with friends and like-minded people. People who were cooking for staff, cooking on-farm or just needed some simple, easy recipe inspiration. But it turned into so much more. Not only is it about good food, it’s become a place to advocate for women, who sometimes find it hard to identify their job title once they begin to have a family or move to an isolated area.

How has sharing your life on Instagram helped you feel connected when living rurally? I’ve always felt comfortable living rurally and love the lifestyle it offers our family. What I have found though is that by sharing life on the farm, our daily experiences, and values, people are able to relate. And therefore they don’t feel so isolated. It’s also connected me with some incredible wāhine who have taught me so much along the way. Those friendships would never have happened without my Instagram account.

Could you share with us a quick and easy recipe that has had a particularly good response from followers?  This frozen pea salad was shared with me by a friend’s mum who has an incredible amount of experience in the kitchen cooking for family, workers and community functions. This recipe is quick and requires minimal ingredients. It’s perfect for adding something extra to the table.

 

The Cheapest and Easiest Pea Salad

When you need a quick salad to take to a potluck meal or a family event and you have no idea what to make, or if you’re wondering if you even have enough ingredients to make something delicious – this is what you should make!

This simple-to-make salad will be the one your friends and family talk about.

 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

a handful of mint

a handful of parsley

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp salt*

2 cups frozen peas, defrosted

Dressing

½ cup plain yoghurt

juice of 1 lemon

 

METHOD

Rinse and dry the mint and parsley. I like to place my herbs inside a clean tea towel and pat them dry. Once dry, finely chop them.

Sprinkle the onion with the salt. Toss and set aside. This will help reduce the bitter taste and sweeten the onion.

Place the peas into a medium-sized bowl.

Add the red onion, mint and parsley.

To make the dressing, place the yoghurt and lemon juice in a small bowl and combine. (If you feel you want the dressing to be a little smoother, you could add a little apple cider vinegar to get the consistency you are after.)

Combine the dressing and salad. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

*This may seem like a lot of salt, but it is what is needed to help mellow the flavour of the onion. Use less if you wish.

 

Head to Phillipa's page What's For Smoko to find out more. This piece is number one of three in the Conversations with Friends series, celebrating the launch of our new website. Read our conversations with Emma Sage of Sage Journal and weaver and artist Fiona Collis.