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Original poster

Choppy Salad? (On a Sunday Roast)

65 replies

DurhamDales · 23/04/2023 15:56

Since moving to the NE I’ve discovered many eating establishments serve something they call a ‘choppy salad’ along side a Sunday Roast.

It looks like bits of lettuce and onion floating around in a minty liquid. What is it? And does it not make your roasties and Yorkshire pudding go soggy?

OP posts:
Killingmytime · 23/04/2023 16:36

ExtremelyDetermined · 23/04/2023 16:13

We have thin slices of onion and cucumber in vinegar, no mint, but only with roast beef, no other meats. We call it Yorkshire salad. It tastes amazing.

Omg I grew up with this! Not in Yorkshire, but loved it!
i still do it.
I’ve had the mint one at restaurants too, but with apple in.

JayAlfredPrufrock · 23/04/2023 16:36

Sliced onion in vinegar. Grim.

Gatekeeper · 23/04/2023 16:36

QuestionableMouse · 23/04/2023 16:35

Same! I don't think it's a thing in Hartlepool 🤣

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too busy hanging monkeys Wink

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General food
lrwe · 23/04/2023 16:37

Ooh sounds delicious.

My mum always did sliced onions in malt vinegar with roast beef. Amazing. Something about the cold tangy onion with the roast beef and gravy. Then of course the next day on a butty....

QuestionableMouse · 23/04/2023 16:39

Gatekeeper · 23/04/2023 16:36

too busy hanging monkeys Wink

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Yup, and we've rope left 🤣

Original poster
DurhamDales · 23/04/2023 16:39

I’m south west Durham, about 10 miles from Crook @Bernadinetta

OP posts:
Gatekeeper · 23/04/2023 16:49

change of subject entirely but what did you call the raspberry sauce on your 99 back in the old days? Was always called 'monkey's blood' here. We had 2 fab Italian ice cream vans that came around- lovely icy ice cream; none of that Mr Softy shite!

Original poster
DurhamDales · 23/04/2023 16:50

After googling some recipes I’m wondering if the salads I’ve seen are too wet? The lettuce, onion, and mint are floating in the vinegar

OP posts:
RightOnTheEdge · 23/04/2023 16:53

I've never had it or come across it but my mum said they used to have it when she was young.
I think her dad came from Spennymoor.

Bernadinetta · 23/04/2023 16:53

DurhamDales · 23/04/2023 16:39

I’m south west Durham, about 10 miles from Crook @Bernadinetta

Thought as much as soon as you described the salad!

Saschka · 23/04/2023 16:56

IDontWantToBeAPie · 23/04/2023 16:28

We had similar in Yorkshire. Onions and cucumbers in vinegar served with Yorkshires, gravy and piccalilli as a starter.

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Which bit of Yorkshire? From Doncaster, never heard of it. Yorkshire pud as starter yes, but with gravy only.

Daffodilsandtuplips · 23/04/2023 16:57

Northeastgal · 23/04/2023 16:07

It’s wet salad!! And it’s delicious! My grandparents served it on Sundays - Yorkshire pudding with peas, wet salad and gravy first, like a starter, then the meat and veg afterwards (Yorkshire’s fill you up so you eat less meat).

it’s made with spring onions, lettuce, mint and vinegar. I love it!

Absolutely, it’s delicious. Spring onions, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber in a mint sauce, (vinegar, mint and a sprinkle of sugar over the chopped mint.) Lettuce etc. is left to marinate in the liquid. I love it spooned onto the Yorkshire puddings.

tapdancingmum · 23/04/2023 16:58

My dearly departed MIL, came from Co Durham, and would make this to go with a roast. Had forgotten about it as she's been gone a few years but she always used to eat spring onions with sugar and balsamic vinegar as well. I will have to make it again soon 😀

CeeceeBloomingdale · 23/04/2023 16:59

Definitely not a thing in my part of the north east!

EarlGreyAndCucumber · 23/04/2023 17:01

@QuestionableMouse my mum used to make this, and she was from Hartlepool. Until I left home I didn’t realise that salad could be eaten without malt vinegar. It was a relief to find that the vinegar was optional.

Suzi888 · 23/04/2023 17:04

Sounds nice. I’d give it a go!

Allwelcone · 23/04/2023 17:07

Wow I had no idea about this regional delicacy. Its a bit like Italy with its Northern porcin &i truffle risottos, Tuscan wines and Southern pizza really.
A bit.

wheeltrims · 23/04/2023 17:08

I grew up in Durham and never heard of it...
not sure if it sounds fabulous or horrific, might need to try it

Kvetching · 23/04/2023 17:13

Never heard of it, but it sounds yum. But then I love a vinegary gribiche on asparagus or leeks.

WhoToBeToday · 23/04/2023 17:14

It is utterly glorious with mutton or lamb.

NeverHadANickname · 23/04/2023 17:16

My Mam used to make a wet salad with a roast. I think it was lettuce (iceberg), onion and sliced boiled egg. The wet part was English mustard, sugar, vinegar and milk mixed in.

Northeastgal · 23/04/2023 17:21

I’d forgotten about the sugar…I can’t remember whether it was fresh mint or the jarred mint that you used to be able to get.

We called the red sauce on ice cream monkey blood as well!

Liamgallaghersparka · 23/04/2023 17:21

It's a wet salad, we used to have it all the time.

igivein · 23/04/2023 17:22

Hi neighbour! (I’m about 4 miles from Crook on the Durham Dales side)

I’ve never heard of this. I grew up in Yorkshire and I’ve been up here for twenty-odd years, so I’m failing on two counts 😂