Smoked Oysters Quinoa Salad Jar

A brand new year means the (re)start of salad days. My new year’s resolution is to make many salads in 2019, to keep off the fats :P The wonders of a salad jar comes to my aid. One can prepare salad jars days in advance, making it convenient for meal prep. Serve this for dinner, or bring it to work for lunch. To me, salad jars are eating healthy made easy :)

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Layers of my salad jar

Basic rule for a salad jar to keep well for days in the fridge is wet stuff at the bottom (sauce dressing, cucumbers, etc) & dry stuff (salad leaves, carb & dry toppings) at the top.

Smoked Oysters Quinoa Salad Jar Recipe

From top to bottom:

  • topmost layer: feta cheese & cooked quinoa (or any carb)
  • chopped romaine lettuce
  • chopped red onions
  • kidney beans & sweet corn
  • cucumbers & cherry tomatoes (they absorb the olive oil dressing & provide the “barrier layer” to keep the ingredients on top dry)
  • bottom-most layer: smoked oysters in olive oil +  seasonings (lemon, chilli powder, soy/salt & pepper)

Tin of Smoked Oysters in Olive OIl
I bought my smoked oysters from iHerb (affliate link). Please note there is a warning on the package about the tin linings (read more at the product page). You can look for alternative brands, such as John West’s smoked oysters in (sunflower) oil, sold at selected NTUC Finest and Cold Storage in Singapore.

Smoked Oysters Quinoa Salad Jar Recipe
To eat straight from the jar, I tip my jar upside down (only attempt if your lid is very tight) for 1 minute to allow the dressing to seep all the way to the other end of the jar, where the dry ingredients rest.

Smoked Oysters Quinoa Salad Jar Recipe
Then give the jar some vigorous shaking (holding firmly onto the lid to keep it close) before tucking in. Since my salad jar is small, I have another container to hold extra salad leaves. As I am eating my salad, I will add the extra leaves to my jar to absorb the remaining salad dressing. Alternatively, just empty the salad into a large bowl, toss and enjoy.

Smoked Oysters Quinoa Salad Jar Recipe

This recipe uses one tin of smoked oysters per person. The amount of the other salad toppings stated in the recipe is indicative – use any amount to layer and fit the jar.

Ingredients:

(A) Seasonings for smoked oysters

  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp Thai chilli powder to taste; omit if you don’t want the heat
  • 1/2 tbsp shallot oil optional
  • 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce (or small pinch of garlic salt)
  • freshly cracked black pepper

(B) Salad layers (from bottom to top):

  • 50g diced cucumber
  • 6 cherry tomatoes
  • 50g canned kidney beans rinsed & drained
  • 50g canned or tetra-pak cooked corn rinsed & drained
  • 1 tbsp chopped red onions
  • 1 serving (50g) chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 serving (50g or more) cooked quinoa
  • 30g feta cheese crumbled or diced; omit or add later if keeping for too many days

You also need:

  • a 750 ml (25 oz) mason jar or BPA-free food jar with tight-fitting lid & wide mouth

Directions:

  1. Season smoked oysters. Empty the tin of smoked oysters (including the olive oil) at the base of the salad jar. Add seasonings (A). Stir to mix well and season to taste.
  2. Layer the salad. Add cucumber and tomatoes to cover the oysters entirely. Then layer the rest of the ingredients at (B) in the order they are listed. Cover the salad jar with a tight lid. Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  3. Serving suggestions. To eat straight from the jar, tip the salad jar upside down for 1 minute, making sure the lid is tightly fastened to prevent leakage. Then shake the jar vigorously until well mixed. Alternatively, pour the salad into a large bowl, toss and serve immediately.