Category Archives: SALAD RECIPES

CHICKEN OR SALMON CAESAR SALAD

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Caesar salad is a classic for one very good reason. It is flat out delicious. And when you make it at home using fresh ingredients, it is especially delightful. And I know Caesar salad appears on just about every menu in America. So why (you ask yourself) should anyone bother making it at home, when it can so easily be ordered in a restaurant. Well my dear friends, the answer to that question is easy; because you can make it even better and healthier at home.

When you build your own Caesar salad you control the amount of salt in the dressing, the ratio of dressing to romaine, how much Parmesan to add, and the amount, if any, of croutons you want to use. Of course you won’t be ingesting any of the preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients from the bottled dressing and purchased croutons a restaurant uses, but I’m betting that’s not going to worry you too much!

Now for some people who want to just eat a big old salad for lunch or dinner, but would like to add some protein, the addition of chicken or salmon is the perfect solution. Most of the time when Caesar salad is offered in a restaurant, the chicken is grilled or the salmon is blackened. Both of these preparations are wonderful. But instead of the more traditional way of cooking the chicken or salmon, I like to bake it. I find that the meat is routinely moist when I bake it in a hot oven. Then just before serving, I slice or dice (the chicken) or place the whole salmon fillet right on top of the mixed salad. Serve with a lemon wedge or two, and as they say in jolly old England – Bob’s your uncle!

BTW: I provided my two favorite recipes for Caesar salad dressing below. Both are truly wonderful. I simply prepare one or the other depending on the ingredients I have on hand and whichever dressing appeals to my capricious taste buds at the time. However you dress this salad, you are in for a taste treat.

Also, every part of this salad can be prepared ahead of time. The lettuce can be cleaned and kept in the refrigerator a couple days before it is needed. The dressing can be prepared up to 4 days ahead. Grate the Parmesan at your leisure and just pull it out of the refrigerator when needed. The croutons can be made a week ahead as long as they are completely cool when you place them in an airtight container. And even the chicken or salmon can be prepared ahead of time. Just make sure it is room temperature before it is served.

  • romaine lettuce, cut, washed and spun dry (you really want to start with dry lettuce so that the dressing adheres to each leaf)
  • Caesar dressing (just enough to coat the leaves, but not so much that the salad appears and tastes “wet”)
  • grated Parmesan cheese (I have found that using less than you think you need is probably just about right. Too much Parmesan overpowers the other flavors and makes the salad too rich.)
  • croutons (as few or as many as you like)
  • sliced or cubed chicken or a small fillet of salmon
  • 1 lemon, cut in wedges

CAESAR DRESSING

  • 1 lg. garlic clove, finely minced
  • 6 anchovy fillets or 1-2 tsp. anchovy paste
  • 2 T. fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 3 T. sour cream
  • ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Combine garlic and anchovy fillets or paste in a small bowl. Mush them together with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to blend thoroughly. Use immediately or refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before mixing salad.

CREAMY CAESAR SALAD DRESSING

  • 1 T. mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 small garlic clove, chopped
  • ½ tsp. anchovy paste, or to taste
  • ¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • scant ½ c. vegetable oil
  • ¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

Place mayonnaise, mustard, chopped garlic, anchovy paste, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in the bowl of an electric food processor. Process until smooth and well blended. While the food processor is still on, very slowly pour in the vegetable oil. Blend until thick and creamy. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse 5 or 6 times.

GARLIC CROUTONS

Chop up some small bite sized pieces of a chewy, artisan baguette. Place in a frying pan with butter or olive oil (or a combination) and sauté until each crouton is dry and crunchy. (This takes about 45 minutes because you need to go low (heat) and slow.) Add more butter or oil as needed. When desired crunchiness is attained, sprinkle with granulated garlic. Allow to cool completely before placing in an airtight container.

SAVORY BAKED CHICKEN OR SALMON – based on an Ina Garten recipe

  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for basting
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 3 T. dry white wine
  • zest and juice of 1 regular sized lemon
  • pinch dried oregano
  • pinch dried thyme leaves
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 2 salmon fillets

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and just a small amount of black pepper. Pour into a 9×9-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts or salmon fillets dry and place them over the sauce. (If you are using a piece of salmon that has skin on one side, place the fish skin side up in the sauce.) Brush with a small amount of olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts or fillets. Do not over-cook. (Remember, salmon cooks faster than chicken, so set your timer accordingly.) Remove the cooked meat from the oven and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil; allow to rest for 8-10 minutes before slicing, dicing or serving whole over the prepared salad. (Remember to take the skin off the salmon before serving.) For the final touch, I like to drizzle a little bit of the baking sauce over the meat. Yum

 

 

 

 

 

KALE AND WILD RICE SALAD

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This is my adaptation of PCCs Emerald City Salad. PCCs recipe calls for half a bunch of kale and half a bunch of chard, half a red pepper and half a yellow pepper, and half a fennel bulb. I don’t like “half a somethings”. As much as possible I like to use the entire pepper, or bunch of green onions or whatever. And that’s because I unfortunately have this unforgivable tendency to forget about “half a somethings” and let them turn to “ish” in my veggie drawer. And I know. You would expect a savvy person like me to have my culinary life better organized. Forget that! I’m as capable as the next person when it comes to forgetting what lies at the bottom of my refrigerator. In fact, I may actually be better at it than any of you. (I know, not something to be proud of.) But enough about my shortcomings and more about this amazing salad.

Mr. C and I first enjoyed this salad at our friend Rachael’s home. She had purchased the salad from her local PCC. Now being the food snob that I am, I assumed that any purchased salad could never taste as good as one prepared at home. What I was forgetting was that the salad came from PCC. PCC knows how to do food right. Of course you pay through the nose for their deli items, but the few I have tasted have been first cabin. And I know they are made with fresh organic ingredients and contain no unhealthy additives.

So before you prepare this salad, should you have any misgivings, go to your nearest PCC, after first hitting your local cash machine of course, and give this salad a try. Then having learned that the salad is absolutely delicious, give my version a try. I promise you won’t miss the chard, or the flavor of both a red and a yellow pepper, or the additional thin slices of fennel. Just don’t not make this salad. It is ever so healthy for you without making you feel like you have had to sacrifice flavor for the pleasurable feeling of virtuosity. I say that’s a win/win situation.

  • 1 c. uncooked wild rice
  • 3 c. salted water
  • ½ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ c. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch kale, stems removed, cut into bite sized pieces and massaged (see massage instructions below)
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced (or half a red & half a yellow pepper)
  • 1 carrot, cut into match stick sized pieces
  • 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • ½ c. chopped Italian parsley

Bring water to a boil; add rice. Stir. Bring rice back to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until the water is absorbed, 60 to 65 minutes; remove from heat and let cool. (Or do like I do –use your rice cooker!) While the rice cooks, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. When the rice is cool, toss it with the dressing. Just before serving, toss the massaged kale, red pepper, carrot, fennel, green onions, and parsley in with the dressed rice. Add salt if needed.

Salad can be made up to 4 days in advance.

Massaged Kale:

Using your fingers, rub the kale until it turns a darker green and when tasted, has lost all its bitterness.

 

 

 

 

GURKENSALAT (GERMAN CUCUMBER SALAD)

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I love cucumbers in just about any form. I love pickles (check out my recipe for Bread and Butter Pickles on this site), salads featuring cucumbers (as in Japanese Cucumber Salad – Sunomono and Cucumber and Red Onion Salad, also on this site) and now this amazing salad I worked up for our most recent JazzVox concert. And oh am I glad I decided to feature German food and wanted a crunchy and different side salad to go with my other German offerings. I’m also glad I rarely eat at the same time as our guests. Because, had I started on this salad, there would not have been anything left for others to enjoy!

This is simply my favorite kind of salad. It’s savory, creamy and crunchy all at the same time. And the best part – it needs to be prepared the day before.

Oh how I love food that has to be prepared ahead of time, especially when I have other dishes that need last minute attention and the meal has to be ready at a certain time. (And yes, I fully appreciate restaurant cooks who can get multiple entrées ready at the same time. How do they do that? I can barely manage to get one meal for 25-40 ready to serve at a given time. Maybe that’s why I never became a restaurant chef. Yah think?!)

What I did become however is a person who appreciates good food. (I actually appreciate good food a little too much if my bathroom scale can be believed.) So when I tasted this salad, I knew I had found the perfect balance of salt, sugar, and vinegar absolutely necessary for an authentic German style cucumber salad.

So give this recipe a try. You might want to have a beer close by while you eat this manna from heaven too. And should you happen to be one of those people who look good in lederhosen, you could probably get away without too much ridicule if you hand the person taunting you a bowl of this salad. It’s really hard to bait someone and gulp down food at the same time! Prost!

  • 2 English cucumbers, partially peeled and very thinly sliced
  • ½ onion (yellow, white, or red), thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ c. sour cream
  • 1 tsp. white sugar
  • 2 T. white vinegar
  • 1 tsp. dried dill weed
  • freshly ground black pepper (just a small amount)
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley

Place cucumbers and onions in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let rest for 30 minutes. Squeeze excess moisture from veggies. Meanwhile whisk together the sour cream, sugar, vinegar, dill, pepper, and parsley. Add the cucumbers and onions and refrigerate for at least 8 hours; preferably over night.

CARAMELIZED ONION, GORGONZOLA CHEESE, AND WALNUT TART

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I have no idea why the combination of Gorgonzola cheese and walnuts is so delicious, but it is. And in this recipe, the thyme infused caramelized onions act as the perfect base for this dynamic duo. The creaminess of the cheese, the crunch of the walnuts, and of course the savory flavor of the onions absolutely sends your taste buds to their own special little happy place. (At least that’s what happens to my taste buds when I eat this tart.)

Now I realize that many tarts that call for Gorgonzola cheese and caramelized onions also include pears. But frankly, when you bake fairly mild flavored fruits like pears with strong flavored ingredients like Gorgonzola cheese and caramelized onions, the poor babies simply get lost and all but forgotten. The only thing that tends to remain is a very thin, kind of grainy and not too flavorful layer in an otherwise perfect tart. (And no, I do not hate pears. In fact, I like them very much. But you must admit they can become kind of grainy when they are cooked.) If I am going to eat pears, Gorgonzola cheese, and walnuts together, I am going to put them in a salad. In my opinion, pears have a much better chance of being appreciated when they are eaten raw. In fact, I feel so strongly about this, that I have included a bonus recipe at the bottom of this post that includes pears, Gorgonzola cheese, and walnuts. It is my friend Linda’s recipe for Pear and Blue Cheese (or Gorgonzola) Salad.

I hope you enjoy both of these wonderful recipes.

Disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this blog are those of mine alone. No one else, not even Mr. C, has even a remote chance of having his or her viewpoint taken into consideration, much less expressed!

  • 1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp. plus ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • ¼ tsp. baking powder
  • 1/3 c. plus 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • ¼ c. milk
  • 2 onions, diced
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. minced fresh thyme or ½ tsp. dried thyme
  • 2-3 oz. soft and creamy Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled (we love Black River Gorgonzola Cheese made in Wisconsin)
  • ¼ c. chopped walnuts or hazelnuts, lightly toasted

Whisk together the flour, the ½ teaspoon salt, sugar, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Whisk together the 1/3 cup olive oil and milk in another bowl, then pour over the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork until the dough is evenly moistened and no loose flour remains. Using your fingers, press the crust into a 7×11-inch glass baking dish, beginning with the bottom, then press a tiny bit up the sides of the pan. (Make sure there are no holes or cracks in the crust.) Bake for 12 minutes in a pre-heated 375 degree oven. Remove crust from oven and increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.

Please note: If you are making a tart recipe that does not call for baking the filling, bake for 20 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden and firm to the touch.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet and cook onions until caramelized, stirring frequently. (This step will take at least 30 minutes.) Season the onions with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, a small amount of pepper, and stir in the fresh thyme. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

When ready to bake, spread the caramelized onions evenly over the crust. Add the crumbled gorgonzola, but not the walnuts. (You are going to add the walnuts after the tart has finished baking.)

Finish baking the tart in the pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 13-15 minutes or until the crust is a lovely light golden brown. Remove from the oven and scatter the walnut pieces over the top. Taking a table fork, gently press the walnut pieces into the cheese. (That way they won’t tend to fall off as quickly when people are devouring them!) Place pan on a rack to cool. When ready to serve, cut into desired sized pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PEAR AND GORGONZOLA SALAD

  • 3 T. raspberry vinegar
  • 3 T. honey
  • 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 very thin slices red onion
  • 12 c. coarsely chopped red leaf lettuce
  • 1 or 2 bosc pears, sliced
  • ¼ to 1/3 c. chopped toasted walnuts
  • ¼ to 1/3 c. crumbled Gorgonzola, blue or Roquefort cheese

Whisk vinegar, honey, and olive oil together in a large salad bowl until well emulsified. Add red onion slices, separated into rings. Just before serving, gently toss the lettuce, pears, walnuts, and crumbled cheese together with the dressing and onions.

CELERY SALAD (CÉLERI SALADE)

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For years I have wanted to try a celery salad. I know I could have tried one moons ago, but sometimes you just need a little impetus to get you off your duff. And the inducement to try one now came from my need for a refreshing salad to serve with the French meal I am going to prepare for this Sunday’s JazzVox concert. My menu needed a tart or almost acidic tasting salad to counteract all the richness from the other dishes I had planned. (In case you haven’t noticed, French food can be a bit rich.) I also needed something crisp and crunchy.

I found exactly what I needed when I stumbled onto Ina Garten’s recipe for this delightful salad. I played with it just a wee bit, but the bones of her recipe are still there! Even my dear husband, who normally might be expected to turn up his nose at any dish with celery as the main ingredient, was charmed by this salad.

So give this delightful recipe a try. It’s easy to prepare, the main ingredient is dirt cheap, (who doesn’t like that) and it’s really, really good.

  • ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil (FYI: My go-to olive oil is Trader Joe’s Premium 100% Greek Kalamata Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I use it for everything!)
  • 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
  • 2 T. + 1½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 T. minced shallots
  • ½ tsp. celery seed
  • ¼ tsp. celery salt
  • ¼ tsp. anchovy paste
  • ¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2½ c. thinly sliced celery hearts, tender leaves included, thinly sliced on a slight angle (about 6 stalks)
  • 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ c. toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1 T. rough chopped Italian parsley

At least an hour before you plan to serve this salad, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, shallots, celery seed, celery salt, anchovy paste, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper. Place the celery in a mixing bowl and toss it with the remaining 1½ teaspoons lemon juice and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Add enough dressing to moisten well. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour to allow the flavors to develop.

When ready to serve, taste the salad. (If it needs a wee bit more salt, add a light sprinkle of course salt with the pepper when you are plating the dish.) Arrange the celery mixture in a shallow dish or plate, sprinkle with Parmesan, the toasted walnuts, parsley, salt (if needed), and pepper. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

PROVENÇAL VEGETABLE SALAD WITH ANCHOIADE DRESSING

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Since re-reading “A Year in Provence” by Peter Mayle, I am still happily researching food from the South of France. Having visited France twice already, I have firsthand experience of the many culinary delights that are intrinsic to French cuisine. (I do however need a lot more empirical study, so I think another visit in the near future is absolutely necessary!)

This recipe for a simple vegetable salad is just beyond belief delicious. The anchoïade dressing is so full of flavor, yet it doesn’t overpower the veggies. (And yes I know, it takes a lot to overpower radishes, fennel, red onion, and radicchio. But none the less, these veggies together with the dressing make for just a wonderful mouth experience.)

And don’t worry about the number of anchovies used in the dressing. Unless you truly have an aversion to the hairy little beasties, you are not going to find the flavor too intense. (And no, anchovies are not really hairy. They’re really more fuzzy than hairy!)

So do yourself a favor and make this salad next time you want to brighten up your dinner menu. The flavors are just exotic enough to be special, while at the same time, the ingredients are readily available at most grocery stores. And while you are eating this salad, imagine yourself in the South of France, dining al fresco under a late afternoon summer sun. And served along with the salad – local cheeses and sausages, a soft and creamy pâté, fresh baked bread, a variety of olives, young red wine, fresh fruit, and a pear tart for dessert. Now if that doesn’t sound like heaven, I don’t know what does!

  • 1 small tin or jar anchovies in olive oil or 8-10 anchovies, if you buy your anchovies in bulk
  • ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 small cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 T. red wine vinegar
  • 1 T. finely chopped walnuts
  • 3 T. walnut oil
  • 1 T. capers washed of brine
  • freshly ground black pepper – just a grind
  • pinch of kosher salt, if needed

In a small pan over low heat, melt the anchovies gently in the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté for about a minute. Allow to cool. Transfer into the bowl of small food processor and add the vinegar, walnuts, walnut oil, capers, and black pepper. Whirl until smooth and emulsified. Add salt if needed.

Thank you Celia Harvey from Cuisine magazine for the bones of this wonderful dressing recipe.

  • 4 stalks celery with leaves (tender pale stalks only), very thinly sliced
  • 4 radishes, very thinly sliced
  • 1 small fennel bulb, peeled of tough outer layers, very thinly sliced
  • ¼ small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • 2 hearts of romaine, cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 small radicchio, thinly sliced, opt.
  • 1 T. coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Combine all the fresh veggies and toss with a goodly amount of the dressing. Serve immediately.

 

SHRIMP AND MACARONI SALAD

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This is another one of those retro recipes that absolutely starts my heart a fluttering. I don’t know whether it’s because it’s reminiscent of picnic food my mom and grandmother used to fix when I was a child, or if it’s just because the main ingredient is pasta. Whatever the reason, you mix cooked pasta with mayonnaise, and I’m all over it! Actually, when I stop to think about it, I’m pretty sure the reason I love macaroni salad so much does indeed stem from my childhood.

When I was a kid, macaroni salad always equated to picnics. And picnics always meant cold fried chicken, macaroni salad, homemade rolls, grandma’s dill pickles, watermelon, and chocolate cake.

Picnic days would start with all the food stuffed into a cooler and placed in the back of the station wagon along with blankets, a table cloth, and any other accoutrements that might be needed for a day at either the zoo or the beach. Then dad would gather my grandparents, 2 younger brothers, mom, and me in our two-tone green Ford station wagon and head out early in order to secure a good picnic spot at either Woodland Park Zoo or Juanita beach. (And yes that is a lot of people in one station wagon, but at least 2 of us kids were in the back along with all the supplies. Never would be able to get away with that today. Thank God!) Then away we would go. We almost always got a good spot, I invariably got sunburned, my brothers were always a pain in the – – -, and a wonderful time was had by all. And nary a morsel of food remained to be carted home.

So do I have a reason to love macaroni salad? I would have to answer most emphatically – yes! And if you too love macaroni salad, give this recipe a try. You could even start your own picnic memories with this simple and soul satisfying dish.

  • 1 pkg. (16-oz.) medium sized elbow macaroni
  • 2 c. mayonnaise or more as needed (I use Best Foods Light Mayonnaise)
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • 1 T. fresh lemon juice
  • ½ tsp. dried dill weed
  • ½ tsp. celery seed
  • 2 tsp. seasoned salt or more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ lbs. cooked shrimp (26-30 per lb. count – no smaller) cut in half or thirds
  • 8-oz. frozen petite peas, thawed but not cooked
  • 2 c. finely chopped celery
  • 8 green onions, finely chopped (1 bunch)
  • 1 can black olives, sliced

Cook macaroni to al dente, drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside. Meanwhile whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, dill weed, celery seed, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.   In a large bowl, combine the cooked macaroni, shrimp, peas, celery, green onions, and black olives. Pour the dressing over salad and toss gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Before serving, adjust the seasoning. The salad may need a little more seasoned salt.

Cooked Shrimp

  • 1 T. unsalted butter
  • 1-1½ lbs. uncooked shrimp, shelled and de-veined
  • seasoned salt
  • freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter over medium heat in a fry pan. Add the shrimp and lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, only until the flesh is totally pink and opaque, and you see no more grey bits. Remove from heat, cool, and cut into 2-3 pieces each.

GRILLED ROMAINE SALAD

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As I have stated before, salads can be rather ordinary if they are treated as just a side show rather than as one of the main features of a meal. I am trying to change how I think about salads, and hoping I can convince you too that salads need not be dinner’s boring but healthy red headed stepchild!

And if this salad doesn’t do the trick, we might as well all throw out our salad spinners and go back to iceberg lettuce wedges with Russian dressing. (Did we really eat that stuff?)

So in keeping with summer and delicious salads worthy of even the most discerning palate, I offer you my version of a salad I enjoyed a few weeks ago at Marion’s Bistro in La Conner, WA. The salad was just so amazing. The presentation was glorious and the taste magnificent. Is there really anything more I should say? Nope!! Just try this salad and see for yourself.

(And since I knew you were wondering – the beans I served with the salad are called Golden Gate beans. More to come later this week on this new to me delicious bean varietal I purchased at our local farmer’s market. And the meat – lamb chops.)

  • ¼ c. mayonnaise
  • ¼ c. coarsely chopped roasted red pepper
  • 2 tsp. chopped chives
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 romaine heart cut down the middle lengthwise complete with base (the base will keep the leaves together)
  • 1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 strips thick meaty bacon, cut into small pieces and fried until crisp
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • room temperature* crumbled creamy Gorgonzola or blue cheese (we love Black River Gorgonzola Cheese made in Wisconsin)
  • balsamic glaze (basically balsamic vinegar reduced to the thickness of syrup)

Whirl the mayonnaise and roasted red pepper together in a small food processor until smooth. Add the chives, salt, and pepper. Set aside. Paint the cut side of romaine halves with the olive oil. Grill just until lettuce starts to wilt and turn brown. Serve on a plate grilled side up with mayonnaise dressing, crumbled bacon, tomato pieces, cheese crumbles, and a healthy drizzle of balsamic glaze.

This recipe obviously makes enough for two. Need more? Sacrifice more hearts for the good of the cause!

*In my opinion, almost any type of cheese tastes best when served at room temperature. And some cheeses, like French Brie for example, are even better if they are served warm.

 

LETTUCE TALK SALAD (VINAIGRETTES TOO)

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The other evening I wanted a salad to go with my pasta main dish, but I didn’t want a Caesar or my usual “mixed lettuce and clean out the vegetable bins” either. What my frugal mind wanted was to use up some simple vinaigrette I had prepared earlier in the week. What my mouth wanted was a bit of pizzazz. So I decided to raid my refrigerator shelves and pantry to see what I could do to liven up what often amounts to “the obligatory, good for us so we need to eat it” part of our dinner menu.

First thing I did was pour the already prepared salad dressing into the bottom of a bowl. Then I got out what looked like a nice assortment of tasty ingredients and went to town. The following recipe, which actually turned out to be totally delightful is what I came up with. (I just love ending a sentence with with. It just seems wrong, but I’m told in informal writing, ending a sentence with a preposition is considered de rigueur.) But I digress…

Basically, you can always add taste adventures to your salads by including a variety of ingredients (including a wide variety of greens) that will help lift the overall flavor from mundane to exciting. Some of my favorite “additives” are: nuts and seeds of any kind, dried fruit, olives, minced ginger (an especially healthful ingredient), apple or pear chunks, roasted veggies (especially beets), roasted red pepper (right out of the jar is fine), sliced peperoncini, and of course cheese. By all means use this list as a guide, but don’t limit your choices to just my favorites. Think outside the salad box.

My salad adventure the other evening started with leftover Dijon Mustard and Rice Vinegar Vinaigrette.  And because I don’t really have a favorite dressing, I decided to share several of my easy vinaigrette recipes with you on this post. And do make your own dressings. They are easy to prepare, economical, and truly much more flavorful than what you can purchase in a bottle. You can also control the amount of salt and sugar you are adding to your salads by preparing your own emulsions. So that makes homemade dressings a healthy choice too. So give these dressing a try. All are wonderful ways to make lettuce taste good.

And don’t forget to use kale in your salads. Learn more about this amazing green under the heading Massaged Kale.

  • 3-4 T. salad dressing – your choice
  • 1 c. loosely packed chopped kale
  • kosher salt
  • ½ carrot, cut into julienne strips
  • 1 small celery stick, chopped
  • about ¼ c. thinly sliced red onion
  • ¾ inch piece fresh ginger, finely minced
  • 3 slices of zucchini cut into matchstick sized pieces
  • 2 pickled peperoncini, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 2 c. chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1/3 c. slivered almonds

Pour the salad dressing into the bottom of a salad bowl. Add a tiny amount of kosher salt to the chopped kale. Using your fingers, massage the kale* for about 3 minutes or until the leaves darken and feel almost silky. Add to the salad dressing along with all the other salad ingredients, toss lightly and serve immediately.

*Massaged Kale – Kale is a strong flavored, bitter green that can be used other than in the more traditional way, as a wonderful ingredient in soup or stew, if is first treated with a little tender loving care. And as in all things that need a little massaging to render them more acceptable (stubborn personalities for example), kale loses it’s bitter and tough pre-disposition and turns wonderfully silky and sweet when the fibrous ribs have been removed and the leaves have been rubbed (massaged) together with your fingers. (Kale can be massaged either just as is, or by adding just the smallest amount of salt.) The leaves turn darker as the tough cellulose structure breaks down. The leaves actually wilt under the pressure. After this amazing transformation occurs, kale becomes perfect for even the lightest of summer salads.

And don’t even get me started on the nutritional value of kale. Well OK, but just a wee bit of information.

According to the WebMD site, “one cup of chopped kale contains 33 calories and 9% of the daily value of calcium, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C, and a whopping 684% of vitamin K. It is also a good source of minerals copper, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus. Kale’s health benefits are primarily linked to the high concentration and excellent source of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K — and sulphur-containing phytonutrients. Carotenoids and flavonoids are the specific types of antioxidants associated with many of the anti-cancer health benefits. Kale is also rich in the eye-health promoting lutein and zeaxanthin compounds. Beyond antioxidants, the fiber content of cruciferous kale binds bile acids and helps lower blood cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease, especially when kale is cooked instead of raw.”

My favorite vinaigrettes: 

ASIAN VINAIGRETTE

  • ¼ c. vegetable oil
  • 2 T. sesame oil
  • 4 tsp. white vinegar (the regular old fashioned distilled kind)
  • 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice (the kind that comes from real fruit)
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 2 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together the oils, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper.

BASIL VINAIGRETTE

  • ½ c. red wine vinegar
  • 2 T. Dijon mustard
  • 1 T. finely chopped shallots
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 T. thinly sliced fresh basil
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1½ c. extra virgin olive oil

Whisk all ingredients together.

CAPER VINAIGRETTE

  • 1 T. drained and mashed capers
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 T. finely minced shallot
  • 1 T. red wine vinegar
  • 2 T. fresh lemon juice
  • ¾ tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

Whisk all ingredients together.

DIJON MUSTARD AND RICE VINEGAR VINAIGRETTE

  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ¼ tsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ c. rice vinegar
  • 1/3 c. canola oil

Combine all ingredients in a blender and whirl until smooth.

LEMON DIJON VINAIGRETTE

  • 2 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 T. minced shallots
  • ½ c. extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper, and shallots. Slowly add the olive oil and whisk until emulsified and thickened. Adjust seasoning.

RASPBERRY VINEGAR AND HONEY VINAIGRETTE

  • 3 T. raspberry vinegar
  • 3 T. honey
  • 1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
  • pinch kosher salt

Whisk all ingredients together.

SPINACH SALAD VINAIGRETTE

  • 2 T. canola oil
  • 1 T. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 T. finely minced shallot
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • 1 Tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1 Tsp. poppy seeds
  • ½ tsp. seasoned salt

Whisk all ingredients together.

SWEET AND SOUR VINAIGRETTE

  • scant 2 T. sherry vinegar
  • 2 tsp. honey
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

Whisk together the sherry vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil and whisk until emulsified and thickened. Adjust seasoning.

 

 

 

EMMER FARRO CAPRESE SALAD

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As I wrote in my preface for my blog on Split Emmer Farro and Wild Rice with Mushrooms and Pecans, “Emmer (farro) has been cultivated in the Fertile Crescent (the region in the Middle East which curves like a quarter-moon shape, from the Persian Gulf, through modern-day southern Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, and northern Egypt) and in Italy for over 10,000 years. Farro, which is just the Italian name for emmer wheat, has a delicate roasted nutty flavor and a distinctive chewy texture. It has a higher fiber and protein content than common wheat, is rich in magnesium, niacin, zinc, and B vitamins, and holds the distinct honor of containing the lowest glycemic index of all cereal grains.”

And in addition to all the nutritional attributes mentioned above, this ancient grain just happens to be extremely delicious. I mean really, is there anything else you could ask of a simple grain? Both good for you and extremely palatable. I think not!

And this recipe, straight off the emmer farro package (with a little re-working of the preparation instructions on my part) is just a wonderful example of how tasty and versatile this grain can be. It just takes a little re-thinking of your use of grains to make room for this ingredient in your diet.

I know there for awhile, most of us were hesitant to include grains in our diet because they were in the dreaded “carbohydrate” category. But as we have all read, there are carbohydrates that are better for us than others. And emmer farro is one of them.

According to Jane Lear from the takepart website, “As far as complex carbohydrates go, farro is rich in the cyanogenic glucosides that stimulate the immune system, regulate blood sugar levels, and lower cholesterol. Although it isn’t a complete source of protein, like quinoa*, farro contains more than, say, brown rice, and it also contains lignans that give it antioxidant properties. In general, whole grains take longer to digest, so they keep you feeling full longer and provide sustained energy. They’re also thought to reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers.” And as for me, even though I am not a rocket scientist or a learned nutritionist, I somehow know instinctively that farro is much better for me than the refined and processed carbohydrates found in high fructose corn syrup or white bread!

So do yourself and your family a favor. Buy some emmer farro, prepare this recipe, and stand back and wait for the compliments. This salad is like the essence of summer in a bowl.

*for a wonderful taste treat featuring quinoa, try my Lemony Quinoa with Fresh Herbs

  • 5 c. water
  • 1 c. emmer farro (I use Bluebird Grain Farms*)
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 T. balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ c. finely chopped shallot or onion
  • ½ tsp. sea salt
  • a touch of freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped (I like to use heirloom tomatoes in 2 different colors)
  • ¼ c. loosely packed chopped fresh basil (not too much or the basil flavor will overwhelm the other ingredients)
  • 4-oz. finely diced mozzarella cheese, either fresh or regular

Place the water, emmer farro, and a pinch of kosher salt in a covered pan. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until berries are plump and chewy. Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, sea salt, and pepper in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. Combine the tomatoes, basil, and cheese and set aside. When the farro is done, drain off excess liquid and pour into bowl with olive oil dressing. Stir to combine and let sit for about 30 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and cheese; stir and adjust seasoning. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This salad is best prepared just before serving. Leftovers are still tasty the next day, but the tomatoes break down and the general mouth feel is not as appealing.

*For information about retail locations in your area, visit www.bluebirdgrainfarms.com