We all know the nicer weather is coming and this will help you get ready for it. We all need new and different salads on hand and this one will help you out.
- 1 tbsp. fresh orange juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
- pinch of ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 tsp. honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1/4 lb. green beans, stem ends removed
- 3 ripe tomatoes
- 1 small bunch baby spinach, stems removed and cut the leaves in half.
In a small bowl, mix together the fruit juices, soy sauce, coriander, ginger and honey until combined. Whisk in the vegetable oil and season with the salt and pepper.
Bring a pot of water to the boil, add the beans and cook until tender (about 2-3 minutes). Drain and place in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Cut the tomatoes into thick chunks. Drain the beans really well and pat dry with a paper towel. Place all in a bowl and toss with the dressing.
Arrange on 4 salad plates or simply leave in the bowl and let everyone help themselves, if it is to be a side portion.
Summer Salad In A Bowl
Well, it is coming sooner or later but do not despair. Keep this recipe handy and you will be ready.
- 2 tbsp. Fig Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp. fresh Basil, julienned
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. grainy mustard
- 1 tsp. liquid honey
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 peaches, washed, skinned, pitted and sliced
- 2 papayas, washed, peeled, pitted and sliced
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 lb. heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups sliced sugar snap peas, ends removed
- 1/4 cup, feta cheese, crumbled
Combine the first 6 ingredients and whisk together. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, except the cheese, and drizzle the dressing over the fruit and gently toss to coat.
Arrange in 6 individual bowls and sprinkle the cheese over the top.
Ribbon Asparagus With Fresh Burrata Cheese
Summer is here (at least it is warmer) and now is the time to bring on the salads. Just so you don’t get bored with the same old, same old ones, try this. It is pretty to look at and is wonderful, especially with my most favourite cheese.
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 4-6 shitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
- salt and pepper for seasoning
- 1/2 lb. fresh asparagus, stems cleaned, ends trimmed
- 1/2 head of leaf lettuce, outer leaves removed
- 1/4 head of red cabbage, core and outer leaves removed, grated
- 4 radishes (different kinds if available)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 tsp. fresh tarragon, minced
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup Burrata cheese,
- 1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
Melt butter in a fry pan and sauté the mushrooms until golden. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Wash the asparagus and pat dry with a paper towel. Now, with a vegetable peeler, peel the asparagus from tip to end to get ribbons. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
Wash the lettuce and tear into bite size pieces. Add this to the asparagus. Add also the red cabbage. Thinly shave the radishes on a mandolin and add to the bowl as well. No mandolin? Slice very thinly with a paring knife.
Dressing
Combine the oil, juice, tarragon and mustard. Whisk until really well blended. Add a bit of salt and pepper to taste.
Toss the asparagus and greens with the now cooled mushrooms. Divide out onto 4 plates. Now, using a small spoon, drop little bits of the soft Burrata cheese onto each of the 4 plates, add the pecans and drizzle the dressing over the top.
Serve with warm dinner rolls and you are a hit and, perhaps, a glass of chilled Pinot Grigio.
Prawn, Watermelon, And Cantaloupe Salad
What is not to like about this salad? I love watermelon and I surely love prawns. Put them together and you have a superb salad on a lovely summer day.
- 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed.
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp. fennel seeds
- 1 tsp. coriander seeds
- 1 tsp. pink peppercorns
- 1 orange, zest and juice
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 1/2 cups water
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 lbs. prawns, shelled and deveined, keep tails on
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tbsp. raspberry vinegar
- 2 cups watermelon, cubed, seeds removed
- 1 cup cantaloupe, balled
- 1 small head frisee lettuce (only the inner leaves)
- 1 head butter lettuce
- 1 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
Thinly slice 1 fennel bulb and place in a saucepan. Add the garlic, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, orange zest and juice, wine and water, couple pinches of salt. Place over a medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer the broth for 20 minutes.
Add prawns to broth and cook, uncovered for about 4 minutes (until pink and curled). Remove pan from heat and allow the prawns to marinate in the warm broth for 15 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer the prawns to a bowl and refrigerate until chilled. Strain broth and keep 1 cup.
To make your dressing, place the reserved broth in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Bring to a rolling boil and reduce to 2 tbsp. (10-15 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and whisk in the olive oil and vinegar. Season to taste.
Thinly slice the remaining fennel bulb and add to a large bowl with the fruit, frisee and prawns. Drizzle the dressing and toss gently to combine.
Line serving plates with a few butter lettuce leaves. Spoon salad over the top. Garnish with the chopped tarragon.
This will serve 8 people.
Coleslaw 101
I love coleslaw – especially when served on a pulled pork sandwich (made by Don, of course) and with burgers. This is a really nice one, so give it a try.
- 1 head of green cabbage
- 1 cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp. mustard
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. sugar
- 1 cup of drained well crushed pineapple
- 1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-4 drops hot sauce (to taste)
Peel the outer leaves off the cabbage and throw away. Shred the cabbage and place in a large bowl, making sure to remove the core.
Mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, mustard, sugar and hot sauce. Set aside.
Drain the crushed pineapple well and add to the cabbage.
Toast the sesame seeds.
To serve: Add the pineapple to the cabbage and pour the dressing over the top. Mix well making sure it is all blended. Add the sesame seeds and stir in. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, before serving. If there is any excess liquid in the bowl when ready to serve, simply drain off.
The Perfect Russian Salad
This is a lovely fresh salad to serve for lunch or with dinner when serving baked or fried chicken. In a word: YUM!
- 2 medium cucumbers (English)
- bunch of radishes
- 2 red delicious apples
- 1/2 cup sour cream mixed together with
- 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp. chopped parsley
- pinch of black pepper
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
Slice the cucumbers and radishes paper thin. Place in a medium bowl.
Wash, core and slice the apples thin. Add these to the mixture in the bowl and toss to mix well. Top with the dressing of sour cream and lemon juice.
Serve of a leafy garden lettuce leaf and garnish with the parsley, toasted pecans and pinch of pepper.
Yummy good.
Warm Pear Salad
- Looking for a salad that will really make you a wonderful Hostess – here we are!
- 2 Bartlett pears, ripe but still firm
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
- pinch of salt
- pinch of freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced in rings
- 2 heads of baby spinach, stems removed
- 1 /2 bunch watercress, stems removed
- 1/4 lb. Roquefort cheese, crumbled
- 1 1/2 tsp. fig balsamic vinegar
Cut pears in quarters and peel, core and cut each quarter in 1 inch pieces and place in a bowl. Set aside.
Whisk together the olive oil, honey, dry mustard, salt and pepper until combined. Carefully toss with the pears.
Place a medium fry pan over a medium heat and add the pears and onions, cooking until the pears a golden brown and the onions are slightly wilted. (approximately 3 minutes).
Transfer the pears, onions, and any juices in a bowl. Add the spinach, watercress, cheese, fig balsamic vinegar and gently toss.
Serve this warm with a crusty roll, glass of the grape and what a wonderful beginning to a special dinner.
Veggie Coleslaw With Poppy Dressing
This is not the usual cabbage coleslaw but made with real vegetables done differently.
- 3 tbsp. creme fraiche ,(make your own, it is best)
- 1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 1/2 tbsp. fresh orange juice
- 1 scant tsp. poppy seeds
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 small carrots
- 4-5 radishes
- 1 small bulb fennel (about 1/2 pound)
- 1/4 pound green beans, trimmed
In a small bowl whisk together the creme fraiche, ginger, orange juice and half of the poppy seeds. Season to taste. Refrigerate until using.
Peel and julienne the carrots. Slice the fennel crosswise and as thinly as possible. Cut the beans in half and then lengthwise. Trim the radishes and thinly.
Combine the vegetables in a medium bowl and toss with the dressing immediately before serving. Garnish with the remaining poppy seeds.
Note: To make your own creme fraiche take 2 tbsp. buttermilk and 1 cup of cream. Mix together well in a glass container and cover with plastic wrap.
Sit on counter for two days without touching. Stir well before covering and refrigerate for up to 10 days. Voila! You made your own. Use it often even as a garnish with apple pie or soups.
Very versatile.
Fresh Pineapple, Jicama and Avocado Salad
I get it – deck time is around the corner and it is always a treat to put out a salad no one has made before and this is really nice one to make.
- 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- grated lime peel
- 1 tsp. white rum
- 2 tsp. honey
- pinch of salt
- pinch of ground pepper
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 pineapple, skin and core removed, flesh cut in 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 lb. jicama, skin and core removed, flesh cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 2 ripe avocados (about 8 oz. each)
- 1/4 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped (optional)
- 1 butter lettuce, leaves washed, dried and separated.
Dressing
Whisk together the lime juice, rum, honey, grated lime peel, salt and pepper together adding the oil, whisking to combine. Set aside.
Finishing the Salad
Combine the pineapple and jicama chunks in a small bowl. Add the dressing and toss well. Set aside.
Carefully slice the avocados lengthwise and twist to open. Remove the pit and skin and slice each half in half again. Arrange 2 of the quarters on a couple of lettuce leaves on the bottom of 4 serving plates.
Add the cilantro (if using) to the pineapple mixture and toss to combine. Spoon over the avocados, serving immediately with warm, fresh rolls.
Red and Yellow Beet Salad With Burrata Cheese
You haven’t lived until you have tasted this cheese. Now combine it with the lovely beets and you have a salad fit for a king.
- 4 red beets, roasted and peeled
- 4 golden beets, roasted and peeled
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. lime juice
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. minced fresh basil
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 cups mixed baby greens
- 2 pouches of Burrata cheese
- olive oil for garnish
- basil flowers for garnish
Thinly slice the roasted beets using a fine paring knife or a mandolin.
On 4 pretty plates. arrange the sliced beets, alternating the colours in a circular manner. In a narrow bowl, whisk together vigorously the balsamic vinegar and lime juice until emulsified. Add the honey, basil, salt and pepper to taste.
Place the baby greens in a bowl, drizzle with some of the dressing and toss to coat.
Top each arrangement of the beets with a mound of greens. Slice each pouch of cheese in half and place one on each salad. Drizzle with additional dots of balsamic dressing and garnish with a basil flower (optional).
What did I say? That cheese is to die for. Yes, it is more expensive to buy but you should do this for a special occasion or, use as often as you wish.
Caesar Salad Made With Kale
For the kale lovers out there (uh..not so much on this side), here is a light Caesar salad made with tofu croutons.
- 1 lb. extra firm tofu, cut in 1 inch pieces
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- pinch of sale
- 1/4 cup panko crumbs
- 1 large bunch of kale, stems removed
Toss the cubes with the oil and salt in a medium bowl. Season with fresh ground pepper. Pour the panko crumbs in a small bowl and toss in the tofu ( in batches) until completely coated. Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden – 15-18 minutes.
Wash the kale and pat dry. Thinly slice the leaves then transfer to a large bowl. Wash your hands. Now, with your hands scrunch the leaves to tenderize and drain any excess liquid.
Dressing
- 1/2 of 350 g pkg of silken tofu, completely drained
- 1/3 cup grated parmesan
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup dried cherries
- 2 tbsp. grated parmesan
Combine the silken tofu with 1/3 cup of the parmesan, garlic, lemon juice, 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard, Worcestershire and salt in a processor. Blend until smooth.
Drizzle over the kale and toss to coat completely and sprinkle with the cherries and remaining parmesan.
I jokingly said “sorta/kinda yummy”, but I know you will love it.
Grape Panzanella Salad
This is a lovely yet light salad. Great for getting back on track.
- 4 slices Italian bread
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. honey
- ground fresh pepper
- 1 cup green seedless grapes, halved
- 1 cup red seedless grapes, cut in half
- pint of multi- coloured cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 log of goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped fine
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush 4 x 1 inch slices of day old Italian Bread with 2 tbsp. olive oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake until toasted, turning over once. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Cut a garlic clove in half and rub the cut side on the toasted bread. Chop the bread into bite-size pieces. When done, it should measure about 5 cups.
Whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar with the honey in a large bowl. Season with a sprinkle of ground pepper. Add the grapes and tomatoes, tossing to coat.
Divide the bread cubes onto 4 salad plates. Spoon out the grape mixture over the bread, Sprinkle the goat cheese over the top along with the basil and toasted pecans.
This is delightful.