To make this salad really pop, serve wth a perfectly chilled Pinot Grigio. It is delightful and fresh. This will serve 8 as a side salad or 4 for an entree. Add warm rolls with sweet butter and it is a perfect dish for our summer days ahead.
- 2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and each one cut into 12 wedges with a tiny bit of core attached
- 6 fresh thyme sprigs
- 6 tbsp. good quality olive oil, divided
- 1 tbsp. grainy mustard
- 4 oranges, all peel and pith removed and sliced into thin circles
- 2x 6 oz. pkgs. baby spinach
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the fennel, thyme and 4 tbsp of the oil in a bowl and toss to coat. Arrange the fennel on a parchment line cookie sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast until it becomes tender and brown (about 40 minutes). Discard the thyme. Remove from the oven and cool down to room temperature.
Whisk together the vinegar, mustard and remaining oil. Add the fennel, orange slices and spinach. Toss to coat.
Plate the salad or transfer to a large shallow serving dish and allow each to help themselves.
I hope you all realize just how healthy I am trying to be…..just for you…not!
Lentil Salad With Peaches And Pistachios
Always looking for new ways to impress for the summer meals on the deck? The flavours in this salad will amaze you ….and remember, damn you did it. This will serve 4.
- 1 can lentils, rinsed well and drained
- 3 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 4 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
- 1 head red leaf lettuce
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 peaches, skin removed and sliced thin
- 1 small container feta cheese, crumbled
- 3/4 cup toasted pistachios, chopped coarsely
- 2 tbsp. honey
- sufficient amount of fig balsamic vinegar
In a bowl combine the lentils, parsley, mustard, oil, vinegar. Mix well and refrigerate, covered.
Arrange the lettuce leaves (if really large, break down so it is easy to consume), scatter the peach slices and the tomatoes at random. Top with the lentil mixture and sprinkle with the nuts. Drizzle the honey and fig balsamic vinegar over the salad.
Yummy!
Soba Salad To Accompany Chinese Take-out
Okay, so it’s the weekend and you want to order in Chinese food. To make it feel more like you made it, put this simple salad together and Voila! Damn you did it again.
- 3 – 4 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 6 tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 – 1 1/2 tbsp. freshly grated (peeled) ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
- 1/4 cup vegtable oil
- 1/2 soba noodles, just cooked to tender and rinsed under cold water. Drain excess liquid.
- 2 carrots, cut into small matchsticks
- 1 cup chopped broccoli florets,
- 2 medium zuccini (yellow and/or green) cut into small matchsticks
- 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced crosswise
Whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, ginger and sugar and oil in a large bowl. Add remaining items and toss well to combine.
Serve this at room temperature and then dive into the ‘take-out’. I guarantee you will lick the bowl clean.
Enjoy…it was easy and certainly inexpensive.
Spinach And Smoked Bacon Salad
This is a beautiful salad. Love bacon? got it. Love baby spinach? got that too. Love Zinfandel wine? Yup! It’s here.
- 6 tbsp. Zinfandel wine
- 2 shallots, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 12 oz. smoked bacon
- pinch of lemon finishing salt
- 4 bunches baby spinach, stems removed, torn into bite size pieces
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
Combine the wine, shallots and mustard in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. set aside.
Cook bacon in a skillet until crisp. Transfer to paper towels, save drippings in pan. Crumble the bacon.
Wash the spinach in ice water and place in a salad spinner to remove all the water. Put in a bowl, add the crumbled bacon. Now warm the drippings in the skillet and take 2 tbsp. out and whisk into the dressing. Toss the salad and sprinkle toasted pecans over the top.
Oh yeah, pour a glass of the Zinfandel and truly enjoy. This salad is great for a barbecue. It will serve 12.
Thai Trout Salad
This would be a great way to treat your family/guests. They will be surprised that you could prepare a Thai dish and that it tastes so fabulous. Damn you did this!
- 1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 bird’s eye chili, seeded and minced
- 1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1 x 8-10 oz. trout file, skin left on
- 1 tbsp. coconut oil (looks like lard in a jar)
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 cup short rice noodles,cooked and cooled
- 1/2 dragon fruit, peeled and julienned*
- 1 container of regular Bocconcini cheese, sliced
- 3 tbsp. Tai dipping sauce (buy at local grocery store)
- 1 tbsp. tamari
- 3 tbsp. coconut shavings
- lemon finishing salt
In a bowl, toss the cucumber, chili and vinegar and set aside.
Preheat the barbecue and add the coconut oil. When melted, grill the trout for 2 minutes on one side and turn over, cooking for another 4 minutes.
Remove the skin. Return the skin back into the pan and cook until crisp. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Flake the trout using a fork. Sprinkle the skin with a lemon finishing salt and cut into strips.
In a large bowl, gently toss the noodles, marinated cucumber, dragon fruit, cheese and trout. Combine the dipping sauce with the tamari and drizzle over the salad. Garnish with the coconut shavings and skin strips.
Serve immediately and watch the eyes get wider with delight.
* dragon fruit and seeds are edible. Bland in flavour but super nutritional source of antioxidants and fibre.
Crunchy Summer Salad
There are a million salads and this is another one…..might I add, a great one? I just did.
- 2 English cumbers, unpeeled and sliced thin
- 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernals (off the cobb)
- 2 3/4 cups sugar snap peas
- 10 radishes, sliced thin
- 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- pinh of salt and pepper
- 2 firm-ripe avocados, halved and cut in wedges
Combine the cucumbers, corn, peas and radishes in a bowl. Drizzle the lime juice and oil over the bowl and toss to combine.
Gently fold in the avocadoes and serve right away.
YUM!
Spring Greens With White Balsamic Vinaigrette
Another dish to add to the holiday Buffet is this simple salad. The vinaigrette is from Chef Jeremy Schorb from The Boathouse in White Rock, B.C. The salad ingredients are mine.
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. honey
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- pinch of salt and pepper
In a bowl, whisk the mustard, honey and balsamic vinegar together until well mixed. Now SLOWLY pour the oil in, whisking vigorously until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
- 3 tbsp. fresh pea sprouts
- 12 cups mixed torn spring greens,
- 1 cup shelled, fresh garden peas, blanched and chilled
- 1/2 cup fresh washed blueberries
- Gently toss these ingredients together in your prettiest large bowl and just before serving, drizzle the dessing over and, again, gently toss.
Place on the table with the rest of the goodies.
Asparagus Orange Salad
Can you tell I’m getting ready for warm Spring/Summer weather so we can sit on the deck and enjoy eating outside…..you bet and here is a salad that bodes well.
- 1 bunch of asparagus, trimmed of woody ends
- 5 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped (if you insist)
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 tsp. sugar
- 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 2 large oranges, peeled and segmented, reserving the juice
- 8 slices proscuitto
- 4 thick slices focaccio bread
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 4 bundles of Burrata cheese, quartered (the best you will EVER eat)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Steam the asparagus in an asparagus pot for about 4 minutes and cool down in cold water. Drain and set aside.
In a skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil, cook the pepper and onion for about 10 minutes until soft and just beginning to brown. Add the sugar and cook for 30 seconds longer. Add the vinegar and reserved orange juice. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir to mix. Set aside.
Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and place the proscuitto slices on them. Bake for 7 minutes until crisp and some of the fat has rendered off. Carefully transfer to paper towels.
Rub the focaccio bread with the garlic cloves, drizzle with olive oil and place in the skillet on medium heat. Toast until golden, 2 minutes per side.
Divide the asparagus and orange segments on 4 plates, top with the cheese, drizzle some vinaigtette over, place a couple of proscuitto on the side of the salad and add a slice of bread. Voila!
Chicken Salad With New Attitude
This salad will make a great lunch fare or even better, a full meal deal, served with a warm roll and chilled glass of your favourite……
This is a good meal for 4 people.
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 lime, zested and juiced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 4 chicken breasts, skinless
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 1 (170g) container of Feta cheese
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 large English Cucumber, diced small
- 3/4 lb. baby new potatoes, cooked and halved
- 1/2 small watermelon, cut in 4 wedges
- 4 dried apricots, thinly sliced
In a small bowl, whisk together the oregano, lime zest and one half of the juice, garlic clove and oil. Set aside.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place in a shallow dish. Pour the vinaigrette over the chicken and turn to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes. Preheat barbecue.
Grill on high heat for 5 minutes per side until cooked through. Slice in 1/4 inch strips and set aside.
In a blender make the dressing by pureeing the Feta cheese, water, remaining lime juice, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. If needed, add more water.
In a bowl, combine the cucumber, potatoes and half of the dressing and toss gently. Place this in a bowl, add the chicken slices on top, sprinkle with the apricot and drizzle with the remaining dressing. On the side of the plate, add the watermelon wedge. Serve immediately.
Fresh Cauliflower Salad
Believe it or not, this is a really tasty salad. A step up if you are tired of the green salad varieties and easy to make as well.
- 1 medium cauliflower, separated into florets and steamed until tender- crisp.
- 2 medium bell peppers (mix the colours up for a twist), julienned
- 8 tomatoes, diced
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 3/4 cup vinegar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Combine the vegetables together in a large bowl and mix well. Add the salt, pepper, vinegar and oil.
Toss together to mix gently. Cover with plastic and marinate in the refrigerator for 50-60 minutes.
This will make 6-8 servings. Great summer fare!
Santa Fe Rice and Corn Salad
Great salad to have after the holiday festivities….light, a little spicy and yet tempered with a special lemon dressing.
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 4 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernals (2 ears of corn or frozen corn, thawed)
- 1 cup chopped fresh poblano chilies
- 1 cup diced, seeded yellow bell pepper
- 1 cup yellow zucchini, cut in 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 avocado, halved, peeled and diced
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (optional, for sure)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Cook the rice until tender (12-15 minutes). Drain and rinse in cold water and drain again. Set aside.
Whisk the lemon juice and 3 tbsp. oil in a small bowl, season with a wee pinch of salt and pepper.
Heat the frypan and add 1 tbsp. olive oil. Add the corn, chilies, yellow pepper and zucchini and saute until the vegetables are tender (5-7 minutes). Scrape into a large bowl and add the rice, avocado, onion and cilantro. Add the dressing and toss to coat.
Plate with barbecued chicken or pulled pork sandwiches. Wow!
Fresh Berries And Pineapple Salad
Don just bought a fresh pineapple and when he sliced it up, it had to be one of the sweetest I have ever tasted. Then, I looked in the fridge and I had some beautiful berries just looking at me and telling me to use them too.
Try this, it is easy, so refreshing. Just say Mahalo!
- 1 beautiful ripe pineapple
- 1 cup strawberries (fresh not frozen)
- 1 cup blackberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/3 cup mango juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup poppy seeds
Wash and clean the berries and dry on paper towels. Remove the ends of the strawberries and slice in half. Clean the pineapple (you must know how I’m sure) and slice into 3/4 inch cubes.
In a bowl, place the strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and pineapple. In your blender pour in the mango juice, lime juice and poppy seeds and blend together until really blended.
Pour over the fruit. This is refreshing and has a little ‘zing’ to it.
Now go look out your window, stick your tongue out at the snow and go and enjoy the salad. It is beyond scrumptious with warm buns and butter.