California Recipe: Salads

Showing posts with label Salads. Show all posts

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Pineapple Apple Salsa

A delicious blend of fresh pineapple, apples, tomatoes, onions and rock leaves makes up this sweet, spicy and tangy fruit salsa. Enjoy them as a snack with some taco chips or serve with an array of seafood.

300 g Fresh pineapple, chopped
2 Apples, diced
1-2 Tomatoes, diced
1 Small purple onion, finely chopped
1/2 Yellow onion, finely chopped
1/4 Red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 handful Rocket leaves, chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Fresh lime juice
1 tsp Honey
1/2 tsp Chilli flakes

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow the flavours to blend together.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Belgian Endive, Radicchio, and Blood Orange Salad

A simple, fresh tossed salad with Belgian endive, radicchio, and blood oranges dressed with avocado oil and Balsamic cream. Gorgonzola can be added to the salad to balance bitter radicchio and give contrast to the sweetness of blood oranges.

1 head Belgian endive
1/2 head Radicchio
2 Blood oranges or valencia
Butter lettuce (optional)
50 g Gorgonzola (optional)
1 small handful Parsley leaves
Balsamic cream
Avocado oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the Belgian endives into bite-size pieces, or cut lengthwise into 8 wedges, discarding the hard inner core. Tear the radicchio, butter lettuce if used, into bite-size pieces too. Cut all peel and white pith from oranges. Cut between membranes of oranges to release the segments into a bowl.
Toss all the prepared vegetables with diced Gorgonzola, if used, in a large serving dish. Arrange orange segments over. Garnish with the chopped parsley leaves. Drizzle the salad with balsamic cream and avocado oil. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Black-eyed Pea Salad with Prosciutto

A black-eyed pea salad with Prosciutto, sundried tomatoes, pepperrocini, red onion, tossed with a simple fresh herb vinaigrette and served on a bed of Belgian endive leaves. You can serve it either as an appetizer or a side dish.

Black-eyed peas are an excellent source of calcium (an important nutrient for the health of our bones and teeth), folate (support red blood cell production and Allow nerves to function properly), and vitamin A (essential for maintaining healthy skin and vision ), among other nutrients. They are thought to bring you luck and prosperity if eaten on New Years, but they are healthy and delicious any time of the year.

Dried black-eyed peas, also known as the cow peas, are easy to use as they requires no soaking and cook quickly. If you are in a hurry, canned variety can be an option.

2 cup Dried black-eyed peas
60 g Prosciutto, diced
5-6 Sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped
3-4 Pepperocini, chopped
1 Small red onion, finely chopped
90 ml Olive oil
120 ml Red wine vinegar
2 tbsp Flat parsley leaves (or thyme), finely chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 head Belgian endives
3 Grape tomatoes, cut into wedges (optional)

Place black-eyed peas in large saucepan of water. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes or until peas are tender but not mushy.
Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley or thyme, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Drain black-eyed peas. Add to bowl with dressing along with prosciutto, sundried tomatoes, pepperocini, and red onion. Toss well to combine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
Remove root end from endive and separate the leaves, rinse and pat dry. Arrange the endive leaves on a serving dish. Spoon the peas onto the leaves and arrange the tomato wedges, if used, on top. Serve at room temperature or chilled with a garnish of fresh thyme or parsley, if desired.

Friday, January 13, 2012

“Steakage” – Changing the Shape of Your Steak Sandwich

Hot dogs and hamburgers are fine for the regular season, but when the playoffs and Super Bowl roll around, you need to upgrade the tailgate menu to something a little more special, like this “steakage” steak sandwich.

The name comes from the fact that the steak is being treated more like a sausage link. The problem with a traditional steak sandwich is it usually consists of a thin slice of beef, grilled and served on a thick sandwich roll. The steak to bread ratio is way off, and it’s very easy to overcook the meat.

Here, by cutting our steak into thick strips, we not only have a more geometrically appropriate piece of meat for our smaller bun, but we are able to get a nice sear on the outside without having to worry about the inside overcooking.

I used a gorgeous flat iron steak, and I really hope you can get one from your butcher, but if you can’t, this technique should work for other cuts of steak as well. NY strip, rib eye, top sirloin, and tenderloin could all be made to work. The key is something that can be cut into a large slab first, ideally about 1 1/2-inch thick, and then into strips about the same width, and as long as your bun.

I was very happy with these, and really enjoyed the little extra something the grilled mushrooms provided. The smoky salad added an earthy texture to the grilled beef, and it was all tied together nicely with the barbecue vinaigrette. To make this easy and versatile condiment, simply combine 3 parts barbecue sauce, with 2 parts vegetable oil, and 1 part cider vinegar.

So, if you were planning on splurging for your next backyard tailgate, and want to serve something a little out of the ordinary, then maybe give this whole “steakage” thing a try. By the way, it goes without saying that this would rock with cheese on it, but the American Kobe beef I was lucky enough to use was so exquisite that I didn’t want to cover it up. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 portions:

1 fully-trimmed flat iron steak

6 hot dog buns

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

mayonnaise and arugula leaves as needed

For the mushrooms salad:

8 oz brown clamshell mushrooms, grilled, separated

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp sherry vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

For the bbq vinaigrette:

3 tbsp barbecue sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp cider vinegar

Monday, January 2, 2012

Radicchio Salad with Chicken in Kiwi Vinaigrette

A quick, light and tasty salad with leftover pan-seared chicken breast (turkey could be used instead here), antioxidant-rich radicchio, kiwifruit, cherry tomatoes, physalis (aka cape gooseberry) tossed with a fresh, fruity and delicious kiwi vinaigrette dressing. So If you feel stuffed and want a a healthy and soothing meal after holiday feasts, this salad might be what you need.

Kiwi Vinaigrette	Salad
2 Kiwi fruits, peeled and coarsely chopped 3 tbsp Orange juice 2 tbsp Canola oil 1 tbsp White wine vinegar 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp Honey Salt and pepper to taste	200 g Leftover pan-seared chicken breast 1/2 head Radicchio, coarsely chopped 2 Kiwi, peeled and cut into wedges 1/2 Yellow onion, sliced 5 Cherry tomatoes, cut in half 10 Physalis fruit, cut in half

To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth, about 5 to 10 seconds. Pour into a serving container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Coarsely chop the radicchio leaves. Arrange the radicchio and onions on a large serving platter. Top with chicken, kiwi,tomato,and physalis halves. Serve with kiwi vinaigrette.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

New Year’s Day Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing – Good Luck with That!

This spinach salad with black-eyed peas is a twist on one of my favorite American culinary traditions; the custom of serving beans and greens on New Year's Day. Supposedly eating "poor" on New Year’s Day brings much wealth and good luck throughout the year.

The greens, usually braised with ham or sausage, represents paper money, and the beans, usually black-eyed peas, symbolize coins. Here, we’re presenting those ingredients in salad form, which is a great delivery system for our hot bacon dressing– the true star in this video.

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is, “Eat more bacon,” then here’s another delicious way to work it into your diet. This peppery, sweet and tangy sauce is fast to make, and shines on other things besides wealth-generating spinach salads.

Wouldn’t this be great in a warm potato and mushroom salad, as well as a sauce for a grilled chicken breast or pork chop? What about spooned over poached eggs, or slathered on sweet potato fries? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.

If making and eating this salad on January 1st doesn’t really bring you prosperity in 2012, it will certainly bring you some tasty memories, and other pleasures money can’t buy. Happy New Year, and enjoy!

Hot Bacon Dressing Ingredients: (makes about 1 1/3 cup – or 6 servings)

1/2 pound bacon, sliced and cooked in 1/4 cup vegetable oil (reserve bacon pieces and bacon fat drippings)

1/2 cup minced onions

2 cloves minced garlic

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/3 cup of the bacon fat drippings

1 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 tsp cold water

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne to taste

For 6 Spinach Salads:

1 pound baby spinach, washed and dried

12 white button mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes

1 (15-oz) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Whole Grain Bulgur Salad with Mango and Walnut

Bulgur, or Bhulghur, is made by soaking and cooking the whole wheat kernel, drying it and then removing part of the bran and cracking into small pieces, which are sorted into different grain sizes: fine, medium and coarse. Whole grain coarse bulgur has the coarse bulgur size while it is darker in colour and has twice more fiber compared to regular bulgur. Bulgur will absorb twice its volume in water and can be used as a substitute for almost any rice dish. Bulgur is sometimes confused with cracked wheat, which is crushed wheat grain that has not been parboiled.

Bulgur has a mildly nutty and roasted flavour and can be used in baked goods, casseroles, stuffing, soups, salads. It is a good source of protein, iron, magnesium, and B vitamins. It is packed with fiber and contains very little fat. This is a very simple and delicious bulgur salad that's quick to put together and consists primarily of whole grain bulgur, mangoes and walnuts.

130 g Whole grain coarse bulgur
500 ml Water
1 tbsp Onion, finely chopped
1 clove Garlic, minced
2 tbsp Spring onions, finely sliced
250 g Mango, diced
1 handful Walnuts, roasted and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp Avocado oil
Salt Sea salt & freshly mulled black pepper to taste

Rinse the bulgur. Bring water to a boil, add in bulgur. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes until soft, but not mushy.
Drain and transfer the bulgur into a large bowl. Stir in the chopped onion, minced garlic, spring onion slices, diced mango, chopped walnuts and avocado oil. Toss well. Season with salt and freshly mulled black pepper. Serve warm and chilled.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Cranberry Mustard Salad Dressing – You’ll Be Tickled Some Kind of Pink

For whatever reason, pink sauces are considered somewhat visually offensive in the foodie universe, so when describing this cranberry mustard salad dressing to your friends and family, please use hipper alternatives like, “ballet slipper” or “rosy mauve.”

Whatever it’s called, I actually love the color of this vinaigrette, and think it’s especially gorgeous with the classic fall/winter salad palette. I served it over some endive garnished with persimmons, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds, and it tasted as bright and pretty as it looked.

One word of caution regarding the ingredient amounts listed below: I like my salad dressings on the acidic side, so be sure to taste and adjust the amount of oil you add. You want to be careful with the walnut oil, as too much can overpower the dressing, but you can add more vegetable or olive oil, until it’s perfectly balanced for your palate.

As I joke about in the video, this seasonal vinaigrette is perfect for the non-cook to bring to a family gathering. We’re talking about a minimal effort to get what could potentially be lots of loving praise, or at the very least, fewer disappointed glances. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 2 1/4 cups of dressing:

1/4 cup prepared fresh cranberry sauce

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 small garlic clove

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

[note: you can use 1/2 cup of any vinegar(s) you like]

1/4 cup walnut oil

1 cup vegetable oil or light olive oil, or as much as needed to balance acidity to your taste

Friday, October 7, 2011

Fried Couscous Salad with Gorgonzola

Couscous, if not prepared properly, could taste really bland and boring. This Italian inspired fried couscous was a really pleasant surprise. The crunchiness of the toasted couscous, and rich, sharp flavour of Gorgonzola with tangy vinaigrette dressing are simply a perfect blend.

Stir-fried Couscous Salad with Gorgonzola

Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis

Couscous	Dressing
500 ml Hot vegetable broth 1/3 tsp Salt 280 g Couscous 60 ml Extra-virgin olive oil 2 Garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 80 g Gorgonzola, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 Large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 4-5 Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 2 tbsp Chopped red basil leaves	60 ml Extra-virgin olive oil Zest and juice from 1/2 large lemon 1/2 tsp Salt 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the vegetable broth and 1/3 teaspoon salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the couscous. Cover until the liquid had been absorbed and the couscous is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the couscous and break up any lumps.
In a large, nonstick skillet heat 1/4 cup oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard. Increase the heat to high and add the couscous. Cook, stirring constantly, for 6 minutes. Continue to cook the couscous, stirring every 5 minutes, until toasted, about 25 minutes.
Transfer the couscous to a large serving bowl and cool for 5 minutes. Add the Gorgonzola, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, and red basil. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the couscous is coated.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Gorgonzola Radicchio Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Like arugula, this bright purplish red radicchio has a slightly peppery and bitter taste. It is loaded with nutrients and has no fat or cholesterol. The salad, a perfect blend of sweet, sour, salty and bitter, tastes so crispy, really flavourful, and easy to throw together.

Orange Vinaigrette	Salad
60 ml Orange juice 2 tbsp White balsamic vinegar 80 ml Olive oil 2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 tsp Honey 1 tbsp Sesame seeds, roasted Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste	1/2 Radicchio, torn into bite-sized pieces 100 g Gorgonzola, cubed 1 handful Arugula leaves 100 g White grapes, seedless 1/4 Mango, diced 1 tbsp Sundried tomatoes, diced

In a small jar with a tight-fitting cover, combine all vinaigrette ingredients. Cover and shake well until blended. To store, refrigerate for up to 1 week. Shake well before serving.
Combine all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.Toss with orange vinaigrette. Serve with a glass of Chardonnay for a pleasant and light lunch.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Lettuce Entertain You and Get to Know a Farmer

This quick and dirty video recipe for grilled romaine hearts was shot on location at Tanimura & Antle, a family-owned lettuce farm we toured as part of the Get to Know a California Farmer field trip Michele and I just returned from in Carmel, CA.

The event was to introduce their website and, as the name implies, help us get to know a farmer, and that's what we did. We got a fascinating look into how lettuce gets from their farm to your table. Brian Antle, the farm’s Harvest Manager, ran the tour, and it was a joy to hear him talk with such pride about what his and the Tanimura family had created from this land.

After the tour we were treated to a wonderful lunch showing off some of the farm’s famous foliage. The grilled romaine salad you’ll see in the video was a big hit, but we also had some beautiful pizzas, as you can see below. It always feels special to eat produce that was just picked hours before.

You’ll also see a short video I did showing how the lettuce goes from dirt to final packaging on this slow-rolling mobile processing plant. You’ll have to pardon the dirty lens, as I hadn’t planned on filming in the field, and never checked it. I believe the smudge is gumbo, but there’s really no way to tell for sure. Don't let that deter you, or you'll miss a cameo by social media guru, Jay Baer, on a bed of lettuce.

After lunch we got to tour Naturipe Farms, one of the largest berry producers in the state. Our guide, Tom, did a great job of explaining all the challenges that go into growing berries, especially strawberries. I learned that organic doesn't mean that no pesticides are used. They just need to be certified pesticides, and are often the same ones used in conventional farming. The highlight for me was his explaining how fish meal is regularly used to fertilize organic strawberries, unbeknownst to most vegans we assumed.

Anyway, it was a really fun trip, and I want to thank Adfarm and Get to Know a California Farmer for inviting us. Also, huge thanks to the farmers who shared their stories and delicious products with us. For more information on Get to Know a California Farmer, please check out their website! It's a fantastic way to connect directly with the people growing the food you put on your tables every day.

They’re also running a sweepstakes on the Facebook page where you could win $10,000 worth of groceries. It’s only open to California residents, and ends soon, so get over there and check it out. Enjoy!

Grilled Romaine Salad

How Lettuce is Harvested

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Beetroot Salad with Walnut Oil and Chervil & Mangelwurzel Stir-fry

Here is another very simple and surprisingly tasty cooked beet salad simply dressed with walnut oil and sherry vinegar. Except for cooking the beets, which takes less than an hour to boil in water, the salad is ready in no time at all.

Mangelwurzel, shortened to mangel, or mangold, aka chard, is one of the cultivated leafy vegetables derived from beet. Like pumpkin, mangelwurzel was traditionally grown as cattle food. However, during the 18th century, European farmers improved mangelwurzels in size and flavour, it has become an excellent addition to our tables. If you love beets, then give this rustic crop a try. You will love them!

Beetroot Salad with Walnut Oil and Chervil

3-4 Medium beetroots
1 tbsp Freshly chopped garden chervil
1/3 tsp Fleur de sel
Walnut oil
Sherry vinegar

Place beets into a saucepan, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then cook for 30-40 minutes, until tender. Drain and cool.
Once the beets are cool, thinly cut beets acrossways with a mandolin slicer. Finely chop the garden chervil.
Arrange the slices of beets on a serving plate. Sprinkle the chopped parsley and fluer de sel over the beets. Drizzle walnut oil and sherry vinegar over.

Stir-fried Mangelwurzel with Garlic and Black Forest Smoked Bacon

3 slice Black forest smoked bacon
300 g Mangold leaves
2 tbsp Canola oil
2 clove Garlic, thinly sliced
1 Cayenne chilli pepper
1 tbsp Medium dry sherry
Salt to taste

Cook bacon until crisp in a skillet over medium-high heat and drain. Crumble the bacon and reserve the dripping.
Wash the mangold leaves well and trim. Cut into the inch pieces. Thinly slice the garlic cloves. Slice the pepper open, remove the membrane and seeds, then slice.
Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot. Add in the canola oil, bacon dripping and the garlic slices. Stir briefly, then add the mangold and sliced pepper, and stir-fry until the leaves wilt. Drizzle in sherry and taste with salt. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle the bacon crumbles over.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Herb Couscous Salad

Couscous is a staple food throughout North African countries and a dish enjoyed worldwide. It's a Berber dish that costs little and nourishes a lot. The one we usually find in the grocery stores is the tiny grained Moroccan couscous that has been pre-steamed. All you need to do is to mix them with boiling stock or water, and let stand for a few minutes, fluff the grains with a fork--incredibly easy to prepare. However, couscous is fairly flavorless on its own and tends to take on the flavour of other ingredients or sauces that it’s prepared with. This simple salad, inspired by one of my favourite recipe websites Essen und Trinken, is prepared with fluffy couscous, freshly diced tomatoes, pickled gherkins, and spring onions tossed with a fresh herb vinaigrette.

	Dressing
50 g Couscous 100 ml Vegetable stock 100 g Pickled gherkin, diced 100 g Tomato, diced 2 Spring onions, cut into rings Salt	2 tbsp Mint leaves, finely chopped 2 tbsp Parsley leaves, finely chopped 2 tbsp Olive oil 1-2 tbsp Lemon juice Pinch of sugar Salt and black pepper

In a saucepan, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Set aside to cool.
Dice the pickled gherkin and tomatoes. Place them in a bowl. Cut the spring onions into thin rings and add into the bowl.
Finely chop the mint and parsley leaves. Whisk together with the remaining dressing ingredients. Toss together the couscous, diced vegetables and the dressing. Taste, and adjust the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate, allowing the flavours to mingle, for 30 minutes.