"To remember a successful salad is generally to remember a successful dinner;
at all events, the perfect dinner necessarily includes the perfect salad."
George Ellwanger (1848-1906) "Pleasures of the Table" (1902)
Grilled Vegetable Salad
1 large zucchini, trimmed and sliced into 1/2-inch slices
1 red bell pepper, seeded and trimmed, sliced into large pieces
1 orange bell pepper, seeded and trimmed, sliced into large pieces
1 eggplant, ends trimmed and sliced into large pieces
7 asparagus stalks, trimmed and sliced on diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
olive oil
fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups greens
1 large ruby red tomato, chopped
2 large Haas avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped (spritz with a little fresh lemon)
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and cleaned
wooden skewers, soaked in cold water 30 minutes
Dressing
1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
2 tsp. Dijon
2 Tbl. white wine vinegar
4 tsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbl. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 Tbl. fresh chives, snipped
2 Tbl. fresh tarragon, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
1 Tbl. watercress, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place yogurt, mustard, vinegar and oil in food processor. Process until well combined. Add rest of ingredients and process to blend, taste and season with salt and pepper. Prepare grill. Either use a grill basket for vegetables or make a basket by using heavy duty foil and fold up edges. Place zucchini, peppers, eggplant, asparagus and onion into a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper then toss to combine. Place vegetables into basket, put on grill and cover, stirring occasionally for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, get shrimp ready by placing in bowl, toss with olive oil, salt, pepper (or seasoning of your choice) place on skewers and just before vegetables are done place shrimp on grill for a couple of minutes on each side.
Remove vegetables and shrimp from grill. Remove shrimp from skewers, be careful they are hot! On a large platter add greens, grilled vegetables, tomato, avocado and shrimp. Drizzle over dressing and serve with hot garlic bread.
Arugula Salad with Chicken and Blue Cheese
5 cups arugula, washed and spun dry
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 English cucumber, sliced
3 scallions, sliced including green part
Fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 cup walnut pieces
1 roasted chicken, shredded (buy the one from grocery store, makes it easier)
3/4 cup blue cheese (we love Maytag)
red grapes (whole or sliced in half)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dressing of your choice
Place arugula on platter, add celery, cucumber, scallions, parsley and walnuts, mixing together. Arrange chicken pieces over salad, tumble on blue cheese and grapes. Drizzle over dressing adding croutons if desired. Serve with a nice tomato and roasted red pepper soup and hot crusty bread.
Pasta Salad with Fresh Vegetables
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into pieces
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes in oil, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 red onion, peeled and sliced into thin pieces
Kalamata olives, (pitted)
Tear drop tomatoes
1/2 lb. farfalle pasta
1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl. fresh lemon zest
Fresh basil leaves, sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
Prepared pesto (make your own or purchase)
Fresh mozzarella, cut into pieces
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In large pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook al dente. Drain well and pour into a bowl, immediately mix in pesto, not too much but enough to coat. Place in refrigerator to cool for about 1/2 hour. Remove and remaining ingredients, mixing well and place on platter.
"It takes four men to dress a salad: a wise man for the salt, a madman for the pepper,
a miser for the vinegar, and a spendthrift for the oil." - anonymous
Green Bean Salad
1/2 lb. fresh haricot verts
1 red onion, julienne slices
2 oranges, peeled, pith removed and sliced into slices
5 slices of good quality bacon, sliced and fried crisp (drain on paper towels)
4 Tbl. fresh cilantro chopped
5 large radishes, thinly sliced
3/4 cup Feta cheese, large crumbles
1 tsp. fresh oregano, chopped
Kalamata olives, pitted
3 ruby red tomatoes, cut into wedges
Dressing
3 Tbl. fresh orange juice
3 tsp. Dijon
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
For dressing; add orange juice and Dijon to a bowl, whisk in enough olive for your taste. Season with salt and pepper.
In pot of boiling water, add green beans and cook until crisp tender (10 minutes). Remove to colander and drain. Refresh in cold water, drain well. Place beans in a bowl, add remaining ingredient's except tomatoes and pour over dressing tossing to coat. Place on platter and garnish with tomatoes. Serve with bread, cheeses, cold cuts or a hot bowl of delicious soup.
Roasted Pork and Squash Salad - Make the pork the night before so when you get home all you have to do is cut it up. You can also roast the squash the night before.
1 Butternut squash, sliced in half and seeds removed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small pork roast (about 2 lbs.)
3 Tbl. Dijon mustard
Goat cheese
Mixed greens
Radishes, thinly sliced
3 Tbl. Pomegranate seeds
1 cup pecans, lightly toasted
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On your pork roast rub with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and rub with 3 Tbl. Dijon. Place in roasting pan in oven and cook in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 325 degrees and cook until internal temperature reaches 160 to 165. Some people even like it up to 170. Remove from oven and let stand for about 15 minutes. If you've cooked the roast the night before place in refrigerator until you make the salad. Slice butternut squash in half and remove seeds, rub with light tasting oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in 400 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until flesh yields to fork. Remove from oven and let cool. Slice cooled pork roast into pieces. When squash is cool enough to handle, peel and slice into chunks. Place wild green on platter, add pork, squash, goat cheese, radishes and pomegranate seeds. Drizzle on dressing. Serve with hot crunchy bread.
Dressing
3 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbl. Dijon
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Whisk all dressing ingredients together, taste and adjust seasonings.
"What is more refreshing than salads when your appetite seems to have deserted you, or even after a capacious dinner - the nice, fresh, green, and crisp salad, full of life and health, which seems to invigorate the palate and dispose the masticating powers to a much longer duration." Alexis Soyer - 19th century French chef
Salmon Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing
1 lb. new red potatoes, cut into large chunks
1/2 lb. salmon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh dill, chopped
2 Haas Avocados, peeled, seeded and sliced (spritzed with fresh lemon juice)
2 cups baby spinach, washed and spun dry
2 cups mixed salad greens, washed and spun dry (salad spinner)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 scallions, sliced thinly including green part
4 hard boiled eggs, quartered
Croutons
Italian parsley, chopped
Creamy Lemon Dressing
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 Tbl. fresh lemon zest
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. fresh dill, chopped
Combine all dressing ingredients in a bowl and whisk well, taste and adjust seasonings.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place chopped potatoes on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in oven for about 45 minutes until nicely browned and cooked through. Preheat broiler and brush salmon with olive oil, season with salt, pepper and fresh dill. Cook salmon about 15 minutes, remove from oven and keep warm. Place spinach and greens into a large bowl. Dress with lemon dressing, tossing to coat. Place greens on platter. Add potatoes, salmon pieces, scallions, cherry tomatoes and hard boiled eggs, drizzle with extra dressing. Top with croutons and fresh chopped parsley.
Asian Chicken Pasta Salad
1 lb. box penne pasta or spaghetti
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (roast yourself or purchase from grocer)
5 scallions, sliced on diagonal including green part
1 cup carrots, shredded
1 cup napa cabbage, shredded
2 cans, water chestnuts, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 large bag baby spinach, washed and spun dry
1 small bag pea pods
1 or 2 cans Mandarin oranges, drained (save about 1 Tbl. juice)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup whole salted cashews
Dressing
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 Tbl. mandarin orange juice
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbl. sesame oil
2 Tbl. sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
dash of red pepper flakes
In a large pot of boiling salted water, add pasta and cook al dente about 10 minutes. Pour into a colander and drain well. Pour pasta into a large bowl, and add some dressing tossing to coat. Place all other salad ingredients into the bowl and pour over more dressing to incorporate (you won't need all of the dressing.) Place salad on large serving platter, add cashews and chopped cilantro. Note: if you don't want to use chicken, use beef or pork.
Salad "freshness without enfeebling and fortifies without irritating."
Jean-Antheime Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826)
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, torn (washed and spun dry)
1/2 head romaine lettuce, torn (washed and spun dry)
Black forest ham, sliced in strips
Roast turkey, sliced in strips
Swiss cheese, sliced in strips
Cheddar cheese, sliced in strips
Tomatoes, quartered
Hard boiled eggs, quartered
Radishes, sliced
Cucumber, sliced thinly
Avocado, seeded, peeled and sliced (spritzed with fresh lemon juice)
Black olives
Croutons
French Dressing
3/4 cup tomato juice
2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbl. cider vinegar
1 tsp. Dijon
1 tsp. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
In food processor add dressing ingredients and pulse until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Wash lettuces and spin in salad spinner. Place on platter, arrange rest of salad ingredients around lettuces. Top with croutons. Serve with French dressing. Add some nice hot dinner rolls and you've got a delicious meal.
Greens, Fruit and Chicken Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette
1 rotisserie chicken, chilled and shredded
8 cups mixed greens
1/2 cup Italian parsley, rough chop
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (paper thin)
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup fresh blackberries or blueberries
1 cup blue cheese, crumbled (we like Maytag)
2/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted
Dressing
2 Tbl. raspberry jam (you can also use blackberry jam, blueberry jam, etc.)
1 Tbl. Dijon
2 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Remove and discard skin from chicken, pull meat off bones and shred. Place greens on platter, top with chicken, onions, berries, cheese and nuts. Whisk dressing ingredients together and pour over salad. Serve with crusty Italian bread and some brie cheese.
Shrimp and Rice Salad - I love shrimp and rice salad so I'm going to give you a couple variations
1 1/4 cups long grain rice
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 1/2 lbs. medium to large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
2 mango's, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced including green part
3 Tbl. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbl. fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbl. soy sauce
4 tsp. curry paste
2/3 cup coconut milk
2 cups water
In a bowl, add garlic, ginger, soy, curry and shrimp, toss to coat, cover and refrigerate about 1 hour; discard marinade. Bring water and coconut milk to a boil in saucepan and add rice. Cover and reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove shrimp from marinade and place on skewers. Grill for a couple minutes on each side or until they turn pink. Remove from grill.
In a large bowl, add cooked rice, carrots, mango, red bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper. Gently mix well; add an Asian vinaigrette dressing and place on platter. Add shrimp on top and sprinkle with extra cilantro.
Shrimp and Rice Salad
2 cups cooked and cooled rice
1 lb. shrimp, peeled, and cleaned
3 stalks celery, sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced including green part
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup pimiento stuffed green olives, sliced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbl. fresh lemon zest
3 Tbl. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
sliced almonds, slightly toasted
Place a small amount of oil in saute pan, add shrimp and cook until pink. Remove and cool in refrigerator. When cool, slice into pieces. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, zest and lemon juice together, season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl add add salad ingredients and stir in dressing to incorporate. Place on platter and garnish with almonds and parsley. Note: if desired you can mix with a vinaigrette dressing if desired.
Frisee, Beef with Poached Egg Salad
2 heads frisee, washed and spun dry
2 Tbl. each; fresh parsley, and chives, chopped
very thin slices of roast beef (as in paper thin)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
6 thin slices baguette, rubbed with garlic clove
6 large eggs
1 Tbl. white wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dressing
2 Tbl. champagne vinegar
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. Dijon
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Place garlic rubbed sliced bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil; place under broiler until lightly browned and crisp on each side. Combine lettuce, herbs and red pepper in a large bowl. Whisk together dressing ingredients and combine with lettuce mixture in bowl, toss to coat. Place lettuce mixture on large platter. Add beef slices and top with poached eggs and baguette slices. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Poaching eggs; fill a saute pan with water and bring to a boil, add 1 Tbl. vinegar to water. Break eggs into a cup then tip into water. Turn off heat from under pan and cover tightly. Leave for four minutes. With a slotted spoon remove eggs and hold a paper towel under spoon to catch excess water.
Bon Appetit
"You are our Father, we are the clay, and You our potter;
and all of us are the work of Your hand."
Isaiah 64:8
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