Category Archives: Salads

BRUSSEL SPROUTS SALAD (serves 4)

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  • 8 ounces fresh Brussels sprouts
  • 1-2 T. olive oil plus ¼ cup
  • Kosher salt
  • Cracked black pepper
  • 4 fresh radishes
  • Half small red onion
  • 1 Granny Smith apple sliced thin
  • 4 ounces bacon diced (I often use pancetta)
  • 2 T. brown sugar
  • 1 T. Dijon mustard
  • ¼ cup champagne vinegar
  • 2 ounces pistachios
  • 4 ounces of fresh greens (I use arugula)

Halve or quarter the Brussels sprouts and toss in oil, salt and pepper.  Either char sprouts on the grill or sauté in a skillet on the stove.  Shave the radish, onion and apple as desired and reserve.

Render the diced bacon in a sauté pan until cooked through.  Add sugar, mustard, and vinegar to the pan with the bacon and fat and bring to a boil.  Pour the mixture into a small mixing bowl.  Slowly add ¼ cup of oil while whisking to form an emulsification.  Once emulsified, add salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.  Mix Brussels sprouts, radish, apple, onion and pistachio with vinaigrette.  Once evenly distributed, fold in greens softly to prevent wilting.  I actually like the arugula to wilt a bit.

WATERMELON SALAD (Serves 4)

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  • 6 T. EVO
  • 1 cub Israeli couscous
  • 2 cups water
  • 2-3 cups of watermelon, seeded, cubed, diced
  • ¾ cup feta, goat or mozzarella cheese
  • 1/3 cup chopped basil
  • 1 cup arugula chopped
  • ¼ cup white wine or sherry vinegar

Heat 1 T. oil, add couscous and brown until toasty (4-5 minutes).  Add 2 cups water and salt and bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.  Spread couscous evenly on baking sheet.  Drizzle 2 T. olive oil and stir.  Cover with plastic wrap and cool in refrigerator.  Prepare all remaining ingredients and combine in a large bowl.  Combine cooked couscous, watermelon, cheese, basil and arugula.  In separate bowl whisk 3 T. olive oil, vinegar, and salt and toss with watermelon mixture.

ITALIAN POTATO SALAD (serves 8)

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  • 5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped (use a Russet or Idaho potato)
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2/3 cup EVO
  • ½ cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley (you can substitute cilantro)
  • Finely chopped scallions – optional

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add potatoes and cook until tender, but still firm, about 15 minutes.  Drain, cool and chop.  I actually chop mine before I boil them.  They cook quicker.  In a large bowl, mix garlic, olive oil, vinegar and parsley/cilantro.  Add potatoes and toss to evenly coat.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

ROASTED TOMATOES

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  • 12 plum tomatoes
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 ½ T. balsamic vinegar
  • 2 large garlic cloves minced
  • 2 t. sugar
  • salt and pepper
  •  

Preheat oven to 275 degrees

Cut tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds and pulp, leaving core intact. Drizzle evenly with oil and vinegar.  Sprinkle garlic, sugar, and salt and pepper.  Place on cookie sheet and roast for 2 hours.  Let cool and store at room temp or in refrigerator.

UPDATED WALDORF SALAD

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  • 1 T. safflower oil
  • ½ cup pearl couscous
  • Kosher salt
  • In a small sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.  Add the couscous and toast until lightly golden – about 4 minutes.  Add ¾ cup water and ¼ t. salt and bring to a boil.  Lower heat so that water simmers; cover the pan and cook until the liquid is absorbed – about 10 minutes.  Uncover pan and set aside to cool.
  • 1 large Granny Smith apple cut into ¼ “ dice
  • 1 small fennel bulb cut into ¼ “ dice
  • 1 cup small green grapes halved
  • ¾ cup small walnut pieces toasted lightly
  • 6 out leaves from a large radicchio

Mix apple, fennel, grapes and walnuts.  Dress with vinaigrette and place in radicchio “cups”.

Dressing:

  • ¼ cup apple cider
  • 1 T. Honey
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 1/3 cup Safflower oil

CREAM CHEESE PANNA COTTA WITH SMOKED SALMON SALAD

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  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • 2 t. lemon zest
  • 1 ½ t. kosher salt
  • 1/8 t. black pepper
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • ¼ oz. gelatin

Bloom the gelatin by mixing the gelatin and ¼ cup cold water together in a small bowl.  Let sit for 5-10 minutes.  While gelatin in blooming, combine the rest of the ingredients in a 4 quart sauce pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Then turn off the heat.  Add the gelatin mix and stir until combined.  Put the panna cotta in small bowls or glasses.  Chill for 1 hour.  Then top with Salmon salad and drizzle grapefruit olive oil and minced fresh chives.

  • ½ cup fine dice tomato
  • ¼ cup fine dice red onion
  • 2 T. capers
  • 1 cup fine chopped smoked salmon
  • 1 t. lemon zest
  • 1 T. fine chopped parsley

You can make it a day ahead of time.

BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALAD

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  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 package of frozen corn thawed
  • 3 scallions sliced thin
  • ½ red pepper chopped finely
  • 8 oz. cheddar cheese grated

Make or buy a dressing with soybean oil, cider vinegar, onion, salt, garlic, and whatever herbs you like.  I use onion powder and garlic powder.

ENDIVE AND PANCETTA SALAD

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  • ½ POUND CURLY ENDIVE, CLEANED AND CUT INTO LARGE PIECES
  • 4 OZ. PANCETTA FINELY CHOPPED
  • 3 GARLIC CLOVES
  • 10 SPRIGS ITALIAN PARSLEY, LEAVES ONLY, FINELY CHOPPED
  • 2 T. olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Soak endive in bowl of ice for ½ hour.  Drain and dry. Place
oil in medium skillet.  When warm, add chopped pancetta, garlic and parsley until all the fat in the pancetta is rendered-about five minutes.  Stir constantly with
wooden spoon.  Season with salt and pepper.  When ready immediately pour over
endive, mix well and serve.  You can use Kale or arugula with this also, but the endive is the best.

SALAD FROM SANDIE KNOLLENBERG

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  • ½ cup olive oil

  • 3 T. red wine vinegar

  • 1 ½ t. sugar

  • 1 ½ t. mustard

  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped

  • ½ t. salt

  • Pepper to taste

Wisk all the above together for the dressing

  • ½ cup sugar

  • ½ cup pecans

Combine in skillet.  Cook over medium heat until sugar is melted.  Cool and break apart.

  • 1 head of leaf lettuce torn

  • 3 pears cored and chopped

  • 5 ounces of Roquefort and Feta cheese

  • 1 avacado chopped

  • 1 red pepper cut in strips

  • Pomegranate seeds

  • ½ cup thinly sliced green onions