Salads
Smoked Salmon, Hearts of Palm and Watercress Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
This recipe works because the richness of the salmon is beautifully offset by the pepperiness of the watercress, the heat of the chiles, and the acidity of the lemon and buttermilk. Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 30 minutes Total preparation time: 30 minutes 2 large hard boiled eggs 6 small…
Antipasto Salad
Feel free to substitute any meats or cheeses for the ones suggested below. Makes 6 to 8 servings Hands-on time: 25 minutes Total preparation time: 25 minutes Kosher salt ½ small head broccoli or cauliflower 1 ounce sun dried tomatoes (about ½ cup) One 6 ½ -ounce jar marinated artichoke…
Green Bean Salad with Beets and Feta (Fasolakia Salata me Patzaria kai Feta)
Serves 3 to 4 1 ½ cups (12 ounces) green beans 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, for dressing 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste Dried Greek oregano, to taste 8 to 10 ounces cooked peeled red beets, cooled and cut in wedges 1/3 cup walnuts (optional)…
Greek Salad
Servings: 4 to 6 Prep time: 15 minutes 3 large plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped ½ cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped ½ red onion, chopped 1 green bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped 15 black olives 2/3 cup Greek feta Salt, pepper, dried oregano 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil *Mini barley rusks…
Steak House Salad
Makes 4 Servings Hands-On Time: 30 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 35 Minutes 1 pound russet Potatoes (2 medium) 5 tablespoons extra – virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper One 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound beef sirloin steak (about 1 1/2 inches thick) 1 large onion…
Cucumber Tomato Salad with Yogurt and Toasted Cumin Seed Dressing
This salad would go especially well with a spicy dish because it has sugar and dairy in it, two ingredients which naturally tame a chiles’s heat. But it would also be a delightful side dish for any fish, poultry, or meat entree. Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15 minutes Total…
Southwestern Chicken Salad
This is my favorite kind of salad because it has so many elements and, from the creamy avocado to the crispy homemade tortilla chips, they all have different textures. I have cheated here by using leftover or rotisserie chicken. You could substitute leftover cooked pork, shrimp, or beef too. You…
Antipasto Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano Dressing
This is the perfect lazy day summer salad since you never have to turn on the oven. You could even buy the blanched broccoli or cauliflower and prepared pasta salad at the salad bar and never turn on the stovetop. Feel free to substitute any meats or cheeses for the…
Warm Cabbage with Bacon and Gorgonzola
This is a wonderful wintertime side dish and a great way to glorify the humble cabbage. It would go well with lean grilled sausages (lean because this is a relatively heavy side dish), pork chops, or my Blasted Chicken (Sara Moulton Cooks at Home, page 66) 6 thick slices bacon,…
Butter Lettuce Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Start to finish: 20 minutes Servings: 6 For the dressing: 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon minced garlic 1/4 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil For the salad: 4 heads butter lettuce or…
Chickpea Patties with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Photo by Jessica Leibowitz For this weeknight salad I have streamlined and speeded up the process of making falafel. I’ve renamed it “Chickpea Patties” since it is not the same as the authentic version. I start with canned chickpeas instead of dried chickpeas or favas. Then I shape them into…
Salade Niçoise
Inspired by the produce in my box from Chefs Garden, I made one of Julia Child’s favorite salads – Salade Niçoise. Anytime she invited people over for lunch she made this salad. You can see both the fresh baby lettuces and also a mix of micro greens, micro herbs (those…
Cut Up Salad
Serves 8 1 ½ cups avocado, peeled and cut into medium chunks, chilled 1 ½ cups papaya peeled and cut into medium chunks, chilled 1 ½ cups ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cut into medium chunks, chilled Feel free to add our substitute the fruits as nature avails them! Bibb…
Asparagus and Parsley Salad with Shaved Parmesan and Toasted Walnuts
Photo by Jessica Leibowitz 1/2 cup walnuts 6 medium stalks asparagus 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 cups packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread out the walnuts on…
Cucumber and Tomato Salad with Yogurt and Toasted Cumin Seed Dressing
photo by Jessica Leibowitz This salad would go especially well with a spicy dish because it has sugar and dairy in it which naturally tame a chiles’s heat. But it would also be a delightful side dish to any fish, poultry, or meat dish. Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 15…
Smoked Salmon, Hearts of Palm, and Watercress Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Photo by Jessica Leibowitz This recipe works because the richness of the salmon is beautifully offset by the pepperiness of the watercress, the heat of the chiles, and the acidity of the lemon and buttermilk. Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: 30 minutes Total preparation time: 30 minutes 2 large eggs…
My Favorite Summer Salad
Here is the very loose recipe: Beefsteak tomatoes, sliced and salted lightly on both sides for 15 minutes, then patted dry layered with sliced avocado and mozzarella, drizzled either with vinaigrette or just excellent olive oil, and topped with shredded basil. Plus a mound of grilled corn tossed with minced jalapeno,…
Deluxe BLT Chicken Salad with Basil Dressing
Chicken salad, that summertime classic, often suffers from Chewy Chicken Syndrome, a pitfall that requires a tightrope walk to avoid. You want to build the recipe around white meat chicken – the perfect foil for its mayonnaise-based sauce – but you don’t want to overcook it, an easy thing to…
Antipasto Salad with Parmigiano-Reggiano Dressing
Photo by Jessica Leibowitz This is the perfect lazy-day summer salad, since you don’t have to use the oven. You could buy the blanched broccoli or cauliflower and prepared pasta salad at the salad bar and never even turn on the stovetop. But this salad would be equally good…
Mexican Style Chicken Salad
Photo by Jessica Leibowitz This is my favorite kind of salad because it has so many elements and, from the creamy avocado to the crispy homemade tortilla chips, they all have different textures. I have cheated here by using leftover or rotisserie chicken. You could substitute leftover cooked pork, shrimp,…
Celery and Parsley Salad with Shaved Parmesan and Toasted Walnuts
Too many of us Americans think of parsley as no more than a garnish. The Italians know better. This salad is a tasty demonstration of the ability of parsley to command the center of the plate. Toss it with some celery, lemon juice, olive oil, walnuts, and freshly shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano,…
Steak Mushroom and Tomato Salad with Bearnaise Dressing
Servings: 4 Start to finish: 1 hour 40 minutes (40 minutes without pre-salting) Hands on time: 20 minutes 1 pound 3/4- to-1-inch thick steak– such as flat iron, tri tip or boneless short rib Kosher salt 2 cups cherry tomatoes 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced seedless…
Need an all-purpose salad dressing ready to use in your fridge? Here’s the recipe for my favorite homemade vinaigrette with variations.
I frequently get requests for a good homemade salad dressing and now that we are all cooking more at home it seems like a good time to remind you of my favorite vinaigrette. My refrigerator is never without it. It is good on any basic savory salad and can be…
Key West Backyard “Cut Up” Salad
©2019 All rights reserved by Norman Van Aken I first learned of this salad like creation from a woman born and raised in Key West by the name of Sheila Sands-Davenport. We were at a party at her home having dinner when talk turned to true ‘conch’ cooking. ‘Conchs’ are…