Salads
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…
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…
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…
Chicken Paillard with Greek Salad and Tzatziki
Makes 4 Servings Hands-On Time: 30 minutes Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes Suggested Accompaniments Greek Farmer Salad (see recipe below) Tzatziki (see recipe below) 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves Olive oil 2 large cloves garlic, minced 3 lemons, 2 zested and 1 cut in wedges 1 teaspoon coarse sea…
Two Melon Prosciutto and Feta Layered Salad
Makes 4 servings Hands-on time: about 15 minutes Total preparation time: 15 minutes 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, sweet or hot Kosher salt and freshly milled black pepper 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1/8 medium watermelon (about 2 pounds), peeled and cut into bite…
Steakhouse Salad
Makes 4 Servings Hands-On Time: 30 Minutes Total Preparation Time: 35 Minutes 1 pound russet Potatoes (2 medium) 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon 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…
Dandelion Green Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pecan Dressing
Serves: 4 For the dressing: 2/3 cup raw sugar 1 cup toasted pecans 1 cup red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 pinches salt 1 ½ teaspoons chile de arbol powder (or chile powder of your choice) 3 cups blended oil For the salad: 6 cups dandelion greens 1…
Wisteria Flowers with Asparagus and Parma Ham
Serves 4 1 bunch thin asparagus spears, bottom 3 inches cut off 4 thin slices Parma ham, prosciutto or Serrano ham, torn into small pieces 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar Salt and pepper 1 ounce (1.5 cups) Dame’s Rocket (from 2-3 bunches) or other edible…