Salads

Not Your Momma’s Macaroni Salad

(serves a crowd, can be cut in half)

1 pound pasta (macaroni, rotini, penne)
5-6 celery stalks, diced small
1 – 7 ounce bar of sharp cheddar, cubed small
1/2 pound of smoked ham, cubed small
8 ounces green peas, blanched
3/4 C of red onion, diced small and rinsed
3 ounces of arugula

In a large pot of boiling water, add 2 t salt and pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain and allow pasta to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and dress with Creamy Dill Dressing.

Dress just prior to service.

Adjust seasoning with salt and cracked pepper. Garnish will dill sprigs.

High Chow Salad with Shrimp

(serves 6-8)

1 small head Napa cabbage, core removed, finely sliced

½ head red cabbage, core removed, finely sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and trimmed, cut into thin strips

16 or so French beans, cut in half and blanched

2 large carrots, peeled and shredded

¾ C of Edamame

½ bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

10-12 mint leaves, torn into larger-sized pieces

16 large shrimp, boiled and cut into small pieces

1 C Chow Mein noodles

¾ C toasted almond slices

Shredded chicken or a pan seared salmon filet works just as well. Or, go veggie.

1 small can Mandarin oranges, drained

3-4 scallions, finely chopped for garnish

Combine all ingredients except oranges and scallions. Lightly dress with orange soy ginger vinaigrette. Spritz with additional salt, if needed. Plate salad and garnish with scallions and mandarin oranges.

Quinoa with Roasted Butternut Squash

(easily serves 10-12)

2 C quinoa

5-6 bay leaves

2 cinnamon sticks

1 t salt

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed

2 T olive oil

S & P

Dried thyme

Perfect just like this.

½ C golden raisins

½ C pine nuts, lightly toasted

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

2 Pink Lady apples, diced

½ C pomegranate seeds

2 C baby kale

For quinoa: Combine quinoa with 4 C of filtered water, 5-6 bay leaves, two cinnamon sticks and 1 t salt in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover simmering for about 15 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Pour quinoa onto a cooking sheet for cooling.

For butternut squash: Place squash into a mixing bowl and toss with olive oil. Spread onto a cookie sheet or two. Don’t crowd. Lightly sprinkle with salt, cracked pepper and dried thyme. Place into a preheated 425 degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip squash for even browning. Place back into oven for an additional 15 minutes. Squash should be golden. Remember…brown = flavor.

Once squash has cooled, place it and all remaining ingredients into a large bowl and toss with orange herb vinaigrette just prior to serving. Adjust seasoning with salt and cracked pepper. This recipe is a great side for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Farro Tabbouleh with Shrimp

(serves 6-8)

1 ¾ C farro

2 ½ C water

1 ½ t salt

1 pint cherub tomatoes, quartered

2 small English cucumbers, quartered, skin on

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

1 bunch curly parsley, finely chopped

1 C feta cheese, crumbled

¼ C fresh mint, coarsely chopped

12-15 large shrimp, boiled and chopped

Zest of one small lemon

Juice from 2 lemons

1/3 C EVOO

S & P

In a large sauce pan, place farro, water and salt. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for an additional 10-12 minutes. There may be some water remaining. That’s fine. Just taste the farro. It should be “toothy” not “gooey”. Drain in a colander and spread cooked farro onto a cookie sheet for cooling. In a large bowl, add cooled farro and remaining ingredients. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. I like lots of mint. Don’t be shy on that one.

Rosemary Roasted Potato Salad

(serves 6-8)

2 pounds new potatoes, quartered and washed

1 small red onion, sliced thin and rinsed

1/3 C Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

1 small package French green beans, blanched

Add green beans to salted boiling water. Once the color becomes vibrant green, remove them to an ice bath to set the color. Once completely cooled, remove beans to a paper towel lined plate for thorough drying.

Several sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped

Make sure potatoes are fully drained. Place them into a mixing bowl. Add 2 T olive oil and mix well to evenly coat. Place potatoes, skin side down, onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Evenly salt and pepper the potatoes. Place them into a preheated 450 degree oven for 30 minutes or so until they are beginning to brown. (see pic) Remove from the oven and allow them to cool. This first “baking” can be prepared ahead. Once you are closer to serving, place the potatoes back into a 450 degree oven with the addition of fresh rosemary sprinkled over. (see pic) Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant with rosemary. Place hot potatoes into a mixing bowl and add red onion, green beans, Kalamata olives and rosemary vinaigrette. These are delicious served warm.

Haystack Salad

(serves 4-6)

1 large head of iceberg lettuce, quartered and thinly sliced

½ of a red onion, thinly sliced and rinsed

1 pink lady apple, sliced into matchsticks

¾ cup of Maytag blue cheese roughly chopped

1 C toasted seed mix (see pic)

Roast seed/nut mix (sunflower, almonds, pumpkin, and sesame) in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

4-6 slices of slab bacon, cooked crisp and roughly chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and lightly dress with orange tarragon vinaigrette. Cracked pepper on top. Dress just before serving for the full on “crunch effect”.

Mixed Greens Salad

Thin slices of radicchio, baby kale, baby spinach, arugula, dill, parsley, blanched French beans, toasted pine nuts, crispy prosciutto, crimini mushrooms and grated parmesan. Dress this mixed greens salad with fresh lemon juice, EVOO, salt, cracked black pepper and a spritz of sugar. This hits all the buttons.

FLAVOR + TEXTURE + COLOR

Ensalada Melones

(easily makes 2 dozen “boats”)

2 C seedless watermelon, small dice

2 C cantaloupe, small dice

2 C honey dew melon, small dice

1/3 C pitted kalamata olives, finely chopped

4 slices prosciutto, crispy and broken into small pieces

Place prosciutto slices on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick baking spray. Place into a 350 degree preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes or until crisp. Remove and cool. Break into small pieces.

Fresh mint

1/4 C toasted pine nuts

Kosher salt

Cracked pepper

1 C feta cheese, finely crumbled

EVOO

Lime wedges

Artisan Romaine leaves (sold at…cue the chorus…Costco for sure…perfect for these salad “boats”)

Spoon melon mix into Romaine leaves. Add crispy prosciutto, pine nuts, feta, sprinkle of salt, cracked pepper, mint leaves, a drizzle of EVOO and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette and Curried Cashews

For dressing:

5 strips of slab bacon, cooked crisp and diced

Nothing like a picture of bacon to get the appetite stirred up.

1/2 C apple cider vinegar

3 T whole grain mustard

3 T maple syrup

¾ t salt

¾ t black pepper

1 ½ C olive oil

In a pitcher, combine apple cider vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Using a stick blender, combine the ingredients until well incorporated. With blender running, slowly drizzle in olive oil until a smooth emulsification forms. Pour dressing into a small sauce pan and warm over medium low heat. Once dressing is warm, add reserved bacon pieces and pour over prepared spinach salads.

For cashews:

1/2 t smoked paprika

1/2 t curry powder

2 T fresh rosemary, finely copped

2 T olive oil

1 C whole cashews, roasted and salted

In a mixing bowl, place paprika, curry, rosemary and olive oil. Mix well. Add cashews and stir to combine. Spread cashews on a cookie sheet and place it into a preheated 325 oven degree and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.

For the salad:

Assemble the following ingredients:

Pink Lady Apple sliced into sticks.

Cremini mushrooms sliced very thinly. When buying mushrooms, make sure caps have not separated from the stem.

Red onion thinly sliced and rinsed.

Hard-boiled eggs cut into chunks.

Curried Cashews

AND, baby spinach.

Compose the salad, individually or one large, and spoon the warm dressing over the top. Don’t be stingy. This dressing is yum.

Si Sir Salad

(serves 4)

3 heads romaine lettuce, torn into pieces, “spine” removed

2 ears roasted corn, cut off the cob

1 1/2 C cherub tomatoes, halved

1/2 C toasted pumpkin seeds

1/2 C grated queso fresco

1 pound 21/25 shrimp, peeled and deveined

Si Sir dressing

Red tortilla crisps for garnish

For roasted corn: Rub ears with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper. Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until kernels begin to brown. Turn half-way through cooking for even browning. Remove, cool and cut kernels from the cob.

For shrimp: Rinse shrimp with cold water and pat dry. Preheat a sauté skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 T olive and swirl around the pan. It will be smoking a bit. If too hot, lift skillet off heat source for a minute. Place dried shrimp in hot skillet. It should make a searing sound. Don’t crowd skillet. Add a sprinkle of salt and allow shrimp to cook 2/3 of the way before turning over. Add 2 T of chipotle mix and a splash of water to loosen up skillet bits. Toss shrimp with the “chipotle sauce” and remove from heat. Residual heat will finish cooking the shrimp. They should just be firm to the touch. See picture.

For tortilla crisps: Cut red corn tortillas in half. Brush both sides with olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic salt and chili powder. Place on a cookie sheet and put into a 350 degree preheated oven. Cook for 10 minutes, rotate and cook an additional 10 minutes more until crisp.