Kale Salad

Kale Salad

As Henry says, "Brooklyn is the kale capitol of the world". Well, we live in Brooklyn and kale is a big topic of conversation so it was only a matter of time before I served kale salad at a family gathering.  And it was a big hit, at least for the kale lovers and even for those who are unsure about it. The kale haters stood firm and didn't touch the stuff.

If you are willing to give it a try, this recipe is a fine way to begin. It is adapted from a recipe in Self Magazine (December 2012 edition) and can be made in advance.

Juice of 1 lemon
1 shallot, chopped
1 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 bunches kale, stems removed, leaves shredded or finely chopped
2 tbl. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup sliced almonds
2 oz. Parmesan, crumbled (optional)

In a bowl, whisk juice, shallot, honey, salt and pepper flakes.  Add kale, toss well and massage kale leaves for about 30 seconds. Let sit 20 minutes. Mix in oil. Refrigerate for up to 1 day or serve immediately.

In a dry pan, toast almonds over medium heat, tossing constantly, until color deepens, 1 0r 2 minutes. Add almonds and optional parmesan to kale.  Serve.

Notes: Original recipe calls for adding 8 dates, pitted and chopped.  That didn't appeal to me but you might want to try it.  When I toast almonds, it is usually in the toaster oven.  This might taste good with sliced apples, pears or Asian pears. It is a basic recipe that you can easily fool around with.

Cabbage and Corn Slaw

I've waited way too long to post this one. We're at the tail end of the fresh corn season but there is still a chance you can grab a few ears from the farmer's market. If you are successful, try this slaw. It was a big hit  at a recent family get together.

1 small cabbage or 1/2 of a large one, shredded
4 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from the cobs
2 medium carrots, grated
6 scallions, thinly sliced (or equivalent amount of sweet onion
1 two inch piece fresh ginger, minced
1/3 cup unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tbl. fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine the cabbage, corn, carrots, scallions and ginger in a large bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk the rice vinegar, vegetable oil and lime juice.  Coat the vegetables with the dressing. Use just enough dressing to lightly coat.  Add the cilantro and toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8 as a side dish

NOTES: This recipe is adapted from one in Bon Appetit

Black Bean, Avocado and Grilled Corn Salad

In case you missed the fresh corn season, you can still enjoy this salad which makes the best of frozen corn. I took a big bowl of it to a picnic at my grandson's school and the parents (and even some kids) ate it happily. 

3 tbls. olive oil (divided)

1 8-oz. package frozen corn kernels, defrosted

2 15-oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 medium carrot, diced

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

6 green onions, thinly sliced (or equivalent amount sweet onion)

2 avocados, peeled, pits removed and cut into small chunks

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

4 tbl. fresh lime juice

2 tsps. grated lime peel

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

In medium skillet, heat 1 tbl. olive oil.  Add corn kernels and over high heat, toss the kernels until they are brown in spots (about 6 minutes).  Place the corn in a large bowl.  Add the black beans, carrot, red pepper, green onions, avocado and cilantro.  

Whisk lime juice, lime peel, cumin and remaining 2 tbl. oil in small bowl. Mix into salad. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8

Notes: Sliced radishes and/or diced jicama would be great additions. The contrast between the soft beans and avocado and the crisp veggies is terrific.

For best results use Eden Organic black beans. 

Summery Salad Nicoise

Vittorio, our friend from Italy was coming for dinner on Monday and would stay overnight.  I was working on Monday and wondered if I had the time to get a satisfying dinner on the table.  But it was horribly hot, in the 90s, and the thought of leaving our air conditioned place to go back outside to a restaurant, wasn't appealing.  With a little advance planning I came up with my version of a Salad Nicoise.  It was a hit- cool, tasty and perfect for a scorching day.

I cooked the green beans and potatoes the day before and bought a jar of good quality tuna and a can of anchovies to have on hand. I should have also made a few hard boiled eggs but forgot to do that.  With good bread and chilled white wine we had a fine meal.

1 lb. green beans or haricot verts, trimmed
1 lb. potatoes, sliced
4 scallions, white parts finely chopped
vinaigrette dressing
1 jar tuna in olive oil from Italy or Spain, drained
1 can anchovies, drained
4 hardboiled eggs, halved
1 tsp. capers
cherry tomatoes or beefsteak tomato cut into chunks

Cook the green beans and potatoes in separate pots of boiling water. When the beans are bright green and still have a bit of a snap, drain and rinse with cool water.  When the potatoes are tender but not falling apart, drain.  Dry the veggies off and while still warm combine them in a bowl.  Add the scallions and toss with vinaigrette dressing.

Put the dressed vegetables on a platter.  Add chunks of tuna, the anchovies and the halved eggs on top of the veggies.  Sprinkle with capers and put cherry tomatoes or tomato chunks around the edge of the platter.

Serves 4

jicama, avocado and grapefruit salad

I guess the name of this salad says it all. Jicama suddenly appeared in my local supermarket. I snapped it up, looking forward to enjoying it's crunchy, juicy sweetness. Jicama doesn't have much flavor; the crunch is the draw. Combining it with a luscious ripe avocado and pink grapefruit slices brought out the best in all the ingredients. I used a mustardy vinaigrette for the dressing. The flavors and textures were wonderful. Try this simple, refreshing salad.

Wild Rice Salad

This salad is perfect throughout the year. Wild rice is the mainstay but you can easily substitute many fruits and nuts for those listed in the recipe. Consider this salad on a buffet table since it can be made in advance. It looks lovely and goes beautifully with other salads, chicken or turkey. The recipe is from Ina Garten's latest cookbook, Barefoot Contessa how easy is that? When I made it, I reduced the salt and traded oranges for clementines.

1 cup long grain wild rice (6 ounces)

Kosher salt

2 navel oranges

2 tbls. good olive oil

2 tbls. freshly squeezed orange juice

2 tbls. raspberry vinegar

1/2 cup seedless green grapes, cut in half

1/2 cup pecans, toasted

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2 tbls. scallions, white and green parts, chopped

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Place the wild rice in a medium pot with 4 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt (I used much less salt) and bring to a boil. Simmer uncovered for 50-60 minutes, until the rice is very tender. Drain well and place the rice back in the pot. Cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes.

While the rice is still warm, place it in a mixing bowl. Peel the oranges with a sharp knife, removing all the white pith. Cut between the membranes and add the orange sections to the bowl with the rice. Add the olive oil, orange juice, raspberry vinegar, grapes, pecans, cranberries, scallions, salt and pepper to taste. Allow to sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend. Taste for seasonings and serve at room temperature.

Serves 4-6

Notes:Use almost any citrus fruit, sliced Fuyu persimmons,sliced apples (tossed in lemon juice), walnuts, hazelnuts, pomegranate seeds.

Fennel, Bean and Tuna Salad

If you like these ingredients you will enjoy this salad. Some people aren't fond of fennel's licorice flavor but I love it. I'm having some friends over for brunch this Sunday and was thinking of what to serve that could be made in advance. This salad may be on the table along with some others. I found the recipe in The Farm to Table Cookbook by Ivy Manning. If you aren't into cooking dried bans from scratch, please feel free to use 2 cans of cannellini beans, well drained, rinsed and dried. I like Eden Organic brand.

1 cup dried cannellini beans

7 cups cold water

1 bay leaf

2 tsp. salt

1 garlic clove, peeled

1 small fennel bulb

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 6 ounce can tuna in oil, undrained

1 tbl. extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

1 tb. apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Soak the beans in cool water for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain, rinse well and put in a large saucepan. Add the water, bay leaf, salt and garlic; bring to a boil. simmer until the beans are tender, tasting frequently to determine doneness. They should be done in about 40 minutes. Drain the beans and refrigerate until cool.

Halve the fennel lengthwise, separate the feathery green fronds form the stalks and finely chop the fronds. Remove the tough fennel core. Slice the bulb and stalks as thinly as possible.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, fennel, onion, tuna and its oil, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and parsley. Toss together gently; add salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad

The days are finally getting warmer and it's time to begin thinking about spring and summer foods again. This very easily prepared salad is a staple on my table. It goes well with chicken, fish, all kinds of main dish salads and deli meats. Dill, scattered throughout the salad, looks lovely against the pale green cucumbers. This version comes from Anna Pump's recipe found in Summer on A Plate.

2 seedless cucumbers, unpeeled, very thinly sliced

1 tbl. kosher salt

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place the sliced cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle with salt, toss to coat, and set aside for 15 minutes. give them an occasional stir to distribute the salt.

Combine the vinegar, dill, sugar and pepper in a large bowl. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Drain the cucumbers and pat well to dry. Add to the dressing and stir to blend well. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 2 hours. Serve cold.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

Note: I use less salt and slightly less sugar when making the salad

Corn and Radish Salad With Spicy Lime Dressing

Years ago I discovered that raw corn is absolutely delicious in a salad. When you have had enough ears of roasted or steamed corn, why not try a cooler approach? Make this crunchy salad while fresh corn is at its peak. The recipe, by Nick Fauchald, was posted on Food and Wine's Website.

2 tbl. fresh lime juice

1 small jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 1/2 tsp. honey

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

4 cups fresh corn kernels (about 5 ears depending on size)

6 medium radishes, halved and thinly sliced crosswise

1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced

In a blender, puree the lime juice, jalapeno, honey and cumin. With the machine on, add the oil. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the corn with the radishes, parsley, red onion and dressing. Season the salad with salt and pepper, transfer to plates and serve.

Serves 4

Chili-Lime Crab Salad

My oven is broken and we've had a string of over 90 degree days. It is definitely not the time to be roasting, baking or broiling. This recipe, recommended by Deb, is a perfect summer meal, creating its own cool sizzle. I hadn't bought crabmeat in over twenty years but it is worth the splurge to enjoy this salad. Come on, give this simple and elegant salad a try. The recipe was printed in the July 2008 issue of Food and Wine Magazine. I have made minor changes to it.

5 tbl. fresh lime juice

2 1/2 tbl. extra virgin olive oil

2 1/2 tbl. vegetable oil

1 tbl. very finely chopped jalapeno

1 tbl. chopped cilantro, plus cilantro for garnish

1/2 tbl. honey (optional)

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 pound lump crabmeat, picked over

2 Hass avocados, diced (1/2 inch)

1/3 cup minced red onion

1 large heirloom tomato, cut into four 1/2 inch thick slices

In a small bowl, combine the lime juice with the olive oil, vegetable oil, jalapeno, chopped cilantro, optional honey and garlic. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

In another small bowl, toss the crab with 3 tbl. of the dressing and season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, gently toss the avocado with the red onion and 2 tbl. of the dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

Place a tomato slice on each plate. Top with the avocado and the crab and garnish with the cilantro. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top.

Serves 4

Notes: For a variation, substitute chopped red and yellow cherry tomatoes for the sliced tomato.

If crabmeat is just too dear, the salad will also taste delicious with gently poached shrimp.

Watermelon and Feta Salad

For the past few years I have seen many recipes for this very strange sounding salad. I finally decided to try one of the versions floating around. I adapted the one posted on Domesticgoddess.ca. It is refreshing and delicious. The combination of sweet watermelon and salty feta works. Don't worry about exact proportions here. Whatever you do, the salad will turn out fine. Just be sure to serve it cool.

4 cups watermelon cubes

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley

good quality extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

salt and pepper to taste

Serves 3

Combine watermelon, feta and most of the parsley. Toss gently. Sprinkle remaining parsley and drizzle olive oil on top of salad. Season with salt and pepper.

Notes: There are all sorts of variations on this basic idea. Add sliced red onion, olives, prosciutto or pine nuts. Substitute ricotta salata for the feta. Try other herbs such as mint or dill. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar. Serve on arugula or in watermelon rind "plates". You get the idea. If you enjoy this salad and like to experiment come up with your own version.

Quinoa Salad

I have been asking my friend Lourdes to give me a traditional recipe from Bolivia to post on my blog.  I've never seen a Bolivian restaurant or cookbook and am very curious about the cuisine of that country. Lourdes came to my rescue last week with a recipe for this lovely dish and two boxes of Quinoa.  I made Quinoa Salad for a July 4th lunch and it was a hit. Usually quinoa needs to be washed before cooking to remove a protective coating.  But Lourdes gave me Ancient Quinoa Harvest Brand which is prewashed and ready to cook. Pronounced Keen-Wa, this grain was a staple food of the Incas and is protein rich and loaded with iron, potassium and other minerals. 

1 cup quinoa

2 red tomatoes (medium size)

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1/2 red onion

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (parsley can be substituted)

fresh juice of 1 1/2 limes

Serves 4

Cook the quinoa as the package directs (cooks in 15 minutes)

Chop all vegetables in small squares. Mix all of them with the cooked quinoa.  Add the cilantro and lime juice and toss.

NOTES: Lourdes suggests serving the salad with grilled fish or chicken. I took her advice and served it with grilled salmon.

The salad is light and fresh tasting.  Notice that it contains no oil. The cilantro and lime juice give it a very special flavor.  

Orange and Fennel Salad

This beautiful and refreshing dish pushes the envelope on what we consider a salad.  It contains no lettuce, cucumbers, or any typical salad ingredient.  Orange and fennel salad is popular in Italy and is often served there after the main course.  My supermarket had bags of blood oranges on sale and I realized they would look spectacular in this dish nestled next to the pale green fennel and black olives. Reader, I bought the blood oranges and made this salad.

3 navel or blood oranges

2 tbl. chopped fennel greens

1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed, quartered and thinly sliced

pepper to taste

12 black Kalamata or oil-cured olives

vinaigrette dressing

Peel and section the oranges.  Toss the oranges, sliced fennel and fennel greens with the vinaigrette dressing.  Season to taste with pepper and arrange on 4 salad plates.  Garnish the plates with olives.

Serves 4  

Black Bean Salad with Avocado and Red Pepper

I have a serious addiction to avocados and love to find new ways to use them. I also have a thing for black beans, so putting the two together makes perfect sense to me. The lime and chile flavors pair beautifully with the ingredients in this refreshing and colorful salad, which can be served throughout the year. The salad goes wonderfully with broiled fish or chicken, pork tenderloin and even as a main dish with some cheese and crusty bread. If that isn't enough, it can be made way in advance. The recipe was adapted from The Carefree Cook by Rick Rodgers.

Serves 4

Grated zest of 1 lime

1 tbl. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 garlic clove, crushed through a press

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 15-19 ounce can black beans, very well drained and rinsed

1/3 cup finely chopped red onion

2 ripe Hass avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1 inch dice

1 roasted red pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into 1/2 inch dice (see Notes)

salt and freshly ground back pepper to taste

To make the dressing, pulse the lime zest and juice, sugar, chili powder and garlic in a blender to combine. With the blender on, gradually add the oil through the top vent. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Add the beans, red onion, avocado, and red pepper and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours, before serving. Season with additional lime juice, salt and pepper before serving.

Notes: The salad can be made one day in advance.

The blender is not essential for the dressing, which can be made by hand.

Many canned black beans are mushy and salty. The brand that I like best is Eden Organic.

Hass avocados are smallish with a dark, pebbly skin. If not available, substitute a smooth skinned avocado.

If you don't have a roasted red pepper just add a diced uncooked red pepper.

Asparagus Salad With Sweet Balsamic Vinegar

I look forward each year to buying locally grown asparagus at the farmer's market.  But it will be months before those lovely green stalks make an appearance at my Brooklyn market.  I couldn't wait any longer.  When asparagus went on sale at my supermarket this week, I bought a few pounds to make this unusual and delectable salad.  The recipe comes from Bon Appetit (October 1997).

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tbl. olive oil

1 tbl. Dijon mustard

1 tbl. chopped fresh marjoram or 1 tsp. dried

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 pounds asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut on diagonal into 2 inch pieces

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Boil vinegar in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Pour vinegar into large bowl.  Whisk in oil, mustard, marjoram and garlic.  Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook asparagus in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain again.  Add asparagus and bell pepper to dressing; toss to blend well.  Sprinkle with pecans and serve.

Serves 4

Notes: The dressing is versatile and works well with other cooked vegetables such as carrots or zucchini.  The asparagus can be trimmed but left whole.  I did not have marjoram so I substituted fresh chives.  I doubled the amount of Dijon mustard since I love a mustardy flavor. Pine nuts would also taste great in place of the pecans.  Actually, the salad is delicious if you omit the nuts altogether.

Minty Tabbouleh

My daughter-in-law Alison reminded me about a recipe she introduced into our family repertoire, Minty Tabbouleh.  The dish makes an appearance at many family gatherings.  It is refreshingly delicious, can be made in advance and is a much healthier alternative to mayonnaisey salads.  The recipe comes from The Silver Palate New Basics Cookbook by Julie Rosso and Sheila Lukins.  I am old enough to remember when the Silver Palate was a small gourmet shop on the Upper West Side. I was too intimidated to ever enter the shop but peeked through the window to see what sophisticated people were eating.

1 heaping cup bulgur

1 cup cold water

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (I use much less- maybe 1/3 cup)

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves

1 cup coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 cup coarsely chopped red onion

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

4 ripe plum tomatoes, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch dice

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch dice

fresh mint leaves for garnish

Combine the bulgur, water, lemon juice and 1/3 cup olive oil in a large bowl.  Mix well and set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature.  After 30 minutes, fluff the mixture with a fork.

Add the mint, parsley, red onion, garlic, pepper and salt.  Toss well with a fork. 

Add the tomatoes and cucumber and toss again.  Adjust the seasonings if necessary, and add additional lemon juice and/or olive oil, if desired.  Allow to stand, loosely covered, for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to come out.

Garnish with fresh mint leaves and serve.

Serves 6 to 8

Notes: Minty tabbouleh is wonderful served with an assortment of middle eastern appetizers such as hummus, babaganoush, vines leaves and feta cheese. Pita bread is, of course, essential. 

Alison is thinking about substituting quinoa for the bulgur wheat.  My guess is that will work very well.

Greek Salad- Make Your Own

Have you ever been with someone ordering a Greek Salad in a restaurant? "No onions", "no green pepper", "heavy on the anchovies" and so on. At a recent family gathering I decided to allow the guests to customize their own Greek Salads and eliminate the middleman. I prepared a very large basic green salad tossed with a vinaigrette dressing.  Surrounding the salad were the following: olives, vine leaves, anchovies, feta cheese, sliced grilled chicken breasts, boiled shrimp and sliced red onions.  Warmed and quartered pita bread was heaped on a plate.  Every one took exactly what they wanted to create their perfect Greek Salad. The response was incredibly enthusiastic.  The family agreed that this was a terrific idea. I did, however, omit one ingredient that doesn't belong in my Greek Salad.  There were no green peppers on the table.