Chicken with Shallots

Last Year's Post: Flax Seed Crackers
Two Years Ago:   Venetian Shrimp and Scallops

This recipe originated with Martha Stewart, then Andrew Zimmern's wife adapted it and he posted it on Twitter.  (If you're not familiar with Andrew Zimmern, he has a bizarre foods TV show where he eats a lot of bugs.)  Any way, his post was:  “Brown 8 thighs, 3 C shallots. Add wine, tarragon, Dijon, sim 30 min covered. Remove lid, reduce. Add 2C cut cherry toms.”   Succinct, but a little lacking in a few details.  The New York Times Cooking team picked it up and added a few more instructions, which is where I found it and adapted it slightly yet again.  It's kind of like starting a story to see if it bears any resemblance at all by the time it gets back to you.

Anyway, this is a very easy recipe to make because it only takes one pan and minimal prep.  Twelve to fifteen whole shallots may seem like a lot, but shallots have a delicate onion flavor to start and then they get caramelized which softens the flavor even more.  Wine, Dijon mustard and tarragon add richness and the relatively low and slow cooking time results in very tender chicken that's not dry.  I served it over wide pasta ribbons but it would be equally good with rice or bread to soak up the sauce.  Speaking of the sauce, I was surprised by how light it actually was.  For some reason I was expecting something like a cream sauce even though there's no cream (go figure) but it's much lighter than that.  This recipe reminds me somewhat of a French chicken dish that I previously posted called Chicken Gaston Gerard that has a Dijon sauce containing cream and cheese, so that might be where I got it.  This is a lighter version that that but it still tastes very French.

I eventually looked up the original Martha Stewart recipe just out of curiosity.  Her version had garlic, less wine, and more water in the sauce.  Next time I may add garlic but more wine is better in my opinion.  :-)

Chicken with Shallots

Serves 4

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, rinsed and trimmed of excess fat

2 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

12 – 15 whole medium shallots, peeled

2 cups white wine

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 sprigs fresh tarragon

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Sprinkle the chicken thighs with flour, salt and pepper on both sides.  Melt the butter in a large skillet or pot over medium heat.  Add the chicken (in batches if necessary) and cook until browned on both sides (do not cook through).  Set aside.

Add the whole shallots to the same skillet and sauté until they begin to soften and caramelize, about 10-12 minutes.  Add the wine and deglaze with a large spoon, then add the mustard and tarragon.  Stir, then add the chicken thighs.  Cover, turn to low heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken for 15 to 20 minutes, adding the cherry tomatoes in the last 5-10 minutes so they begin to soften.

Serve immediately with rice, pasta, or bread to soak up the sauce.

Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese - All Grown Up

Last Year's Post: Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Roasted Squash

Two Years Ago:  Lemon-Roasted Halibut with Lentils and Tomatoes

We had tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches umpteen times as kids - canned soup and water, plus white bread and pasteurized cheese slices.  Easy, quick, cheap, and something every kid will eat.  So when I came across these recipes I had to laugh - it was like childhood all over again except at warp speed.  I was first attracted to the homemade fresh cucumber pickles on the toasted cheese sandwiches - both the fact that they're freshly made, and that they're on a cheese sandwich in the first place.  The recipe suggested that the sandwiches go great with tomato soup, so I dug out my favorite roasted tomato soup recipe and voila!  Third grade lunch, all grown up.

One of the interesting things about the tomato soup recipe is that you can make it year-round with whatever plum tomatoes you find in the produce section because they're roasted to bring out their flavors, not to mention combined with chicken broth, tomato paste, red wine and a touch of cream.  How can you go wrong? It's a full-bodied, slightly chunky tomato soup that clearly has never seen the inside of a can.  I always use low-sodium products whenever possible, and they make a big difference in the sodium level of this recipe because chicken broth and tomato paste are both high in sodium if you use the regular products.  If you use low sodium products you'll need to add a little salt at the end but that's OK.  Definitely don't add salt until you taste the soup either way.

The cheese sandwich is equally interesting - dark rye (or pumpernickel) bread, sharp white cheddar cheese, mustard, and those homemade pickles.  The fresh cucumber pickles could also be served on any roast beef or pastrami sandwich (even burgers or brats) and are worth printing the recipe in and of themselves - fresh cucumbers briefly marinated in white wine vinegar, sugar, horseradish, Dijon, and fresh dill. 

Together with the dark rye and white cheese they have a Scandinavian feel.

We recently had this combination on a chilly, rainy day and really enjoyed the flavors.  If you made the soup in advance it would be a great and fast weeknight meal.

* * click here for a printable Roasted Tomato Soup recipe * *

Roasted Tomato Soup

Serves 4

Note: because the tomatoes are roasted to bring out the flavors, this recipe can be made at any time of the year.

1.5 lbs fresh plum tomatoes
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
¼ teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
½ cup finely chopped onion
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup dry red wine
¼ cup heavy cream
1/4 cup low sodium tomato paste
Sugar to taste (approx 2 teaspoons, depending on the acidity of the tomatoes)
Salt and pepper to taste (approx 1 teaspoon salt if using low sodium tomato paste and low sodium chicken broth)


Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Core tomatoes and halve lengthwise. Place cut side down on a shallow baking sheet with sides and brush generously with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Roast tomatoes until the edges are charred, about 20 minutes. Scrape tomatoes, oil and herbs from pan into a food processor and process until not quite smooth.

In a saucepan, cook onion in remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Whisk in roasted tomato puree, broth, and wine, then whisk in tomato paste. Add the cream while whisking. Taste and add sugar if necessary. Add salt and pepper to taste and bring soup to a simmer. Thin with additional chicken broth if desired.

* * click here for a printable Cheese Sandwich and Pickles recipe * *

Open-Faced Cheese Sandwiches with Fresh Cucumber Pickles

Makes 4 sandwiches

Note: these cucumber pickles would also be great on ham or roast beef sandwiches, or burgers and brats.

½ English cucumber, very thinly sliced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon prepared horseradish
4 slices dark rye or pumpernickel bread
4 slices sharp white cheddar cheese
Butter and Dijon mustard


Place cucumber slices in a strainer; sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat well. Let stand for 15 minutes, then rinse and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine vinegar, sugar, dill, 1 teaspoon mustard, and horseradish in mixing bowl. Add cucumber slices and toss to coat. Let cucumbers stand a minimum of five minutes, or cover and chill up to one day. Cucumbers will softer slightly as they marinate.

Spread one side of each slice of bread with Dijon. Heat 2 teaspoons of butter in a large nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat. Add bread, mustard side up, and top each slice with a slice of cheese. Toast until cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown and crisp on the bottom.

Divide sandwiches among four serving plates, top with cucumbers, and serve.

French Chicken Salad

Last Year's Post:  In Praise of Asparagus

Look For Beautiful Ingredients
Someone once said we eat with our eyes first, which is kind of an annoying phrase but true.  Never under-estimate the wow factor of a few beautiful ingredients like the french haricot verts (arh-ee-koh vair) and artisan lettuces I found at the store this week.  Haricot verts are simply a smaller and thinner version of regular green beans with really cool pointy ends.  Don't cut off the ends -they're part of the appeal.  The beans are very tender compared to larger green beans and don't take long to cook - you want them to be crisp-tender.

I've never seen such deep red lettuce before.  There was enough lettuce in this container for at least four huge salads and it was really fresh.  It all got a quick cold rinse and spin in the salad spinner, then off to the refrigerator wrapped in paper towels and sealed in a plastic bag to stay fresh.  If your lettuce is slightly wilted, this treatment will even refresh it back to crisp again.

I always keep my eye out for beautiful and unusual ingredients (especially produce) whenever I'm at the farmer's market or stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe's or the local high-end grocery store.  I file any discovered treasures away in memory until I come across a recipe that would showcase them.  For example, I found the most fabulous teeny-tiny deep red carrots at the farmer's market last year that I plan to showcase in something when I find them again this summer.  (The Lawyer always asks me how I can remember stuff like that.  He, who can quote winners and scores from NCAA tournaments from 10 years ago.  Men.)

I like to save money on groceries as much as anyone, so when I plan meals for the week I buy as much as possible at the local discounter and then head to the higher-end store for a few special ingredients such as these.  You're still saving money compared to going to a restaurant, and eating a lot healthier too.  Speaking of healthier, warm weather is coming and so are shorts and swim suits.  Great time for salads, don't you think?

This type of salad is called a composed salad because it's, well, composed as opposed to tossed all together.  If you have great ingredients, taking the time to arrange them will make your salad look more beautiful.  Group ingredients side by side to make the most of contrasting colors.  Leaving ingredients whole (such as the haricot verts) also makes the salad more spectacular - the diners can cut everything up and toss it all together if they want (after they stop admiring it, of course).  I debated about leaving the walnuts whole also, but they're kind of difficult to chop up with a table knife and fork so I compromised by leaving them in large pieces instead.  Flying walnuts would undoubtedly be amusing but also messy.

Another tip about making pretty salads - wait until the meat is fully cooled (and preferably refrigerated for a few hours) before slicing for the most perfect slices.

Enough about making food pretty, it has to taste great too.  As with many other foods, one of the most attractive aspects of this salad is its interplay of textures and flavors - juicy chicken, crunchy walnuts, creamy cheese and crisp fresh beans all brought together with a tart lemon-Dijon dressing.  If you don't have the time or inclination to search out fancy ingredients the salad will certainly still taste just as good with regular green beans and a bag of salad greens. You can also use another kind of cheese if you prefer - I used Monterey Jack but Colby, goat cheese, Fontina or feta will also work well.

What makes this salad french?  The lemon-mustard dressing, fresh thyme, walnuts, green beans and chicken are all traditional french ingredients plus the emphasis on visual appeal is very french.  It tastes completely delicious and it's very healthy, plus you can prepare the walnuts, chicken, vinaigrette and beans in advance so all you have to do when you're ready to eat is arrange everything on the plate and drizzle with the vinaigrette.  Yum.  Salad never looked so classy.

printable recipe

French Chicken Salad
Serves 4

For the salad dressing:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon minced shallots

1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

For the salad:

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

16 oz haricot verts (French green beans)

1 1/3 cups Monterey Jack (or Fontina, Colby, or feta) cheese, cut into small cubes

1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Red leaf lettuce

  

Make Ahead:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a baking pan with foil.  Place the chicken breasts in the pan, and brush both sides with soy sauce and olive oil.  Sprinkle both sides with pepper.  Roast to an internal temperature of 160 degrees (165 degrees after resting a few minutes), about 20 minutes.  Cool completely in the pan, then place the chicken breasts and pan drippings in a sealable plastic bag.  Shake the bag to coat the chicken breasts with drippings, then place in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

Combine the mustard and vinegar in a medium bowl.  Gradually whisk in oil.  Add shallots and thyme, then set aside.

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes for haricot verts or 5 minutes for regular green beans.  Drain and immediately place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.  Drain again and pat dry.  (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.  Cover chicken and beans separately and refrigerate.)

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and thinly slice crosswise.  Add a small amount of dressing to the beans and toss to coat.  Place the leaf lettuce on plates, then top with groupings of cheese cubes, beans, chicken slices and walnuts.  Drizzle the salad with additional dressing and top with the reserved thyme.

Shrimp, Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

Last year's post:chicken and asparagus stir-fry with cashews

Post-Holiday Detox

I really think that if I see another tray of cookies in the near future I will curl up and die.  It's time to get back on track with a delicious, light and healthy meal that's a complete change of pace from what you were eating in December.  Plus, it's citrus season and this pretty salad features red grapefruit, one of my favorite fruits.  I think Texas red grapefruit are the best but if you can't find them, any other red grapefruit will do.

The grapefruit is segmented into what are called "supremes" by first cutting off the outer skin with a sharp knife, then cutting between the membranes to release the segments without any of the membrane or pith (aka "white stuff") attached.  The white stuff is why I never eat citrus just by peeling by hand and pulling apart the segments.  Nasty white stuff.

As I've said before, it's not all that easy to photograph your own hand.

OK, so I didn't do the greatest job cutting really close to the membrane to get as much of the grapefruit as possible.  Chalk it up to post-holiday recovery.  I think "supreme" is actually both a noun (the segment you end up with) and a verb ("how to supreme a grapefruit") but I'm not positive.  Oh well, if it wasn't before, it is now.

If you live somewhere that's warm at the moment you could grill the shrimp outdoors, otherwise you could grill them indoors on a grill pan or broil them.  If you want to make it really easy you could buy pre-cooked shrimp and just toss them with the marinade prior to putting them on the salad.  Either way, this salad takes only minutes to prepare and the tart grapefruit contrasts wonderfully with the creamy avocado, rich shrimp and slightly bitter arugula.

click here for a printable recipe

Shrimp, Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

Serves 2

 

10 medium-large (16-20 count) raw peeled and deveined shrimp

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
¼ cup olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt, divided
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large red grapefruit
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 medium head butter lettuce
1 cup arugula
1 avocado
 

Heat a grill (or grill pan or broiler) to medium.  Toss shrimp with 2 teaspoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and red pepper.  Marinate for 15 minutes.  Thread shrimp onto skewers (not necessary if using a grill pan or broiler) and grill until pink and cooked through – about 1 minute each side.  Set aside.

Cut the peel from the grapefruit using a sharp knife.  Cut between the membranes to release the segments while holding the grapefruit over a bowl to catch the juice.  Squeeze the juice from the remaining pith and pulp.  Measure 3 tablespoons of juice and set the remaining juice aside for another use.

Whisk the Dijon, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon lime juice, and the reserved grapefruit juice together.  Slowly drizzle in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil while whisking, until emulsified.  Set the dressing aside.

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit.  Score each half crosswise and lengthwise into cubes without cutting through the skin, then use a spoon to scoop between the flesh and skin and pop out the cubes into a small bowl.  Toss with the remaining tablespoon lime juice to prevent discoloring.

Line each plate with butter lettuce and arugula.  Top with the shrimp, avocado and grapefruit.  Drizzle with Dijon dressing and serve.

Smoked Salmon with Farfalle and Edamame

Smoked salmon is The Lawyer's signature dish so he gets full credit for this post (well, I made the farfalle and edamame part).  We served it once upon a time to our friends Ted and Judy not knowing that Judy barely tolerates salmon.  I think it was probably the highest praise ever when she said, "I like this salmon so much it doesn't even need tartar sauce!"  The wood smoke adds the same robust flavor to salmon that it does to turkey or ribs.  You can vary the intensity of the smokiness by using different types of wood:  apple or alder wood is more mild, mesquite is medium, and hickory is the most intense. For this particular recipe we used apple wood chips. Different varieties of wood chips are easily found in grocery stores or hardware stores. Whatever type of wood you choose, the smoke will turn the salmon a beautiful burnished mahogany color as it cooks and it's no more difficult than grilling or pan-roasting salmon in the normal way.

By the way, do you know the difference between hot-smoked salmon and cold-smoked salmon?  This recipe is an example of hot-smoked salmon:  typically a thicker fillet that's cooked and smoked over low heat.  In contrast, cold-smoked salmon is cured and smoked without any heat.  You'll usually find cold-smoked salmon in a plastic package as a fillet that's been very thinly sliced.  It's the type of salmon served with bagels.  Hot-smoked salmon is more robust in flavor and flakes easily with a fork; cold-smoked salmon is soft and mild and does not flake. 

Over the years we've serve smoked salmon many different ways: with mashed potatoes, or spaghetti and garlic olive oil, or  grilled vegetables.  This particular recipe for farfalle and edamame is delicious, light and nutritious, and the flavors are a great match for the salmon.  After serving the warm salmon on the warm pasta for dinner, refrigerate any leftovers (breaking the salmon into large chunks) and you have a fabulous cold salmon salad for the next day.

One last thought about smoking food:  The Lawyer has used both gas and charcoal grills for smoking.  In his opinion, kettle-style charcoal grills are better because the air comes from the bottom and causes the smoke to flow over the food before escaping out the top.  Gas grills have vents across the back that don't necessarily force the smoke across the food.  If you have a gas grill, just be sure to use plenty of wood chips and start them early before putting the food on the grill so you have smoke from the get-go. You may also want to use a more intense wood to help the smoky flavor.  Experiment and find out what works best for you.   (Of course, if you have a smoker you're golden.)

I'm listing the salmon recipe separately from the farfalle and edamame recipe because I wanted to emphasize that the salmon can be served with virtually anything.  Print them both to make them together.

* * click here for a printable version of the Smoked Salmon recipe * *

* * click here for a printable version of the Smoked Salmon with Farfalle and Edamame recipe * *

Smoked Salmon
Serves 4

Alder or apple wood will result in the mildest flavor, but mesquite or hickory chips are also excellent.

1 ¼ lb skin-on salmon fillet, preferably fresh and wild caught
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
Ground pepper

4 cups of small wood chips, soaked in water at least two hours


Prepare the grill for indirect grilling by heating just one side to medium (gas) or by lighting and piling charcoal on one side 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.

Meanwhile, remove the pin bones from the salmon with tweezers or needle-nose pliers. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels, then rub with vegetable oil on both sides (especially the skin side so it doesn’t stick). Dust the top of the salmon with paprika and pepper.

Remove the wood chips from water. If using a gas grill, put the chips in an aluminum foil pouch and pierce several times with a fork, then put the aluminum foil pouch on the heated briquettes. Alternately, put them in a smoker box if your grill has one. If using a charcoal grill, place the drained wood chips directly on the coals.

Put the grill rack in place and allow to heat for at least five minutes; then clean the rack thoroughly. Place the salmon skin side down on the unheated side of the grill and position the lid with vents opposite the wood chips to draw smoke through the grill (if possible). Grill the salmon without flipping until cooked through and temperature reaches about 145d, approximately 20-30 minutes.

Remove the salmon from the grill carefully using a large spatula or two smaller spatulas. Cut the fillet into individual portions without cutting though the skin, then slide the spatula between the flesh and the skin to remove individual pieces, leaving the skin behind.

Serve hot, room temperature, or cold.



Smoked Salmon with Farfalle and Edamame
Serves 4

2 cups uncooked farfalle (about 6 ounces bow tie pasta)
1 cup frozen shelled edamame (soy beans)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup finely chopped red onion
4 ounces baby spinach
¼ cup chopped fresh dill
4 teaspoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Smoked Salmon (see separate recipe)


Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes. Add edamame; cook additional 6 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain again and place in a large bowl, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat thoroughly.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the other tablespoon of olive oil. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach; cook 2 minutes or until just wilted, stirring frequently. Add spinach mixture and dill to pasta mixture; toss gently to combine. Add mustard, salt and pepper, toss to combine thoroughly.

Serve on individual plates with smoked salmon piece on top. May be served warm, room temperature, or cold. (If served cold, you may want to moisten with a little additional olive oil prior to serving.)

In Praise of Asparagus

Asparagus is such a pretty vegetable, not to mention healthy - it contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatories as well as folate (heart health) and vitamin C.  Plus it's delicious!  Fresh local asparagus is one of the first signs of spring but you can also find it almost year-round in the grocery store.  Sometimes the spears are really thick (better for roasting) and sometimes they're really thin (better for stir fries) but for an asparagus tart you want spears that are medium-sized so they don't turn to mush during the baking period and are cooked to crisp-tenderness.

This tart is really easy and fast to assemble and would make a great brunch or lunch entree, a wonderful first course for a dinner party, or even a light vegetarian dinner with a salad.

Although my asparagus was beautiful, it wanted to curve for some reason.  I optimistically thought that I could talk it into straightening out by wrapping it tightly in paper towels and laying it flat in the refrigerator.  Right.  Anyway, I guess it's a matter of aesthetics whether you prefer your tart to have straight asparagus or curved asparagus.  Or maybe you won't have a choice, like me.  Either way, if you're a fan of asparagus you have to give this a try!


* * click here for a printable Asparagus Tart recipe * *



Asparagus Tart
Serves 4 (entrée) or 6 (first course)

1 sheet of frozen puff pastry
1 ½ cups shredded cheese (gruyere and mozzarella mixed)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 lb asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper

Thaw puff pastry according to package directions. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Roll the puff pastry to a 10” by 12” rectangle and place on a baking sheet. Pierce the dough all over with a fork.

Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, then remove and let cool slightly. Brush the crust with mustard and sprinkle evenly with cheese, leaving a 1" edge on all sides.

Cut the woody ends off the asparagus. Tightly line the crust with asparagus spears, alternating ends and tips and cutting to fit where needed. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes until the crust is well-browned and the asparagus is tender. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares.

Broccoli, Cabbage and Brussels Sprout Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

I love salads and eat them all year long.  Occasionally I get tired of the "bag of salad" routine from the grocery store and need some variety.  This salad is a great, crunchy alternative that's really easy to make and provides you with tons of antioxidants.  Even people who don't like straight-up brussels sprouts or broccoli like this because they're blended in and it tastes like salad.  Plus, it's really pretty.

The dressing is a deliciously light and tangy lemon Dijon vinaigrette rather than a heavy mayonnaise-based version.  The toasted almonds provide nuttiness and the dried pineapple or raisins provide a sweet fruity note. (Dried pineapple is a recent discovery for me that I love in salads or in rice dishes that accompany jerk meat or other spicy food.  It has an intense fruity pineapple flavor without being too sweet or adding liquid to the dish.)

This salad makes a nice light vegetarian lunch or dinner, and it's also a great side salad to serve with any roasted or grilled meat (think about it with grilled ribs).  It's a great choice for your next potluck because it holds well, there are no worries about mayo spoilage, and it's different.  People will be intrigued.

As if that wasn't enough, add a grilled sliced chicken breast to the top of the salad and you've got a main dish entree that's still light and incredibly healthy. 

I typically chop stuff by hand mainly because I like chopping, but this time I hauled out the food processor and tried the slicing disk for the cabbage, brussels sprouts and broccoli.  Worked like a charm.

Mounds of perfectly sliced veggies!  As you can see this makes a big bowl of salad, perfect for a group.

I know there are people out there (certainly my friend Michelle is one of them) that think this sounds way too healthy for them to try.  But hey, it's a new year and we all need to eat healthy.  As my mom used to say,  "Just try it - it might be your new favorite food".   Never worked on us kids but doesn't hurt to give it a shot, right?


* * click here for a printable recipe version * *

Broccoli, Cabbage and Brussels Sprout Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
Makes about 8 cups

½ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons white or rice vinegar
1 teaspoon fine lemon zest
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 lb Napa or Savoy cabbage (about ½ small head)
1 lb broccoli (about 2 small crowns)
½ lb brussels sprouts (about 12 small), ends trimmed and any brown outer leaves removed
8 medium radishes, ends trimmed
6 green onions, white and green parts thin sliced
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup chopped dried pineapple or raisins


For the dressing, combine the first six ingredients (olive oil through salt and pepper) in a jar and shake. Set aside.

For the salad, thinly slide the cabbage, broccoli, and brussel sprouts by hand or in a food processor using the slicing disk. Add to a large bowl. Thinly slice the radishes by hand and set aside (do not add to the bowl).

Add the dressing to the bowl and toss. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the radishes, pineapple (or raisins), and toasted almonds on top to serve.


Variation: Add sliced chicken, pork or other meat to the salad for a main dish entrée.

Wild Rice Salad

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I started laughing the other day when I was flipping through my recipes and realized I have somewhere around 10 different wild rice salad recipes, not to mention recipes for wild rice side dishes, waffles, soup and other items.  Then and there I decided to crown myself the Wild Rice Queen.  Apparently it stuck somewhere in my subconscious because during a three hour bout of carb-and-sugar induced Thanksgiving night insomnia I mentally composed this entire post, complete with visuals.  It made me happy but did nothing for the insomnia.  I even toyed briefly with trying to create the entire post and publish it the next day, but I didn't think I could do it justice that quickly.  Wild rice is too important.  :)  So, my apologies to those of you who had too many leftover turkey sandwiches that really could have used this recipe instead.  Print it out now, so you'll have it ready for other holiday leftovers yet to come.

Wild rice likes to grow in a cold environment, so the primary producers are Minnesota (domestically) and Canada (internationally). If you didn't grow up in the Great White North you might not be familiar with it. I think of it as the northern answer to grits.  Having always been somewhat skeptical about the virtue of grits (aka "white dirt"), I was assured by my new southern friend Charline that I would love her recipe for Tomato Cheese Grits.  OK Charline, back at ya.  You try mine and I'll try yours!

Wild rice is actually not a rice, but the seed of a grass that grows in shallow lakes.  High in protein, lysine and fiber, low in fat and gluten-free, wild rice is the Cadillac of rices, which is one reason why you won't find it very often on restaurant menus.  Even when you do find a dish listed as wild rice, it will often be a mixture of white and brown rice with some wild rice added in.  One of the reasons that wild rice is more expensive than white or brown rice is because it's more difficult to grow and harvest.  Traditional Native American harvesting is done from a canoe using a long stick to bend the grasses down and shake the seeds into the canoe.  Not exactly high volume.  The wild rice produced in Canada tends to be harvested commercially and therefore is less expensive, but I can't tell any difference in taste or texture so that's the version I buy (it's really not that expensive).  If you happen across small boxes labeled "instant" wild rice, I wouldn't recommend buying them.  It might seem less expensive but that's only because the box contains a small amount.  And the pre-cooking and drying that are required to make it instant means the grains are softer and mushier when re-cooked.  Wild rice is definitely not supposed to be soft and mushy.

To enjoy a 100% wild rice dish is a unique taste experience - earthy, nutty, very flavorful and chewy.  Wild rice makes a great winter salad for those reasons compared to the light and delicate lettuce salads of summer.  The rice makes a great palate for virtually any kind of leftover meat - smoked or roasted turkey, pork, chicken, beef, or even duck and pheasant. Of course, you don't need to wait for leftover meat - you could always buy a rotisserie chicken or a thick piece of smoked turkey at the deli. We recently purchased a smoked pheasant from a local grower and I'm already dreaming of a smoked pheasant, wild rice and fresh cherry salad.  Yum!  Besides a wide variety of meats, wild rice goes very well with a wide variety of fruits, nuts, and vegetables.  Looking over my recipes I noticed certain similarities so for the first time in my blogger life I'm going to give you what I call a master recipe with variations.  (See what insomnia can do to you?)

But first we need to talk about cooking wild rice, which is slightly different than cooking white or brown rice.  Wild rice recipes will invariably give you a set time to cook, which is misleading.  In my experience that hardness of wild rice can vary from producer to producer or from year to year.  My advice is to cook for a shorter amount of time than recommended and then start checking.  I saw a visual a few years ago that led me to conclude I had probably been over-cooking my wild rice, so I thought I'd re-create it here.  First you need to rinse your rice (remember it hasn't been as processed as white or brown rice).

Here's what uncooked rice looks like.

Here's what properly cooked rice looks like - the grains are swollen and most have started to split.

Here's what overcooked rice looks like - most of the grains are split wide open and starting to curl.

My source recipe called for cooking the rice for 60 minutes.  I started checking after 45 minutes and concluded the rice was properly cooked at 55 minutes.  The visual of overcooked rice was taken at 70 minutes.  Most of the time it will take 55-60 minutes for properly cooked rice, but I've had it take as long as 70 minutes and as little as 50 minutes.

Most recipes will call for cooking wild rice in water, but I usually use low-sodium chicken broth for added flavor.  Don't expect that all the liquid will be absorbed, you'll just strain it after cooking instead.  Note that the wild rice can be prepared in advance and refrigerated, so this would be a quick salad to toss together after work.

Ok, so now that you have the rice cooked, here are two concepts for a master recipe.

            Elements Common to Both:
            wild rice
            meat - turkey, pork, chicken, beef, duck, pheasant
            chopped spinach or arugula
            toasted nuts - walnuts, pecans or almonds

                              - plus -

             V1:  Fruity                                                     
             fruity vinaigrette                                            
             fresh fruit - grapes, cherries, oranges, blueberries, etc.
             crumbled fresh cheese - blue, goat, etc.         

                              - or -

              V2: Vegetable-y
              mustard and garlic vinaigrette
              fresh vegetables - sugar snap peas, red pepper, etc.
              avocado chunks or crumbled cheese


I'll go into more detailed instructions and measurements in the recipe(s) below.  Yikes!  This is a long post.  I told The Lawyer I had to get it out of my head so I could get some sleep.  There was way too much content on my mental clipboard.  :-)

* * click here for a printable recipe version * *

Wild Rice Salad

Serves 4-5

Master Recipe Ingredients:

2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup uncooked wild rice
3 cups cooked turkey, chicken, pork, beef, duck or pheasant, cut into bite-sized cubes
2 cups chopped spinach or arugula
½ cup toasted pecans or walnuts (coarsely chopped) or toasted slivered almonds

 - plus -

Fruity Version:

¼ cup champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons fresh orange rind
¼ teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 cup fresh fruit (halved grapes, blueberries, halved pitted cherries, etc.)
1/2 cup crumbled blue or goat cheese

- or –

Vegetable-y Version:

2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 green onions, sliced
½ red pepper, diced
2 oz sugar snap peas, cut into 1” pieces
1 ripe avocado, peeled and cut into chunks (or ½ cup crumbled blue cheese)

Rinse and drain the wild rice.  Bring water or broth to boil in a medium saucepan.  Add the wild rice; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes.  Check to determine if grains are swollen and most are split.  If not, check again every ten minutes until done (typically 55-60 minutes total).  Remove from heat, drain, and set aside to cool. (May be prepared up to two days in advance.  Keep covered and refrigerated.)

To prepare the vinaigrette, combine the first 8 ingredients from the fruit version or the first 7 ingredients from the vegetable version in a food processor or shake in a jar.

Combine the cooled wild rice, meat, spinach or arugula and (version1) fruits or (version 2) vegetables (not the crumbled cheese, avocado or toasted nuts) in a large bowl.  Add the vinaigrette and toss well.  Serve topped with toasted nuts and avocado or crumbled cheese.