Pastrami and Rye Panzanella

Panzanella is an Italian salad designed to use up stale bread by soaking it in tomato juices to soften it as part of the salad.  This particular recipe is a fun twist on a pastrami on rye sandwich using pastrami, Swiss cheese and rye bread in addition to traditional ingredients like Romaine, red onion, cucumber, and tomatoes.

The Lawyer was the inspiration for this salad when he recently made homemade turkey pastrami, if you can believe it.  It was a three day project starting with brining a turkey breast for a day, then smoking it on day 2, then curing it until the third day.  The results are excellent and I've been looking for a variety of ways to use the pastrami beyond the usual Reuben sandwich.  If you don't have your own pastrami-smoking Lawyer on hand, you can always buy a thick slice at the store.  It's faster but probably not quite as interesting.

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Pastrami and Rye Panzanella

Serves 4

Choose an airy light rye bread over the dark, dense sort; the latter is too chewy for this salad.

1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion

3 cups cubed light rye bread

1 garlic clove, grated

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon red wine (or sherry) vinegar

1 pound tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch chunks (or cherry tomatoes)

1 medium English cucumber

2 Romaine hearts, chopped

3/4 cup basil leaves, large leaves torn

1/4 pound thick-sliced pastrami, coarsely chopped

¼ pound Swiss cheese, cubed

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preheat the oven to 450°F with the rack in the middle. Put the onion in a bowl and cover with ice water for ten minutes, then drain and pat dry. (Soaking raw onion in cold water mellows the harsh bite.)

Meanwhile, spread out the bread cubes on a baking sheet and bake until the edges are crispy and golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Put the oil and vinegar into a bowl, add the grated garlic and whisk to combine.

In a large bowl, combine the cooled bread, tomatoes and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine, gently pressing the tomatoes a bit to release some of the juices.

Chop the cucumber into bite-sized pieces. Add the onions, cucumber, Romaine, basil leaves, pastrami, Swiss cheese and parsley leaves to the salad. Whisk together the dressing, add it to the salad and gently toss to combine.

California Chicken, Avocado and Goat Cheese Salad

Last Year's Post: Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup
Two Years Ago:   Mexican Baked Egg Casserole

I do love a beautiful green salad, don't you?  They're so refreshing and healthy.  One thing I've discovered is that if your salad has a large number of ingredients you can cut down on the amount of chicken to make it even healthier.  Of course, feel free to up the amount listed below but honestly we felt it was plenty and were perfectly satisfied.

If you marinate the chicken in advance, it's very easy to throw together the vinaigrette while the chicken cooks (or make that in advance too).  Then all you have to do is a little ingredient slicing and you're good to go.

One of my favorite tricks to make a salad even more appealing is to chill the salad plates in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so. It makes the salad seem restaurant-special.

Have you discovered watermelon radishes yet?  They taste like a mild version of a regular red radish but they're so pretty with the pink center and pale green ring on the outside.  I always have fun at checkout when I buy one because the cashiers never know what they are. Like the trick of chilling your plates, adding one unusual ingredient can elevate your entire salad to a new level.  Here's what they look like in the store - you'd never know how pretty they are on the inside.

 And take some time arranging the ingredients to make sure the colors look good next to each other.  My final suggestion for this salad is to use smoked almonds rather than regular almonds because again, it just adds a little extra flavor.  And it seems very California-y.

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California Chicken, Avocado and Goat Cheese Salad

Serves 4

Note: because there are so many other ingredients the recipe calls for less chicken than, say, in a chicken Caesar salad.  Feel free to increase the amount as desired.

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken tenders or cutlets

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½ teaspoon kosher salt and pepper

2 heads romaine lettuce, washed and chopped

1/3 English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 watermelon radishes, thinly sliced (can substitute red radishes)

1 avocado, sliced

4 ounces crumbled goat cheese

½ cup smoked almonds, coarsely chopped

Large handful of sprouts or micro greens

White Balsamic Vinaigrette:

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

¼ teaspoon each kosher salt and pepper

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, parsley, basil, paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper.  Between 2 pieces of plastic wrap, gently pound the chicken tenders or cutlets to an even thickness.  Place them in a zip top bag and pour the marinade over.  Close the bag, massage the chicken to coat evenly, and refrigerate for at least one hour and up to overnight.

To make the vinaigrette, combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake well.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.  Keep stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high.  Grill the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through.  Let rest, and then thinly slice the chicken.

In a large bowl, toss together the lettuce, cucumbers and vinaigrette.  Divide among 4 large plates, preferably chilled.  Divide the chicken slices between salads, and surround with avocado slices, radish slices, cherry tomatoes, crumbled goat cheese and almonds.  Garnish with sprouts and serve.

Cold Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon, Peas and Asparagus

Last Year's Post:  Melon ribbon Bowls
Two Years Ago:   Edamame Spread

Cold pasta salads are ideal warm weather food because you can do the cooking in the morning (or night before) so you don't have to heat up the kitchen that evening.  This one is light (sour cream, no mayo) and healthy with the salmon and veggies, and herbs and lemon rind add bright notes to the overall flavor profile.  One pot does the work of cooking asparagus, peas and pasta so clean-up is fast.

Look for relatively slender fresh asparagus in the market for the best flavor and texture, and make sure you don't overcook it - it should be crisp-tender, not soft.  Taste a piece shortly before you think it should be done to make sure.

The key to this salad is the quality of the veggies and salmon - buy the best and freshest that you can find and it will be excellent.

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Cold Pasta Salad with Smoked Salmon, Peas and Asparagus
Serves 4

½ bunch slender asparagus, trimmed

½ cup frozen peas

1/2 shallot, minced
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces orchiette or bowtie pasta
6 ounces chopped or flaked smoked salmon

1/4 cup chopped chives
Dill sprigs, garnish

Cucumber slices and lemon wedges, optional garnishes

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Cut the tips off the asparagus stems, and then cut the stems into 1” pieces.  Drop the asparagus stems and the peas in the boiling water for 3 minutes, then add the asparagus tips and boil for an additional 30 seconds.  Remove the vegetables from the water using a spider (strainer) and immediately drop in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.  (Do not discard the boiling water.) Drain the vegetables, pat dry, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, milk, vinegar, lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper. Add the shallots and whisk to combine.

In the same pot of boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente (add some salt to the water if desired). Drain and rinse with cold running water. Drain again well. Toss with the sauce, peas, asparagus and salmon. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.

Before serving, toss with the chives. Garnish with dill sprigs and optional cucumber slices and lemon wedges and serve.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Last Year's Post:  Lemon Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl
Two Years Ago:   Filipino Chicken Adobo

I seriously love the bold, clean flavors of Vietnamese cuisine, and I equally love that it typically emphasizes more veggies and less meat - just the way we're supposed to be eating.  This salad is a great example:  big flavors, plenty of veggies, and a little bit of shredded chicken that's treated as a garnish rather than as a big heavy chunk of meat.  The Chinese cabbage, carrots and peanuts give it plenty of crunch and substantial volume.  Plus it's pretty.  And easy.  What more could you want?

If you buy a roasted chicken breast at the store, prep will take about 20 minutes tops - it's mostly chopping, plus you have to soak the rice noodles.  The salad is served at room temperature and makes an easy and healthy dinner any time of the year.

If you're not familiar with Chinese cabbage, it may also be referred to as Napa cabbage and looks like this.

You can find rice noodles in the Asian section of any grocery store, and ditto with the fish sauce.  Don't be scared of fish sauce - it adds some underlying pungency to Vietnamese dishes but it's not fishy.

This is a great example of eating healthy while still having a pretty special meal.

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Vietnamese Chicken Salad

Serves 4

For the dressing:

1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 2 limes (about ¼ cup)

¼ cup fish sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

For the salad:

3-4 ounces dried rice noodles

1 cooked chicken breast, bones removed and meat shredded

1 red or green jalapeno, stemmed, seeds removed, thinly sliced

4 cups shredded Chinese (Napa) cabbage

1 ½ cups shredded or julienned carrot

½  cup shredded fresh basil

½ cup shredded fresh mint leaves (plus extra for garnish)

1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts

1 lime, cut into thin wedges

Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl, whisking to dissolve the sugar.  Set aside.

Prepare the rice noodles by placing in a medium bowl and covering with boiling water.  Let stand 10 minutes, then drain.  Toss with 1/3 of the dressing.  Toss the cabbage with another 1/3 of the dressing. 

Combine the shredded basil and mint in a small bowl.  Divide the rice noodles, cabbage, carrot and shredded chicken among four shallow bowls.  Top with jalapeno slices, fresh herbs, peanuts, lime wedges and additional mint leaves for garnish.  Drizzle with the remaining dressing and serve immediately.

Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Last Year's Post: Bang Bang Turkey
Two Years Ago:  Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Strata

I saw this interesting treatment for sugar snap peas on a food network show and just had to try it.  The original recipe was supposedly for a side salad but I made it heartier by adding Gruyere cheese and walnuts in addition to the pancetta and sugar snaps, which made a great and satisfying dinner.  You could certainly serve it as a side salad if you want and probably eliminate the pancetta and cheese.  (Or not.)  It would be particularly spectacular on a holiday buffet table, don't you think?  Don't make the mistake of thinking this is some wimpy food just because it's a salad based on a vegetable.  It has BIG flavor and BIG crunch.

The treatment for the sugar snaps is really easy - blanch in boiling water for 15 seconds to set the color, then shock in ice water to stop the cooking.  Remove, pat dry, and cut in half lengthwise.  The result is really pretty and some of the peas stay in the pods and some fall out, giving your salad some textural contrast.  I love it.

Pancetta is my new-found substitute for bacon because one of my pet peeves is how thick bacon has become. Why does everything have to be super-sized?  One of the great things about bacon is (was) its crispness.  When you have thick-cut bacon (or even worse, slab bacon) the best you can possibly hope for is chewy and greasy.  I once went to a new restaurant and was excited when they asked me whether I wanted my bacon medium or well done.  I should have known just by the question.  The bacon was definitely well done but it was so thick that the result was a literally inedible piece of bacon jerky.  Pancetta, on the other hand, is available in your deli aisle and is cut beautifully and elegantly thin.  The only downside is that it's so thin that it can go from perfect to burnt in about 2.3 seconds.  Mine was about 1 second away from being burnt but it was perfectly crisp and tasted just like great bacon.  The lesson here is keep an eye on your pancetta even though I reduced the roasting time in the recipe slightly when I re-wrote it.  I wandered away and was busy being entranced by the sugar snaps until the pancetta timer went off.  Do as I say, not as I do.

oof, that was close....

The Lawyer pronounced this salad "really, really good" so that's good enough for me.

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Sugar Snap Pea Salad

Serves 4 as a main dish, more as a side dish

¼ pound pancetta, thinly sliced

Kosher salt

1 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup minced red onion

½ cup Gruyere cheese, cut into small cubes (or your favorite cheese)

½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place the pancetta slides on a baking pan and roast for 7-8 minutes until browned and crisp, watching closely so they don’t burn.  Remove from the oven and place the pancetta on paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, bring 2-3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot and add 1 teaspoon of salt.  Fill a large bowl with ice water and have a large sieve or colander ready in the sink.  Put the snap peas in the boiling water for 15 seconds, then immediately drain and put into the ice water.  Cool completely, drain and pat dry.  Cut each snap pea in half lengthwise and place in a large bowl.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, and lemon juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Add the red onion, cheese and walnuts to the bowl with the snap peas and crumble the pancetta over the top.  Pour enough vinaigrette on the salad to moisten and toss well.

Southwest Grilled Shrimp Salad

Last Year's Post:  Chicken with Fresh Cherry Salsa
Two Years Ago:   Farro, Kale and Smoked Mozzarella Salad

I found a bag of seriously gigantic frozen shrimp at Costco the other day and have been amusing myself with finding recipes worthy of their magnificence ever since. This particular recipe is a study in contrasting colors, textures, and flavors that shows off the beautiful grilled shrimp while simultaneously being very light and healthy - a perfect summer meal.

You can vary the heat level by the type of spice blend you choose and also by whether you add the spice to the corn and zucchini in addition to the shrimp.  Living in Arizona, I have a jar of hatch chile spice blend that's pretty potent so I went easy on the corn and zucchini but a little bit heavier on the shrimp.

I could just eat everything on this plate and call it a meal, couldn't you?

If you really like heat, you could always add some sliced jalapenos to the salad as well.  The sweetness of the corn and creaminess of the avocado are a good balance for the heat.

All you do is make a light lime-cumin dressing, quickly grill the veggies and shrimp, then toss everything together.  Easy, quick, healthy and delicious.

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Southwest Grilled Shrimp Salad

Serves 4

1 ear corn, husked

2 small zucchini, halved lengthwise

10 colossal or 14 extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Southwest seasoning blend

1 small head of butter lettuce, torn into bite-sized bits

1 avocado

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

Juice of ½ lemon

Dressing:

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Combine all dressing ingredients by whisking in a small bowl or shaking in a jar; set aside. 

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill.  Brush the corn, zucchini and shrimp with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.  Season with southwest seasoning to taste.  Grill the corn and zucchini for 2 minutes on all sides until grill-marked and crisp-tender.  Grill the shrimp until the meat is opaque and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Let cool slightly.

Cut the corn kernels from the cob, and chop the zucchini into ½” pieces.  Chop the shrimp into bite-sized pieces, discarding the tails.

Halve and pit the avocado, then score each half with a small knife into a cross-hatch pattern.  Using a large spoon, scoop the flesh into a small bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning.  (It should be in chunks.)

Place the lettuce in a large serving bowl or individual salad bowls.  Top with corn, zucchini, tomatoes, avocado, and shrimp.  Drizzle with dressing and toss before serving.

Red-on-Red Chicken Salad

Last Year's Post: Grilled Salmon and Pineapple with Avocado Dressing
Two Years Ago:  French Rhubarb Tarts

When I found this recipe in a magazine it was so pretty I just had to make it immediately.  We had friends over for dinner and I made it with watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries because I already had the cantaloupe and strawberries on hand.  I totally forgot the basil but it was still great.  Now it's fresh cherry season so I modified the recipe to include watermelon and either cherries or strawberries for the red-on-red theme.  It's a cool, refreshing and light salad that's perfect for summer.

Note that the chicken needs to roasted and cooled in advance, which is easy to do the day before or early in the day.  (The vinegar mixture also needs to be reduced and cooled, but cooling only takes 15 minutes or so.)  Basting the chicken with soy sauce and olive oil before roasting gives it a deeper flavor, and refrigerating the chicken with its drippings keeps it very moist and makes it easy to cut cleanly.  Or, if you don't have the time, just buy a roasted chicken breast at the store.

I found some beautiful Bing and Rainier cherries at the farmers market, but of course you could use all Bing cherries if you can't find the more unusual Rainiers.  And you can either buy a watermelon and cut it up yourself, or buy a container of pre-cut watermelon from the produce department.

Regarding the feta cheese - I used to buy the little tubs of feta crumbles and thought they were OK until I finally bought a high-quality feta from France and realized how much better a really good feta tastes.  It's creamier, less salty, and has far better flavor. If you talk to your cheese person they can steer you toward a milder or stronger-flavored feta.  This time my cheese guy told me their highest-quality feta was from Greece so that's what I bought.  Yes, it costs more than the tubs of crumbles but not by much, and you can freeze what you don't use so it doesn't go to waste.  It's SO much better, I'll never go back.

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Red-on-Red Chicken Salad

Serves 4

Note:  the chicken needs to be roasted at least an hour in advance (or day before serving).  The vinegar mixture needs to be reduced at least 15 minutes in advance to cool.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

½ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

6 cups seedless watermelon cut into bite-sized cubes

3 cups pitted and halved fresh cherries (or halved strawberries)

¼ red onion, very thinly sliced

6-8 cups baby spinach or arugula/baby spinach mix

½ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips

½ cup crumbled feta cheese

½ cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 450d 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.

In a small saucepan combine vinegar and honey.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes until reduced by half, stirring frequently.  Cool.  (If the cooled mixture is too thick, it may be thinned with a little additional vinegar.)

Combine the watermelon, cherries, and red onion in a bowl.  Divide the spinach among 4 plates; top with the fruit mixture, basil, and crumbled feta.  Thinly slice the chicken breasts and divide among the salads.  Sprinkle with pecans and drizzle with the vinegar mixture.  Serve immediately.

Toasted Couscous Salad

Last Year's Post:  Coconut Lime Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Rice
Two Years Ago:    Jewels of Spring

This is a delicious salad that could be either a great side for grilled meats, a stand-alone vegetarian entree, or a more substantial main-dish salad with the addition of some cooked turkey, chicken or shrimp.  The original recipe that came from Giada de Laurentiis called for cooking the couscous first, then frying it in olive oil.  I like the idea of adding some toastiness to the couscous, but frying?  Seriously, I doubt Giada eats anything fried because she looks like she weighs about 90 pounds sopping wet.  I modified the recipe to toast the couscous in a dry skillet before cooking it and was very happy with the result.  It's probably not quite as crunchy as fried couscous, but I just can't imagine all that oil in a nice healthy salad.  Just be careful when you're toasting the dry couscous, because it can go from toasted to burned in about 2 seconds.  Don't take your eyes off it, and stir almost continuously until it's a nice medium golden brown.

In addition to the toasted couscous, the salad contains sun-dried tomatoes, cucumbers, basil, and ricotta salata (or feta) cheese.  Ricotta salata is basically the Italian version of feta - a firm, mild and salty cheese.  Ricotta salata can be hard to find, so a block of feta is an easy substitute.  This is a nice refreshing salad on its own, but you could also add nuts, olives, or anything else you want.

You can use dry or oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, whichever you prefer.  I tried working with the dry version but I find them a little too chewy for my preference, so I use oil-packed.  If you use oil-packed tomatoes,  don't throw away the oil!  It's full of flavor and can be used for vinaigrettes, cooking eggs, drizzled on sandwiches, making paella, or any manner of other dishes.  For this recipe, I used half and half regular olive oil and sun-dried tomato oil for the vinaigrette to give a little more tomato flavor without it becoming overwhelming.

This is a good salad for serving outdoors because it doesn't contain anything like mayonnaise that could spoil.  Think about it for your next grilling party or picnic.

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Toasted Couscous Salad

Serves 4-6

1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 ¼ cups couscous

4 ounces feta or ricotta salata cheese, cut into ½” pieces

½ English cucumber, seeds removed and cut into ½” pieces

¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

¼ cup grated Parmesan

¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Vinaigrette:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (may substitute half from jar of oil-packed tomatoes)

Zest and juice of ½ large lemon

½ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

In a non-stick skillet, toast the couscous 3-5 minutes until browned, watching very closely and stirring almost constantly to avoid burning the couscous.  Add the broth and stir, cook one minute, cover and place off the heat for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, place the couscous in a medium bowl and add the Parmesan, toss to combine.  Let cool.

While the couscous is cooling, make the vinaigrette by whisking together all the ingredients.

When the couscous is cooled, and the feta or ricotta salata, cucumber, tomatoes, and fresh basil.  Pour the vinaigrette over and toss to combine everything.

Kale and Pancetta Salad

Last Year's Post: Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Strata
Two Years Ago:  Greek Phyllo Wraps with Taztziki

Kale is a superfood and a great addition to your fall and winter food rotation to balance out the heavier foods we tend to eat at this time of the year.  It's sturdy so it holds up well in a salad, and its slight bitterness is offset in this recipe by the sweetness of the fruit and maple syrup, plus the creaminess of the blue cheese.  The pecans add a nice crunch and toastiness.  I especially like to have spiced pecans on hand for salads or rice dishes, because they add a little kick.  If you don't feel like making spiced pecans, you can buy some at Trader Joe's or can use plain toasted pecans (or walnuts) instead.

You can substitute regular bacon for pancetta, and dried cranberries or apricots for the currants. You could even go vegetarian and leave out the pancetta. The recipe calls for fresh apples or Asian pears, so I used one of each.  If you're not familiar with Asian pears, they look like a golden apple and have the crispness of an apple with the flavor of a pear.  They've available in most grocery stores, and are delicious.  Try one for fun.

This salad is definitely substantial enough to be a main dish and it's a welcome change from big heavy dinners and sweets.

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Kale and Pancetta Salad

Serves 4

1/3 cup olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, diced

¼ cup white wine vinegar

¼ cup pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 small head radicchio, shredded

8 ounces kale, stems discarded, leaves shredded

2 Fuji or Honeycrisp apples, or 2 Asian pears (or combination)

¾ cup toasted pecans (or spiced pecans, see below)

1/3 cup dried currants

½ cup crumbled blue cheese

Combine the olive oil and pancetta in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Cook, stirring frequently, until pancetta is golden and crispy, 8-10 minutes.  Strain the pan drippings into a small bowl to cool and leave the pancetta off to the side to cool.  When the pan drippings are cool, add the vinegar, maple syrup, Dijon, salt and pepper to the pan drippings and whisk well.

Quarter and core the apples or pears, then cut into thin pieces.  Combine the radicchio, kale and apples or pears in a large bowl.  Add the dressing little by little, and toss to combine, until the salad is well dressed.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve topped with pecans, currants and blue cheese.

Spiced Pecans

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

½ cup sugar

1 large egg white

2 cups whole pecans

Preheat oven to 300d.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Whisk the egg white until foamy, then whisk in the salt, pepper, paprika and sugar.  Stir in pecans.  Spread pecans in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 250d and rotate the pan.  Bake 10 more minutes, then immediately spread in a single layer on clean parchment paper.  Let cool before serving or storing. 

Pecans will keep up to a week in an airtight container at room temperature, or may be frozen.

Sausage and Lentils

Last Year's Post: Italian Tuna Sandwich (No Mayo)
Two Years Ago:  Holiday Breakfast Strata

There's something about sausages and lentils that says "fall" to me.  Add in some roasted vegetables and you have a beautiful rustic dish that's both healthy and filling.  My inspiration for this dish was two-fold.  First, if you're a fan of Costco, you'll understand completely that we wandered by a tasting table and liked the roasted pepper sausage with manchego cheese they were tasting.  We now have four packages waiting in the freezer.  One of my games when that happens is to find new and interesting ways to use the Costco ingredient without repeating the same recipe over and over.

My second inspiration was seeing some gorgeous French baby carrots at the grocery store.

Because my carrots were so small I roasted them whole rather than cutting them up, and I roasted the very smallest ones separately so I could take them out faster.

After that it's just a matter of cooking the lentils and sauteing the sausages.

You have a couple of choices with this dish.  The first is the type of sausage you use.  Definitely buy precooked turkey or chicken sausages (Amy's or Aidells are two good brands), but the choice is whether you buy primarily savory (Italian, roasted pepper, etc.) or slightly sweet (chicken, apple and maple, for example).  If you buy savory sausages the recipe calls for manchego cheese; if you buy an apple or maple variety you add maple syrup to the dressing, substitute blue cheese for manchego cheese, and adding fresh apple pieces.  Your choice.

The other choice is whether to serve it hot or at room temperature.  If you decide to serve it hot I'd suggest adding the cheese at the last minute on top so it doesn't melt into the dish.

Either way, it's a great and unique fall and winter dish.

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Sausage and Lentils

Serves 4

For the salad dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 small garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (if using sausage with apple or maple flavors, otherwise omit)

1 cup of small French green (or small black) lentils, uncooked

1 fennel bulb

1 small red onion

4 carrots (less if adding apple, below)

1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided

3-4 precooked smoked sausages (your favorite flavor), cut into ½” pieces on an angle

½ cup cubed Manchego cheese (if using savory or spicy sausages) or crumbled blue cheese (if using apple or maple sausages)

½ cup fresh apple cubes (if using apple or maple sausage, otherwise omit)

Mix ingredients for dressing together in a jar with a lid. Shake well.

Cook the lentils according to package directions; drain.

 Preheat the oven to 450d.  While the lentils are cooking, roast the vegetables: slice the carrots in small chunks about the size of your thumb. Trim the leaves off the fennel bulb; core and cut into ½” wedges. Slice the onion into ½” wedges. Toss the carrots, fennel, onion and garlic with a tablespoon of oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and then place on a baking sheet. Bake on the center rack for 25-30 minutes, turning over after half the time, until the carrots are fork-tender.  (If your carrots are larger or smaller change the baking time accordingly.) 

While the lentils are cooking and vegetables are roasting, sauté the sausage pieces in 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned.

Toss the warm lentils with some of the dressing.  After the lentils have cooled somewhat, add the remaining dressing, roasted vegetables, browned sausage, cheese and apple (optional) and serve.  Garnish with additional thyme leaves if desired.

Roast Pork, Fennel and Green Bean Salad

Last Year's Post: Smoked Turkey, Kale and Blue Cheese Sandwiches
Two Years Ago:   Pork with Fennel and Caper Sauce

As far as pork goes, the tenderloin tends to be my cut of choice because it doesn't dry out and become tough and chewy like larger pork roasts or pork chops often do.  Being a big fan of all things Costco, I particularly like their pork tenderloins because they're excellent quality, don't have any injected chemicals or liquids, and of course they're less expensive than anywhere else on the planet.  As a result, I tend to have several pork tenderloins in the freezer at any given time and am always on the lookout for new and interesting ways to use them.

Besides being delicious and healthy, this pork tenderloin salad has several other advantages: you can serve it cold or at room temperature (or theoretically hot, although that wasn't the original intent), you can prepare and serve it all in one day, or break the prep up into three days as I did.  If you're a planner/organizer, the three day approach works well because it's just a little bit of time each day and the pork is absolutely the best.  And this salad is all about the pork - the intensely aromatic garlic and herb seasoning gives the roast outstanding flavor, while roasting and refrigerating it afterwards ensure moist, perfect slices.  Although it makes a great entree salad, I could definitely see using it for a really outstanding sandwich. It's that good.

As I said, you can prepare the pork over three days by applying the rub on day one, roasting on day two, and slicing/eating on day three.  Or, you could condense it into one day by applying the rub in the morning and roasting at mid-day to refrigerate for a few hours before slicing.  It'll turn out great either way.

After the pork is ready, all you have to do is prep the beans and fennel, make a quick lemon salad dressing, and serve everything topped with walnuts and goat cheese.  (If you don't like goat cheese, feel free to substitute feta or blue cheese, or leave it out entirely.) For those who aren't all that familiar with how to trim, core and slice fennel, it's actually very easy.  Cut the skinny tops off the bulb, then cut the bulb in half.  Cut out the triangular hard core with a small knife, then place each half on its side and thinly slice it crosswise.

The beans and fennel add crunch and fresh vegetable-y flavor to the salad that contrasts nicely with the soft pork, creamy cheese and rich nuts.  And did I mention healthy?  A winner all around.

printable recipe

Cold Pork Roast, Fennel and Green Bean Salad

Serves 4

Note:  The pork should be seasoned at least a few hours in advance of cooking, or up to one day ahead.  After roasting, the pork should cool to room temperature before serving; it may be wrapped and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

For the pork roast:

1 (approx 1.25 lb) boneless pork tenderloin

Kosher salt

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1.5 tablespoons roughly chopped fennel fronds, plus more for optional garnish

1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon roughly chopped rosemary

1 tablespoon roughly chopped sage

1 tablespoon roughly chopped marjoram

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

For the salad:

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt and pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces green beans, trimmed

2 small or 1 large head of fennel, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced

½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped

½ cup crumbled goat cheese

Season the pork generously on all sides with salt.  In a small bowl, combine all the seasonings (garlic through olive oil) for the roast.  Pat and rub the mixture on all sides of the tenderloin, then wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for several hours, or preferably overnight. 

Preheat the oven to 400d.  Remove the pork from the refrigerator while the oven preheats.  Place a rack in a roasting pan.  Unwrap the pork, place on the rack, and roast for about 25 minutes until it registers 140d.  Let cool to room temperature before serving.  If desired, after cooling wrap and refrigerate the pork for up to 24 hours, then return to room temperature.

For the salad dressing, put garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk in olive oil.

Blanch beans in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and place in an ice bath.  Drain again and pat dry.  Put beans and fennel in a bowl, season lightly with salt and toss with some of the dressing.  Let stand for a few minutes to slightly soften the fennel.

To serve, cut pork into ¼” slices.  Arrange pork, fennel and green beans on each plate; top with walnuts and goat cheese.  Pass remaining salad dressing at the table. 

Grilled Lobster Cobb Salad

Last Year's Post: Lemon Polenta Cake

Two Years Ago:  Hoisin Burgers with Wasabi Slaw

It's definitely salad time of the year, and this salad is an interesting twist on the usual Cobb salad that has chunks of chicken; it substitutes lobster meat instead, and grilled lobster at that.  The cooking technique in itself is interesting - remove the lobster meat from the shell and par-boil for a minute, then place on the grill for a minute per side while basting with butter to give the meat a nice smoky taste.  If you really wanted to give the salad a pronounced grill character you could also grill the tomatoes (using something larger than cherry tomatoes) and zucchini as well.  Grilled lobster meat, yum.

I found some beautiful baby Romaine leaves at the store, but you could always used chopped regular Romaine instead.  You can use whatever cheese you prefer and can always substitute other vegetables to suit your choice in addition to using shrimp or crab in place of the lobster.

Other than the lobster, the only other cooked ingredients are hard-boiled eggs (cook in advance) and a little chopped bacon (can also be cooked in advance).  After that, it's really just a matter of whisking the dressing, prepping the other ingredients, and assembly.  Easy, delicious, healthy, and kind of special......a perfect summer dinner.

printable recipe

Grilled Lobster Cobb Salad

Serves 2

Dressing:

1/2 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons sherry vinegar

2 ½ tablespoons walnut oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

2 (5-6 oz) lobster tails, thawed if frozen

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 strips bacon, chopped

½ small zucchini, chopped

1 ripe avocado

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 heart baby romaine, trimmed and leaves separated

2 hard-boiled eggs, chilled and sliced

1/4 pound red grape tomatoes, halved

2 ounces your favorite cheese, crumbled or diced

Salt

Dressing:

Combine shallot, Dijon, and vinegars in a large bowl and whisk well. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oils until incorporated into the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Salad:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Preheat grill to high or preheat the broiler.  Remove the lobster meat from tail and parboil for 1 minute or until no longer translucent. Place lobster meat on the grill basting with butter just long enough to get a little grill flavor (about 1 minute per side). If cooking indoors, broil until lightly golden.  Remove lobster from the grill and cut into cubes.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Halve the avocado, discard the seed, score the flesh into chunks and scoop out into a small bowl. Toss with lemon juice.

 Arrange half of the romaine leaves on each serving plate and drizzle with some of the dressing.  Add the toppings in strips on top, starting on one end with the bacon, egg, tomato, lobster, zucchini, cheese, and avocado. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top.