Pork Tenderloin Salad with Melon and Feta Dressing

This salad is very summery with the cool refreshing melon, cucumber and mint as well as the creamy feta dressing, which really ties the whole salad together.  If you can find a French feta, give it a try - it's less salty, softer and more mild than Greek feta.  I buy the Valbreso brand at the local natural foods store and really prefer it to Greek feta.

To save time, make the pork in advance (grill it earlier in the week when you've already got the grill going for something else) and on the day you want to serve it, pick up a container of pre-cubed watermelon and cantaloupe that you can find at virtually every grocery store these days.  It's much easier to take those large cubes and cut them into smaller ones than to start with a whole cantaloupe and a whole watermelon.  Then all you have to do is make the dressing, chop a few things and toss everything together for a delicious and healthy dinner.

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Pork Tenderloin Salad with Melon and Feta Dressing

Servings: 4

Note: buy a carton of pre-cubed mixed watermelon and cantaloupe in the produce department to save time and effort. Cut the large cubes down to ½” in size.

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled, divided
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing the pork
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
Kosher salt
1 ½ cups ½ -inch cubed and seeded cantaloupe and watermelon, mixed
3/4 cup ½ -inch cubed seedless cucumber
3/4 cup fresh mint leaves
3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

8-12 cups fresh greens (arugula and/or spinach preferred)

Lime wedges, for garnish

Preheat the grill to medium.

Set the sliced red onions to soak in ice water for 20 minutes to remove their bite. Drain and pat them dry and set aside.

Combine half of the feta, buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with pepper and stir in the remaining feta. Set aside.

Brush the pork lightly all over with some oil, season it lightly with salt and pepper and grill it directly over the heat, giving it a quarter turn at a time, until a thermometer inserted at the thickest part registers 140°F for medium, about 2 minutes per side for a total of 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate to cool to room temperature. (The pork may be made in advance and placed in a zip top bag in the refrigerator until ready to serve.)

Toss together the onion, watermelon, cucumber, mint, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the greens among shallow bowls. Spoon some of the melon mixture on each salad, then thinly slice the pork crosswise and add it next to the melon. Spoon the dressing on top of the pork. Serve with lime wedges on the side.

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Spinach, Squash and Apple Salad

Last Year's Post: Sesame Seed Chicken Salad
Two Years Ago:  Linguini alla Puttanesca

I firmly believe in eating main dish salads all year long.  They're good for you and they actually work particularly well in colder months to balance out the heavy foods we tend to eat at that time of the year.  So if you're planning lasagna or beef stew one night, balance it out by having an entree salad with plenty of veggies or fruits the next night.  We try to plan at least one salad meal per week, but the key is to plan for lots of variety or you'll very quickly get bored if you pick up the same old salad bar version every week.  (That's why you'll see so many salads posted on this blog.)

So that's the first tip - eat a wide variety of salads.  The second tip is to use at least one or two seasonal ingredients when possible, for freshness and because it helps add variety as you move through the seasons.  The third tip is to consider adding substantial meatless salads to your collection (like this one).  You won't miss the meat if you add enough other interesting fibers and proteins.  And finally, use the very best and freshest ingredients possible, like these beautiful greens that I found - a mix of spinach, arugula, mizzuna, and leaf lettuce.  Then I added a head of lacy, curly frisee to make it even prettier.  Doesn't that make you want to dive in?

This salad has a fall/winter feel due to the roasted squash, apples, pecans and maple dressing.  The tangy and slightly sweet dressing works best if you have some bitterness in the greens, so be sure to throw in some arugula.  If you can't find arugula, a little radicchio would also work.  As with most salads, the interplay of textures and flavors works best if there are contrasts - crunchy and creamy, bitter and sweet.

If you're really pressed for time the day you plan to serve it, you can prepare the squash and salad dressing in advance so all you have to do that night is chop and assemble.

Oh, one more tip - make the salad look as beautiful as you can by arranging the ingredients.  Someone once said we eat with our eyes first, which is kind of annoying but true.  Look at the picture up top, then at this picture after it was tossed.  It still looks really good, but not quite as spectacular.  And it only take a minute or two to arrange each salad on individual plates.

printable recipe

Spinach, Squash and Apple Salad

Serves 4

½ medium butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1” cubes

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 Fuji apple

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

6-oz bag baby spinach, arugula, or combination of greens

¼ medium red onion, very thinly sliced

½ cup blue cheese, crumbled

 ½ cup dried cherries or cranberries

½ cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 400d.

In a medium bowl, toss the squash cubes with 1 tablespoon olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss again.  Spread in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15-20 minutes until the cubes are starting to turn golden and lightly browned, flipping once.  Remove and cool.

For the salad dressing, combine ¼ cup olive oil, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a small bowl; whisk to combine.  Core the apple, cut into thin slices, and toss with the lemon juice to prevent browning.

To assemble the salad, toss the greens with half the dressing and divide among plates.  Decoratively top with the squash, apple, onion, cherries and pecans.  Drizzle the remaining dressing on the top and serve.

Chicken Gyros

Last Year's Post: Grilled Shrimp and Corn Salad
Two Years Ago:  Gazpacho

It's late summer, which means the farmers markets (not to mention your garden) are bursting with fresh produce.  This recipe uses cucumbers, tomatoes, onions and lettuce, which makes it perfect for this time of the year.

Greek food is fresh, vibrant and usually pretty good for you.  Gyros (pronounced yeer-ohs) refers to a popular type of Greek meat that's thin-sliced off a giant spit and usually served as a sandwich with pita bread, yogurt sauce and cucumber.  Since most people don't have a giant spit handy, grilled chicken is typically substituted in recipes.  Chicken Gyros recipes often suffer from two major problems - dry, chewy, tasteless chicken, and leaky, cracking pita pockets. (Supermarket pita pockets are one of my all-time pet peeves to be filed under Never Buy Again Unless You Need to Punish Yourself.)  This recipe solves both problems and has the added bonus of using roast chicken from your local store (or your own leftover chicken), which makes it a very fast and easy meal to serve any night of the week.

The tzatziki sauce can be made at the same time you're making the rest of the meal, although it benefits from at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to blend.  It could also be made up to a day in advance.  The moist roast chicken is shredded and bathed in a light coating of garlic herb oil, which is also used to brush the bread before heating and lightly browning.  Finally, the cucumber salsa includes bright notes of tomato, red onion, Feta cheese, parsley and mint.  Iceberg lettuce adds the most crunch, although you could substitute sliced Romaine if you want.

I found the world's cutest cherry tomatoes at the farmer's market called "Tiny Tims" for obvious reasons.  Too cute for words.  You could also certainly use regular cherry tomatoes, or sliced or chopped regular tomatoes from your garden.  These were so tiny I left them whole.  And they were really sweet!

Back to the question of bread.  If you can find really fresh pocketless pita bread in your town, that's great.  Try the local Middle Eastern markets - they're an excellent source and a fun adventure.  Naan bread is an Indian/Asian flatbread very similar to pita bread (readily available in supermarket delis) that also works well.  Any other flatbread such as the "Flat Out" brand would work, and even flour tortillas would work in a pinch although they're less authentic.  The key is to make sure whatever flatbread you use is soft and foldable, although you could also serve the gyros open-faced with a knife and fork. I used naan bread and cut each one in half (they're big) for four individual sandwiches.

The recipe calls for dried oregano and rosemary, but you could certainly use fresh if you have some on hand. A good rule of thumb is to use approximately twice as much of a fresh chopped herb as called for dried.  I adapted this recipe from two others, and I'm genuinely pleased with the results.  In particular, the garlic herb oil, moist shredded chicken, and bright cucumber salsa make it the best chicken gyros recipe I've had.  I hope you like it too!

printable version

Chicken Gyros with Cucumber Salsa and Tzatziki

Serves 4

1 English cucumber, cut in half (or 2 Kirby cucumbers)

1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

5 garlic cloves, minced, divided

Salt and pepper

1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered

1 small red onion, halved and chopped

1/2 cup crumbled Feta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1-2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

1/4 cup chopped mint

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 rounded teaspoon dried oregano

1 rounded teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled

1 (8-ounce) package naan bread (2 breads) or 4 (8-inch) pocketless pita rounds

2 cups roast chicken, shredded

4 cups iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced

Lemon wedges, for serving

Peel and grate ½ cucumber, then squeeze it in a towel to remove excess water. Stir together with yogurt, lemon juice, and one third of garlic.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate tzatziki for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend (preferable but not necessary if you’re pressed for time).

Preheat broiler.

Cut remaining cucumber into 1/4-inch pieces and stir together with tomatoes, onion, Feta, 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, parsley, and mint to make salsa.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Gently simmer ¼ cup oil, oregano, rosemary, remaining garlic, and salt and pepper in a small heavy saucepan until garlic is fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes (or microwave on low power for 30-60 seconds). Toss chicken with 3 tablespoons garlic oil and brush one side of bread with remainder.

Heat bread, oiled side up, in a 4-sided sheet pan, covered with foil, 3 to 4 inches from broiler 3 minutes. Uncover and broil, rotating bread for even coloring, until golden in spots, about 2 minutes.  Cut naan bread into half.

Spread some of tzatziki on warm bread and top with lettuce, chicken and salsa.  Fold in half.  Serve lemon wedges and remaining lettuce, salsa, and tzatziki on the side.

Note: Tzatziki can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.

Italian Tuna Sandwich (No Mayo)

Last Year's Post:  Cheese-Stuffed Meatloaf with Tomato Herb Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Pork Tenderloin with Port and Dried Cherry Sauce

I love a tuna sandwich with mayonnaise, but making it with heart-healthy olive oil is a better option and more authentically Mediterranean.  The Italian flavors continue in this sandwich with sun-dried tomatoes, chopped Kalamata olives, capers, lemon and fresh thyme. The lemon and thyme really shine through every bite, with the other ingredients adding pops of flavor.

It's very flavorful even without cheese, but I added some cheddar anyway because I love the taste of cheddar in a tuna sandwich.  You can choose to keep it in or leave it out according to your taste.

An advantage of substituting olive oil for mayonnaise is that you can make the sandwich in advance and don't need to worry if it sits out for a little while at work or on a picnic, plus it's lower in calories. You could also serve the tuna salad in a hollowed-out tomato or over greens if you want to cut even more calories.

You've probably noticed that nearly all the canned tuna in the stores these days is packed in water.  The advantage is that it's cheaper and lower in calories and fat than oil-packed tuna; the disadvantage is that it has less flavor.  So, you decide what's most important for your particular meal - calories or flavor.  I wanted this sandwich to be special so I used an oil-packed tuna, but I often use water-packed tuna for other recipes.

As a direct result of making this particular meal I have one word of advice.  When you open your tuna cans (or any other cans, for that matter), carefully stick the lids back into the cans with no jagged edges protruding before you put the cans in the trash, preferably upside-down.  Not that I would ever fail to follow such a simple safety precaution.

printable recipe
Italian Tuna Sandwich

Serves 4

4 sun-dried tomatoes

¼ cup onion, minced

1 rib celery, chopped

¼ cup pitted Nicoise or Kalamata olives, chopped

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Juice of ½ lemon

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

12 ounces solid white albacore tuna in water, drained

Salt and pepper

Leaf lettuce

4 slices Cheddar cheese (optional)

4 Kaiser or other sandwich rolls

Cover the sun-dried tomatoes with hot water in a bowl.  Set aside until soft, about 20 minutes, then drain, chop and place in a medium bowl.  To mellow the minced onion, soak in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain well, pat dry, and add to the tomatoes.

Add the celery, olives, capers, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and thyme leaves to the bowl and mix well.  Add the tuna, breaking it into chunks with a fork, then toss everything together gently so you don’t break up the tuna chunks.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  To serve, place a leaf of lettuce on each sandwich roll bottom and top with tuna salad, optional cheddar cheese, and the sandwich top.  Squeeze the sandwich together gently.  If not eating immediately, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

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.

Seafood Cobb Salad

The inspiration for this recipe was a dish that I had at a restaurant on Coronado Island in California a few years back.  I was so impressed with the salad that I wrote the main components down on a piece of paper while we were at the restaurant and then re-created it at home.  If you like seafood you will love this salad.  It's a special occasion dish with the lobster, crab and shrimp, but you could cut down on the cost by eliminating the lobster or substituting imitation crab for the lump crab meat.  You could even cut out the lobster and crab and make it with just shrimp.  My grocer occasionally has small (4 oz) frozen lobster tails on special so I watch for the sale specifically to make this salad.    Even with all the seafood this dinner cost about $16.00 per person.  That's the advantage of making a special meal at home - you can splurge on spectacular ingredients and still spend about the same as you would for an ordinary dinner at a restaurant.  Surprise the seafood-lover in your life!

We prepared this salad to celebrate the first year anniversary of my blog.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I started it last year but it's turned out to be really fun and the best part is that people actually read it!  I can track the number of views (but not the number of people or who they are) and it's gone up steadily over the months.  So, thanks to all of you who find it interesting enough to tune in once in a while!

I had just found the small lobster tails on sale so seafood salad seemed like a natural for a celebration dinner. This salad has several colors of bell peppers, goat cheese, and bacon in addition to the three types of seafood.  Another money-saving tip is to buy a bag of multi-colored mini peppers rather than full-sized versions of each color. One bag of mini-peppers costs approximately the same as one full-sized pepper so you save the cost of the other two peppers.  I've seen the mini-peppers at several different grocery stores so I think they're pretty commonly available.

Once you cook the bacon and lobster this salad comes together really fast.  Serve with a baguette and a nice glass of Chardonnay for a really special feast!

* * click here for a printable recipe * *

Seafood Cobb Salad
Serves 2

Salad:

Salad greens

1 8 - 10 oz lobster tail, thawed (or two 4-oz tails)

6 - 8 cooked shrimp

4 oz. canned lump crab meat

1/3 c. chopped red pepper

1/3 c. chopped yellow pepper

1/3 c. chopped orange pepper

1/3 c. crumbled goat cheese

2 – 3 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled

chopped parsley for garnish

Salad dressing:

¼ c olive oil

2 T lemon juice

¼ teaspoon salt

Cook lobster tail in boiling water for approximately 6 minutes, then briefly plunge in ice water. Remove and pat dry, then remove the meat from the shell and slice into medallions.

Combine the salad dressing ingredients by shaking in a jar or whisking in a bowl.

Toss salad greens with some of the dressing and place on plates. Arrange shrimp, lobster, crab, goat cheese, bacon and chopped peppers decoratively on top. Drizzle with additional dressing. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Farm Stand Salad

I've read quite a bit recently about the importance of "rebalancing your plate" to eat primarily plants and grains.  Animal proteins are supposed to play a lesser role.  That doesn't mean we all have to become vegetarians and eat tofu, but health advocates often suggest eating meatless one day per week as part of a healthy lifestyle.  If not totally meatless, it's a good idea to cut down on the amount of meat in a meal.  Summer is a perfect time to adjust your diet a little with the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables that are available.  This salad is an example of a healthy summer meal with plenty of market-fresh veggies and a sprinkling of bacon.  If you're feeling particularly inspired you could leave the bacon out completely but it does add a nice counterpoint to the tangy goat cheese dressing and we all know how well bacon goes with fresh lettuce and juicy tomatoes.  Other major flavor components of the salad include fresh sweet corn, toasted walnuts, red onion, and fresh basil.  The overall flavor profile is very bright, bold and satisfying.

Growing up in the midwest I never really realized that midwesterners are the fortunate few who can eat sweet corn picked fresh that morning and sold at a roadside stand.  At the start of the corn season the ears have tiny, tender kernels that are bursting with sugar.  At that point you can literally cut the kernels off the cob and put them in a fabulous black bean and corn salad without cooking them at all. Of course, if you do cook them, it's only for a minute or two to heat them up enough to cover them with butter and salt until they drip all over your plate (and chin) as you gobble the entire cob, rows upon rows of sweet buttery salty heaven.  Once picked, the sugars in corn quickly turn to starch so corn that's been transported never has that heavenly taste.  And later in the season the corn tends to have starchier, tougher kernels as well.  But oh, those first fleeting days of corn season!  If you've never had that type of fresh corn all I can tell you is that it's a revelation.   A local farmer told me it has something to do with the rich soils and temperature/rain balance in the midwest.  Whatever, all I know is that sweet corn ranks right up there in my food memories with the tomatoes of my youth.  At the beginning of the harvest you can very easily make a meal of corn, tomatoes, and cucumbers and be extremely happy.  Plate rebalanced!

Even if you don't have access to that ephemeral corn, it's still worth it to buy fresh corn at your local market when it's available.  My tip of the day is how to cut corn off the cob without it ending up all over your kitchen.  Put a large bowl on the counter and place a smaller bowl (with a flat bottom) upside down inside it.  Balance the corn cob on top of the small bowl and when you cut down, the kernels fall neatly into the large bowl instead of all over your counter top.

I like to break the large chunks up just a little but not completely so everyone can see they came fresh off a cob when you serve your salad.

Cold crisp salads are perfect for hot summer days like we're all experiencing this year, don't you think?  Serve your salad with a fresh crusty baguette from your favorite bakery and have a (balanced) feast! 

* * click here for a printable recipe * *

Farm Stand Salad
Serves 4

4 pieces of cooked and crumbled bacon
2 ears fresh corn, husked
2 ripe tomatoes
¼ red onion, thin sliced
1 bag baby salad greens or 2 small heads of baby lettuces, rinsed, dried and cored
1/3 cup walnuts, toasted
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup soft cheese, such as feta or goat’s cheese, crumbled
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
Pepper


Bring a large pan of water to a boil. Drop the corn in, cover, and cook for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the water and let cool, then cut the kernels off the cob and set aside. Core the tomatoes and thin slice. Depending on the size of the tomatoes you may wish to cut the slices in half.

In a small bowl combine the oil, vinegar and lemon juice with a whisk. Add the crumbled cheese and whisk. Add the basil, salt and pepper and whisk briskly until creamy and well blended.

Combine the lettuce, onion and tomatoes in a large bowl. Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss. Divide among 4 plates and top with corn, bacon, and walnuts. Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve.

Easy and Elegant - Summer Salad with Cheese, Fruit and Nuts

There are some days in every summer where it's so hot you don't even want to think about turning on anything to cook food - not the oven, the cooktop, not even the grill.  You just want a cold drink and a cool, crisp salad.  This salad is for those days.   It's deceptively simple - just four main ingredients plus a vinaigrette - but the beauty is in the simplicity that lets perfect ingredients shine.  The nuts and cheese provide enough protein that it's perfect for a light dinner.

Yes, you could buy one of those salad-kit-in-a-bag meals at the store and be done with it, but I can give you several good reasons why this is better.  First, making your own salad allows you to choose the specific fruits, nuts and cheeses that are your favorites.  Second, your salad will be much fresher than one made in a warehouse sometime last week.  And third, it allows you to use up any leftover nuts or cheese you have in your refrigerator rather than having it go to waste.  (I'm always looking for ways to use up food rather than throwing it away.)

Think about the lettuce you typically get in a salad bag - pale, maybe some pieces are starting to brown.  Now look at the lettuce I found for this salad.  (By the way, it's not all that easy to photograph your own hand.)

Interesting enough, I did find this lettuce at the grocery store, but not in a prepared bag.  Two heads of mini-Bibb lettuce (one green, one red) were sold in a hard plastic shell under the "Deli Express" label.  They were absolutely fresh and delicious and I would highly recommend them if you can find them in your store. 

While we're on the subject of lettuce I wanted to give you a tip that I learned (back in our community garden days) regarding the best way to keep lettuce leaves fresh.  Dunk the whole heads (or leaves) in a sink of very cold tap water and swish them around.  If they just came out of a garden you may have to drain the water and do it again.   At this point if they are whole heads you should cut the cores out to release the leaves. Put the leaves in a salad spinner and spin them around until nearly dry with just a few drops of water on them.

Lay out a really long piece of paper towel on your counter and spread the leaves along its length.

Carefully roll up the entire length of paper towel like a jelly roll.

Then place the whole thing in a gallon ziptop bag, gently squeeze most of the air out without crushing the leaves, and put it in the refrigerator.  The remaining moisture from the lettuce leaves dampens the paper towel, which in turn keeps the lettuce fresh and crisp without being too wet.  Stored in this way, lettuce will keep very fresh for up to a week.

OK, now that I've discussed lettuce probably more than you wanted, on to the other main ingredients - nuts, fruit and cheese.  I used some spiced pecans for this recipe that were a gift from a friend, but plain pecans or walnuts would work equally well.  For the cheese, choose a variety that's relatively firm and full-flavored.  I found a smoked Gruyere that was absolutely delicious.  And for the fruit, you could certainly use whatever fruit is in season during the summer, but apples or pears work equally well.  I like the crisp sweetness of apples so I used a Fuji for this recipe.  Whatever nuts, cheese and fruits you use, make sure they're top quality because they really make the difference in such a simple recipe.

One last thought - I threw a little walnut oil in with the olive oil to add some additional nutty flavor and because I have this beautiful french walnut oil sitting in my refrigerator that looks at me every time I open the door.  Just in case you have oils that stare at you too.


* * click here for a printable recipe * *


Summer Salad with Nuts, Fruit and Cheese
Serves 4

1 large head of Boston or Bibb lettuce (or 2 small heads)
½ lb of good quality firm cheese, such as cheddar, gouda, or gruyere
1 cup shelled walnuts or pecans
2 apples or pears, or other seasonal fresh fruit
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
1 small shallot, diced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper


Rinse the lettuce in cold water, then drain and spin dry. Wrap in paper towels and chill for several hours before using.

Cut the cheese into bite-sized pieces. Coarsely chop the walnuts or pecans if desired. Core and thin slice the apples or pears.

To make the salad dressing, in a small bowl combine the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, shallot, salt and black pepper. Whisk until well blended.

Place the lettuce, cheese, nuts and fruit in a large serving bowl. Pour over the salad dressing and mix well. Serve immediately.

Chicken Salad with Fruits and Peppadews

Love, love salads!  Although this salad just screams summer, you could make it any time of the year because the fruits - strawberries, mandarin oranges, pineapple and avocado - are available year-round. In addition to the beautiful fruits, this salad features savory chicken, toasty nuts, a fresh citrus vinaigrette, and peppadews.  If you're not familiar with peppadews, they're small red peppers with a bit of heat and sweetness.  They're sometimes available in the olive bar at your grocer, otherwise you can find them in jars with the olives in the grocery shelves.  (They make a really great appetizer filled with cream cheese or goat cheese.) I would definitely serve this salad to company - it's beautiful, fresh and elegant.

Back in the days when The Lawyer and I had a giant community garden, we decided to grow our own peppadews.  Turns out that's not as easy as it sounds.  The peppers grow in South Africa and the seeds and breeding rights are closely guarded.  We scoured the internet and found a close substitute for seeds.  The surprise was that the peppers are so hot they pretty much melt your tongue and only become peppadews after removing the seeds and pickling them in a sugar brine to calm the heat.  The Lawyer, being ever inquisitive, tried a raw pepper and regretted it for quite a long time.  You should have seen the looks on our faces when we were first tried the pickled version after his fire-eating experience - pure fear which turned to relief when we found out they were great and just like store-bought peppadews.  Life is an adventure.

* * click here for a printable recipe version * *


Chicken Salad with Fruits and Peppadews
Four servings

Salad:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Lemon pepper seasoning

Salt

1 avocado

1 bag baby salad greens

1/2 cup thin sliced red onion

1 cup mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks

8 – 10 Peppadew peppers, cut in half

1/2 cup pecans or almonds

Citrus Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about one orange)

1/3 cup fresh grapefruit juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl, cover and chill.

Sprinkle the chicken with lemon pepper seasoning and salt. Grill or broil until done, about 5 minutes per side. Set aside to cool slightly, then thin slice on a diagonal.

Toast the pecans or almonds in a dry pan or oven until fragrant (this just takes a minute so watch them carefully). Coarsely chop the nuts.

Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit, then score the avocado flesh into cubes with a knife and scoop from the shell using a spoon. Gently combine salad greens, onions, mandarin oranges, strawberries, pineapple, peppadews and avocado chunks in a bowl. Toss with some citrus vinaigrette. Place on plates, top with sliced chicken breast and nuts. Spoon a little more vinaigrette over the chicken.