Cherry Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

Servings: —
Source: Sunset June 2003
This version of the classic tomato and mozzarella salad uses cherry tomatoes which are tossed with small balls of mozzarella, basil and olive oil.

Ingredients
4 cups (1 1/4 lb.) Sweet 100 or Sungold cherry tomatoes (or a mixture), rinsed and stemmed
8 ounces small balls fresh mozzarella cheese (often labeled bocconcini), drained
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, rinsed
About 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse sea salt

Directions
Cut cherry tomatoes in half with a sharp knife. Cut bocconcini in half. Tear basil leaves into small pieces. In a bowl, gently mix cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle lightly with salt; add more oil and salt to taste.

Vinaigrette Dressing

Servings: —
Source: Cooks.com
Great on tomato salad

Ingredients
1/4 c. wine vinegar
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. dried tarragon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3/4 c. olive oil

Directions

Bean Sprout and Red Pepper Potato Salad

Servings: 8
Source: Gourmet 6/1979

Ingredients
3 pounds boiling potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
6 ounces fresh bean sprouts
2 large red peppers, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/3 cup snipped chives

Directions
Steam potatoes for 25-30 minutes until just tender, let them cool slightly, and cut them into 3/4-inch cubes.

In a bowl combine the potatoes while they are still warm with mayonnaise, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and pepper to taste, tossing the mixture gently with rubber spatulas, and fold in bean sprouts, drained, and red pepper pieces.

Chill the salad, covered, for at least 2 hours. Transfer the salad to a salad bowl and sprinkle it with chives.

Yellow Tomato, Watermelon and Arugula Salad

Servings: 10
Source: Food and Wine, July, 1998

Ingredients
2 cups seeded and cubed (½ inch) watermelon
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 ounces arugula leaves, large stems removed (4 cups)
5 yellow tomatoes (about 2 pounds), sliced crosswise ¼ inch thick

Directions

White & Green Bean Salad with Tomatoes & Basil

Servings: 6-8
Use the biggest white beans you can find. I like fat Emergo beans; they’re creamy and mellow, with a rich, nutty flavor.

Ingredients
1 cup large white beans, such as Emergo or Great Northern, well rinsed (soaked and drained, if you like)
Several sprigs fresh thyme
1 large clove garlic, smashed
1 small yellow onion, cut in half
1 small carrot, cut into several pieces
Salt
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 salt-packed anchovies, filleted, (or 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets), rinsed, patted dry, and finely chopped 3 Tbs. red-wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 lb. haricots verts or regular green beans, trimmed and cut into pieces if large
½ cup chopped fresh basil

Directions
In a deep, heavy-based pot, cover the beans with 6 to 8 cups cold water. Add the thyme, garlic, onion, carrot, and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Cover and cook until the beans are tender, about 90 min.; let cool in the broth. (Refrigerate the beans in the broth if holding for more than a few hours; bring to room temperature before assembling the salad.)

In a large serving bowl, combine the shallot, anchovies, vinegar, ½ tsp. salt, and ¼ tsp. pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until well combined. Drain the white beans and add them and the tomatoes to the bowl. Toss until the vegetables are well coated with the dressing. Let stand at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours.

Cook the green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 5 min. Drain and spread on paper towels to cool. When ready to serve, add the cooled green beans and then the basil to the white beans, tossing well after each addition. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.

Warm Kale Salad

Servings: 4-6
Source: Jesse Cool / Flea St. Cafe
I like to serve this dish at room temperature next to a plate of aged goat cheese, salty olives and hand torn pieces of warm bread.

Ingredients
2 bunches medium size kale
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon full flavored olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon dried red chili flakes
Salt to generously season

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boll. Wash the kale and cut off lower stems. Slice into 2 inch pieces. Use as steamer or boil greens for about 5 minutes or until tender.
Remove and place in a large bowl. Top with remaining ingredients. Toss and set aside. Toss every 10 minutes. Allow to sit for half an hour and serve.

Spinach & Grilled Radicchio Salad

Servings: 6-8
Source: Fine Cooking, September 2006

Ingredients
¾ to 1 lb radicchio (2 sm or 1 large), trimmed and quartered through the core
7 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 oz baby spinach (ab 6 cups), rinsed well and spun dry
3½ to 4 oz shaved Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano (ab 1 cup)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions
Heat a gas grill to medium or prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire.

Brush the radicchio with 2 tablespoons of the oil and sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon kosher salt. Grill the radicchio (covered if using a gas grill) until it browns and chars lightly in spots on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and grill until the other side is browned and the radicchio is softened and wilting, 3 to 4 minutes. (If using a large radicchio, you may need to grill it on a third side for a few more minutes to fully soften it.)

Let the radicchio cool on a cutting board for a couple of minutes, and then trim off the cores and coarsely chop. In a serving bowl, toss the radicchio with the spinach and the cheese.

Just before serving, toss the salad with the remaining 5 tablespoons oil and the vinegar and season salt and pepper to taste.

Mexican-Style Slaw with Jicama, Cilantro & Lime

Servings: 6-8
Source: Fine Cooking September 2006
I’m a sucker for slaw-I think it’s the crunch that really gets me. Unfortunately, if slaw isn’t made correctly, you get what we’ve all had at one picnic or another – slaw that’s heavy, soggy, and overly sweet. I’ve found that the secret to a great slaw is to make it feel lighter and more like a fresh salad, which is easy to do by just learning a few simple tricks.

Balance flavors and textures. To provide crunch, I like to add vegetables like carrots, celery root, and jicama to the cabbage, and then toss them together with a fresh, bright dressing. While some dressings for slaw can be overly sweet and heavy, I make mine with fresh citrus juice, which gives the slaw a much lighter feel.

Toss with salt, then weight dense vegetables to purge them of excess water. This step makes the vegetables tender and briny and ensures that the slaw doesn’t become too wet once dressed. Coarser cabbages like green and red cabbage benefit from longer purging, whereas a more tender cabbage like Napa breaks down extremely fast, so a short salting is all it requires. Onions also benefit from salting, which mellows any harsh flavors and brings out their sweeter side.

Once it’s assembled, serve the slaw as soon as possible. Even when purged, the vegetables will continue to release water after they’re mixed with a dressing, so they’re best served within an hour or two of assembly. The exception is slaw containing Napa cabbage, which should be served immediately. You can refrigerate leftover slaw for up to two days; it will taste as delicious as ever but will lose some of its crisp texture and will exude more liquid.

Ingredients
This slaw also makes a tasty topping for fish or chicken soft tacos.

1 small or ½ medium red or green cabbage (or use a mix of both, about 1½ pounds), bruised outer leaves removed, cored, and cut into six wedges Kosher salt
1 medium jicama (about I pound), peeled and quartered
4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced on the diagonal (about ½ cup)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ cup fresh lime juice; more to taste
1 jalapeño, seeded (if you like) and minced

Directions
Thinly slice the cabbage in a food processor using the 4mm slicing disk or by hand; you should have about 6 packed cups. Put the cabbage in a colander and toss it with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Lay a plate that fits inside the colander on top of the cabbage and set a heavy can or jar on top of the plate. Drain the cabbage in the sink or over a bowl for 2 hours.

If using a food processor, switch to the grating disk and grate the jicama or cut it into very thin (julienne) strips by hand; you should have about 2 cups. Put the jicama in a large bowl and toss in the scallions and cilantro.

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, lime juice, and jalapeño.

Turn the cabbage out onto a clean dishtowel or paper towels and pat it thoroughly dry. Toss the cabbage with the jicama and the lime mayonnaise. Season to taste with more kosher salt and lime juice if needed.

Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

Servings: —
Source: From The Blue Heron Restaurant, Duncan Mills, CA.

Ingredients
2 ¼ cup corn oil
1 cup olive oil
¾ cup lemon juice
½ cup red wine vinecar
1 ½ tbs. Salt
4 large carlic cloves. Pressed
1 ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
¼ cup honey
1 ½ tsp. Curry powder
2 ¼ tsp. Ground cumin
2 ¼ tsp. basil
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Oregano
1 tsp. Dill
1 tsp. Tarragon
1 tsp. Chervil

Directions
Whisk together all ingredients in large bowl.

Best made one day ahead.

Jicama and Oranges with Fresh Chiles (Ensalada De Jicama Y Naranja)

Servings: 4
Señor Anguiano instructed, “”The sweetest jicamas always have their leaves attached,”” when she told me how to prepare this effortless salad at her vegetable booth in Guadalajara’s huge Mercado Libertad. Jicama salads are the favorites of her teenage daughters, who are always watching their weight. This dressing tops their list because it contains no oil. Notice the similarity between Mexican salads and salsas. When this salad is flnely chopped it makes a flne fresh salsa. In the Fall when pomegranates are in season, sprinkle the salad with red seeds.

Ingredients
3 red onion slices, 1/8 inch thick
1 jicama, 4 to 5 inches in diameter
3 navel oranges
3 chopped serrano chiles, or ½ teaspoon chile powder (or to taste depending upon variety)
2 Tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon kosher salt 6 grinds of black pepper
1 pomegranate

Directions
1. Cut the onion slices into eighths, pie-style. Put into a bowl of cold water to soak and become mild. 2. Peel the jicama with a sharp knife. Cut the tuber in half and slice both halves into 1/8-inch slices. Julienne. Put into a bowl.
2. Peel the oranges and cut into sections, leaving behind the white membrane. (Do this step over the bowl with the jicama to catch the juices.) Mix in the chile, cilantro, salt, and freshly ground pepper.
3. Drain the onion and pat dry with paper towels. Add to the jicama mixture. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Stir well before serving and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if available.