This salad was a suggested side dish for a wonderful Baked Cod with Lemon and Garlic entrée we recently made, and what a perfect pairing it was!
This chickpea salad hits all the right notes—crunchy, briny, salty, tangy, and a little bit sweet from the bell pepper (which we used a whole, as opposed to just a half of). Think of it as a “kitchen sink” type of salad, because you can really throw in a variety of produce that’s hanging out in your fridge—grated carrots, chopped zucchini, different herbs.
And go ahead and roughly chop the celery leaves and toss them into the salad, too; they add a sharper celery flavor and another layer of texture. It makes a great side dish for grilled chicken or fish, but you can indulge straight as a light yet filling meal, too.
In a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, celery, parsley, onion, red pepper, and olives. Combine cumin, olive oil, and lemon juice, mix well, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with salad ingredients and serve.
With this cool, creamy, crunchy cucumber salad, two simple techniques help prevent a watery salad in which the onion thinks it’s boss. But it’s the end result which really WOWS!
It is a great companion to any chicken, steak, pork, lamb or other meaty entrée; or even by itself as a vegetarian option. Be sure to allow the cucumbers to sit the full 20 minutes before folding them into the dressing. Another perk? These salads can be made up to 24 hours in advance.
Creamy Cucumber Salad with Radish, Lemon Zest and Dill
3 cucumbers, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced thin
½ cup thinly sliced red or Spanish onion
3 Tbsp. cider vinegar
½ cup sour cream
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill, (or mint if you prefer)
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
½ tsp. granulated sugar
Salt and pepper
6 radishes, trimmed and sliced thin
Directions
Spread cucumber slices in single layer on paper towel–lined baking sheet; refrigerate for 20 minutes. Combine onions and vinegar in bowl and let sit for 20 minutes.
Whisk sour cream, dill, zest, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add cucumbers, radishes, and onion-vinegar mixture, and toss to combine.
This was a last minute decision after realizing our leaf lettuce had seen better days. Not in the mood to run to the food store, The Hubs did a quick online search to find a salad that would utilize on-hand ingredients. We were after a vibrant salad full of ripe, juicy tomatoes; crisp cucumbers; and lots of herbs. To prevent the cukes and tomatoes from getting soggy, the trick is to salt the vegetables in a colander, which helps draw out excess moisture and seasons them at the same time.
Sliced pepperoncini and shallot were briefly marinated in a pungent vinaigrette before tossing in the seasoned vegetables, torn fresh mint, and chopped fresh oregano. A sprinkling of salty, briny feta is the perfect finishing touch.
Feeling that the finished salad was a bit too mint-forward, we reduced the amount of mint and increased the amount of oregano. Use your own judgement as to how much of each herb to use based on your family’s preferences.
½ English cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise ⅛ inch thick
1 ½ tsp. table salt, divided
5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. pepper
⅓ cup thinly sliced pepperoncini
1 shallot, sliced into thin rings
1 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, torn
¼ cup chopped fresh oregano
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
Directions
Cut tomatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges, then cut wedges in half crosswise. Toss tomatoes, cucumber, and 1 teaspoon salt together in bowl; transfer to colander and let drain for 30 minutes.
While vegetables drain, whisk oil, vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add pepperoncini and shallot and let sit until slightly softened, about 15 minutes.
Add mint, oregano, and drained vegetables to bowl with dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to platter and sprinkle with feta. Serve.
When the weather gets stifling, many home cooks prefer to use the oven as little as possible. To that end, salads are a good meal choice. Cold, crunchy, fiery, nutty—this Chicken Noodle Salad With Spicy Peanut Sauce dish is everything you want in a summer side, or even as a main.
Refreshing romaine and cucumber provide ample texture while a zippy, tangy peanut sauce coats the springy noodles and revives your too-hot-to-eat-anything palate. Gently poaching chicken breasts takes just a few minutes, so you can minimize your time at the stovetop. Of course if you have any leftover chicken, or want to use a precooked rotisserie chicken, buy all means go ahead.
TIP: Prepare the chicken ahead of time and have it chilling in the fridge for you.
Prepping the lettuce, cucumber, and chicken in similar sizes will give you the most pleasant eating experience; the nutty sauce especially loves to latch on to the craggy surface of the hand-torn chicken pieces.
Unable to source chili crisp at the time (although now we found some), we made our own with chili garlic paste and fried shallots. The amount of English cucumber was rather shy because we already about 1/3 of one on hand and didn’t feel the need to buy more.
1 English hothouse cucumber, sliced on a diagonal, julienned lengthwise
3 scallions, finely chopped
Chili crisp, fried shallots, or peanuts (for serving; optional)
Directions
CHICKEN
Place 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 medium), 1 scallion, 3 garlic cloves, smashed, and one 1″ piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced, in a medium pot and pour in water to cover by 1″. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Cover and let sit 20 minutes.
Using tongs, transfer chicken and garlic to a cutting board; let cool. Scoop out ¼ cup poaching liquid (you won’t use all of it); set aside. (Remaining liquid can be discarded or strained and reserved in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Use as you would stock.)
SAUCE
Whisk ⅓ cup smooth peanut butter, ⅓ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup well-mixed chili crisp, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons reserved poaching liquid in a medium bowl to combine; season peanut sauce with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.
SALAD AND ASSEMBLY
Cook 6 ounces fresh or dried wheat noodles (such as ramen) in a medium pot of boiling water according to package directions. Drain in a colander and rinse under cool running water. Drizzle with a bit of toasted sesame oil (about 1 teaspoon; this will prevent sticking) and toss to coat. Set aside.
Finely shred chicken, then mash garlic with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Toss chicken, garlic, and ¼ cup reserved peanut sauce in a large bowl; season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Add 1 pound romaine (about 2 hearts or 1 head), thinly sliced, 1 English hothouse cucumber, sliced on a diagonal, julienned lengthwise, most of the 3 scallions, finely chopped, reserved noodles, and remaining peanut sauce and carefully toss to coat, making sure every element gets properly dressed.
Arrange salad in a serving dish. Top with remaining scallions and serve with chili crisp for drizzling over, and fried shallots or peanuts, if desired.
With this recipe, Milk Street’s intention was to evoke the flavor and aroma of Italian porchetta. Porchetta is a wonderfully fatty and delicious boneless pork roast hailing from Italy. Traditionally, porchetta is made with a whole, deboned suckling pig. But now it’s generally made with only the best part of the pig—rind on pork belly.
But here we use pork tenderloin which is remarkably lean and mild. To compensate for the lack of fat (and therefore flavor), complexity is introduced with a bright, citrusy sauce and salad to perfectly complement the fennel seed and black pepper spice mix that seasons the meat.
The two tenderloins are quickly seared on the stovetop and finished in the oven before they’re sliced and served atop the salad, so you will need an oven-safe 12-inch skillet, (a large cast iron one works well) for this recipe.
The weight of our single tenderloin was 1.5 lbs for just the two of us. All of the other ingredient amounts were kept the same, except the baby arugula, which we used about 3 ounces of the 5-ounce package. A truly delicious meal!
Fennel-Crusted Pork Tenderloins with Orange and Arugula Salad
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, cored and thinly sliced
Directions
Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the middle position. In a spice grinder, pulse the fennel seeds and peppercorns until coarsely ground, 8 to 10 pulses. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon salt. Measure ½ teaspoon of the spice mix into a small bowl, then sprinkle the remainder all over the pork, rubbing it into the meat; set both the reserved spice mix and pork aside.
Grate 1 teaspoon zest from 1 orange and add to a medium bowl. Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom ½ inch from each orange. One at a time, stand the oranges on a cut end and cut from top to bottom following the contours of the fruit to remove the peel and white pith. Hold each orange over the bowl containing the zest and cut between the membranes to release the segments, allowing the juices to fall into the bowl; set the segments aside in a large bowl.
Once all of the segments have been cut free, squeeze the membranes to collect their juice, then discard the membranes; you should have about 2 tablespoons juice. Into the zest-juice mixture, whisk 3 tablespoons oil, the vinegar and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper; set aside.
In a 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until barely smoking. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until the center of the thickest piece reaches 135°F or is just slightly pink when cut into, 9 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven (the handle will be hot) and transfer the pork to a cutting board; let rest while you make the sauce and salad.
Set the skillet over medium, add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the vermouth, bring to a simmer and cook, scraping up the browned bits, until reduced to about 3 tablespoons, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the orange juice mixture, then remove from the heat. To the bowl containing the orange segments, add the arugula, sliced fennel and 3 tablespoons of the sauce; toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the salad in a bed on a serving platter. Thinly slice the pork, arrange on the salad and drizzle with a little of the remaining sauce, then sprinkle with the reserved spice mix. Serve the remaining sauce on the side.
This Asian salad can stand on it’s own, perhaps with a smattering of chopped peanuts, or as a compliment to a heftier stir-fry such as the SpicyBeef with Peanuts and Chiles that we paired it with. To amp up the flavor, we increased the amount of grated ginger to 1 tablespoon, added 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar, and lots of chopped fresh basil.
You can use Southeast Asian rice sticks or Chinese cellophane noodles (made from bean starch) for this Thai salad. It makes a satisfying lunch, or serve it as a starter or side dish (it will serve up to 6 as a side).
1 Tbsp. finely minced ginger (more or less to taste)
½ tsp. red pepper flakes, or a pinch of cayenne
2 Tbsp. Asian sesame oil
1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. canola oil
For the Salad
3 oz. dried rice noodles (rice sticks) or cellophane noodles
½ small Napa cabbage or 1 romaine heart
3 scallions, cleaned and thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 cup coarsely chopped basil
1 medium carrot, grated or cut in fine julienne
Lettuce leaves for the bowl or platter (if not plating with the Rice Noodle Salad)
Directions
Mix together the dressing ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings. Place the rice or cellophane noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water. Soak for 20 minutes, and drain.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook about 1 minute, or until tender (ours took about 3 minutes). Drain well and coarsely chop using scissors or knife. Toss with all but 2 tablespoons of the dressing.
Cut the halved Napa cabbage in half again, cut out the core, then slice crosswise into thin strips. If using romaine, cut in half, then slice crosswise into thin strips. Toss with the noodles, along with the scallions, cilantro, and carrot.
Pile the salad on a serving platter. Spoon on the remaining dressing, if any. Sprinkle with more basil and/or cilantro and serve.
As grilling weather will begin its hibernation not too far down the road, at least for many of us, it’s time to take advantage of that weather and grill al fresco as often as we can. This wonderful Greek salad incorporates flap meat as one of its ingredients. We like that cut of meat for it’s beefiness and loose grain for the marinade to seep into.
Here, grilled steak turns a Greek salad into a substantial dish, while marinating the feta in a mixture of spicy chile flakes, briny capers, bright lemon, and herbs adds a big punch of flavor. For a heftier meal, serve with grilled pita or crusty bread rubbed with fresh garlic.
As far as amount of beef, we happened to have 2 pounds of flap meat in the freezer, so even though that is double the amount listed, we used it all. Therefore our salad was a little more meat-forward than the original.
Unable to source mini cucumbers, we opted for a seedless Persian variety and used about half of it sliced into small rounds. Additionally, there was very little dressing left after draining the feta from its marinade, so we increased the amount of a few of those ingredients which are noted below.
Greek Spinach Salad with Grilled Flap Steak and Marinated Feta
1 1b. beef flap meat, cut into pieces of even thickness, if necessary
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
7 oz. feta (preferably Greek), cut into small cubes (about 1-1/2 cups)
5 oz. baby spinach, (about 5 lightly packed cups)
2 mini cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes (preferably a mix of colors and shapes), halved
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
Directions
In a medium bowl, whisk 3 Tbs. of the oil with the garlic, oregano, vinegar, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds pepper. Add the steaks and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 6 hours.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 6 Tbs. oil, the parsley, capers, lemon juice, thyme, and chile flakes. Add the feta and stir gently to coat. Marinate at room temperature for up to 1 hour, or in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours. Remove from the fridge one hour before using.
Prepare a medium-high (400°F to 475°F) gas or charcoal grill fire. Remove the steaks from the marinade and pat dry. Grill, turning every 2 minutes, until cooked to your liking, 6 to 8 minutes for medium (140°F).
Transfer to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Thinly slice the steak against the grain, then season lightly with salt.
Put the spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl. Drizzle all of the marinade from the feta over the salad, using a spatula to hold back the feta (it’s OK if a few pieces fall in).
Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange on a serving platter or divide among four dinner plates. Scatter the steak and feta over the salad, and serve.
Two rotisserie chickens on sale for $10, a bargain I couldn’t pass up. I had gone to the store for one bird to make Enchiladas Verdes, but when I saw the sale, it was a no-brainer. When I got home and the poultry cooled off, I stripped off the skin then harvested all of the white and dark meat. The skin and bones I bagged for the freezer for The Hubs to make his delicious stock.
This couldn’t be any easier. If you happen to have some leftover cooked chicken on hand, you could certainly use that and save yourself a trip to the grocer.
When rotisserie chicken is cool enough to handle, pull off the chicken, then strip all white and dark meat from the bones. Discard skin and bones, or save to make stock at a later date.
Chop the chicken meat into about a 1/2-inch dice. Place into a large bowl.
Slice and dice the celery, green onion, grapes, parsley and tarragon. Add those ingredients to the mixing bowl along with the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve on a couple of Bibb lettuce leaves and garnish with bell pepper strips, if using.
Local tomatoes are king this time of year so we try to use them in a variety of ways almost everyday during the season. Here’s a simple summer tomato salad recipe that makes the most of—and uses up—some of the tomato bounty from your garden or local farm market.
America’s Test Kitchen (ATK) discovered that salting the tomatoes before mixing them into the salad brings out their juices, which make a great base for the dressing. Another discovery was there’s no need to peel homegrown tomatoes for a tomato salad recipe, because their skins are usually thin and unobtrusive.
The amounts of the ingredients are subjective to your own preferences. If you prefer tuna packed in oil, go ahead and use it; in fact, save the drained oil from the tuna and use it instead of, or with, the remaining olive oil. No blanching or cooking needed here!
The olives, red onions and capers are boldly flavored Mediterranean standbys, typically a healthy diet to follow. It’s a great option to bring on a picnic or to enjoy lunch at your community pool.
While we are on the subject of great tomato recipes, I have to give a shout out to the Heirloom Tomato Tart(shown above) that I blogged about 4 years ago. If you are also interested in that recipe just click on the link. The tomato salad recipe is below.
12 large black olives, such as Kalamata or other brine-cured variety, pitted and chopped
¼ cup red onion, chopped fine
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves
Ground black pepper
1 6-oz. can solid white tuna in water, or oil-packed if preferred
Directions
Core and halve tomatoes, then cut each half into 1/2″ thick wedges. Toss wedges with salt in large bowl; let rest until small pool of liquid accumulates, 15 to 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk oil, lemon juice, capers, olives, onion, parsley, and pepper to taste in small bowl. Pour mixture over tomatoes and accumulated liquid; toss to coat. Set aside to blend flavors, about 5 minutes.
Crumble tuna over tomatoes; toss to combine. Adjust seasonings and serve immediately.
In a sense, this salad is glorified gazpacho, but chunkier—and it paired wonderfully with our Cataplana(Portugal’s Simple Seafood Stew) entrée. As it only feeds 3 to 4, we doubled the amounts to feed the party of 6.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, our gas oven broiler doesn’t do the best job. When I walked into the kitchen and saw The Hubs down on his knees with his arm stuck into the oven rotating the peppers with tongs, I gently told him that it might be much easier to char them directly over a gas burner. Smart man that he is, he took the hint, because when I walked back in, he was searing the plum tomatoes, two at a time, directly on the grates.
When it comes to hosting, we like to do as much as possible the day prior to the event. For this side dish, he blackened and peeled the tomatoes and bell peppers, then salted the peeled cucumber slices. About half an hour before the feast was served, the salad was finished with the dressing.
Turn the broiler on, and set the red and green bell peppers underneath. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly blackened on all sides. When done, place in a small plastic bag and let steam for a few minutes. Repeat with the tomatoes, but first lightly coat in olive oil. They will cook much quicker. Remove when lightly blackened all over and let cool on a tray.
While the bell peppers and tomatoes cool, slice the cucumber into 1/2 inch inch thick slices. Set on a rack or on a paper towel, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let those hang out for 20 minutes or so until they release some water. Dry with paper towels.
Remove the bell peppers from the plastic bags when cooled. Peel off the skin, remove the stems, and chop into 1-inch squares. Repeat this process with the tomatoes, discarding most of the pulp.
Toss the chopped bell peppers, tomato, and cucumbers in a large bowl. Add the chopped cilantro, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and chili paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Eat right away, or let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes for the flavors to really marry.
With Cinco De Mayo right around the corner, this quick riff on taco salad might just be the ticket for dinner. Having a small party? Then just double the recipe and you can feed up to eight. Let guests prepare their own, layering on just the right ingredients to suit their own preferences. This way it appeals to vegetarians and meat eaters alike.
Don’t eat red meat? Substitute ground turkey. Follow a vegetarian lifestyle? Swap out the meat for refried beans. Not into hot and spicy? Omit the jalapeños, and use a mild taco seasoning and salsa. Can’t tolerate raw onion? Cook it with the ground meat to eliminate some of the pungency.
Another fun twist is using beer instead of water when you add the seasoning to the ground meat. As you can see, this salad is very adaptable. I like to start with a layer of lettuce, followed by the meat mixture and cheese, then the peppers, tomatoes, onion, and olives. To finish, add a bit more meat and cheese, and a final topping of jalapeños and sour cream, if using,
To up the party ambiance, plate it all on some fun and festive picnic ware!
1 head iceberg or Bibb lettuce, torn into 2-3″ pieces
8 oz. (2 cups) shredded Mexican cheese blend
1⁄2 each large red and yellow bell pepper, cut into 1⁄4 dice
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
1⁄2 red onion, cut into 1⁄4 dice
1⁄2 cup black and/or green pitted olives, sliced thin
1⁄2 cup pickled jalapeños, 1⁄4 slices, then chopped
Sour cream for garnish, optional
Directions
Prep all ingredients.
In a large nonstick skillet, brown the ground meat until there is no more pink, making sure to break up any large chunks.
Add the taco seasoning and the water (or beer), and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until it thickens. Add the salsa to the meat mixture and heta through.
While the meat is thickening, prepare the tostada bowls starting with a layer of torn lettuce.
Next, top with some meat and cheese, then add any of the other ingredients you prefer. Finish with another layer of ground meat and cheese, and top with sour cream and jalapeños, if desired.
This cold-weather salad from chef Carla Hall hits all the notes: sweet, savory, spicy, and salty—with a bit of crunch from the squash seeds. Here, Hall uses her Country Ham Potlikker as an umami-rich base for a spicy vinaigrette that gets its silky texture from blended cannellini beans.
But the thing is, most people are not going to have this potlikker broth on hand. We had some leftover from our Smothered Pork Chops dinner in which you had to pre-make the Country Ham Potlikker. Our suggestion is to use a mix of oil and vinegar instead, you won’t have that smoky ham flavor, but you will be keeping the meal vegetarian.
*We decided to roast our fennel slices since I didn’t shave them thin enough. Basically, place the fennel on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle olive oil all over, sprinkle with salt and pepper, rub it all together with your hands, then roast for about 30-35 minutes in a 400° oven. This can be done ahead of time, simply cover the roasted fennel with foil until ready to mix in with the other ingredients.
Bean and Vegetable Salad with Potlikker Vinaigrette
2 tsp. Diamond Crystal, or 1 1/4 tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more
Freshly ground black pepper
2 medium delicata squash, halved, seeds removed and reserved, sliced crosswise 1/2″ thick
3 extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 large sweet-tart apple, (such as Honeycrisp), cored, quartered, sliced 1/4″ thick
1 large fennel bulb, quartered, shaved in very thin slices (*See note above for roasting option)
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Directions
Blend vinegar, potlikker (or substitute), mustard, and ¼ cup cannellini beans in a blender until smooth. With the motor running, stream in vegetable oil; blend until emulsified. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°. Divide sliced squash between 2 rimmed baking sheets; drizzle 2 Tbsp. olive oil over. Sprinkle with 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt; season with pepper. Roast 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, rinse squash seeds and pat dry. Toss seeds with cayenne and remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a small bowl; season with salt.
Sprinkle seeds over squash. Continue to roast until squash is golden brown and tender, 13–15 minutes more.
Combine squash and seeds, apple, fennel, kidney beans, and remaining cannellini beans in a large bowl. Toss with ½ cup vinaigrette. Taste and add more vinaigrette if needed. Add parsley, season with salt, and toss again.
Transfer salad to a platter; serve any remaining vinaigrette alongside.
The love affair begins with the dressing, which is the key to adding unforgettable flavor. Just like a romance, it is sweet, spicy, tangy—with a jolt of garlic thrown in. Although I had to laugh at the notion that this Honey Garlic Shrimp, Corn, and Avocado Bacon Salad recipe from Half-Baked Harvest was supposed to feed six. Including daughter Julia who was in for a visit, the three of us polished it off entirely—yes, it was THAT good!
While there is not much cooking, you do need to char the ears of corn, crisp the bacon and sear the shrimp. Afterward, it comes together in minutes. Honey garlic seared shrimp cooked together with the bacon drippings is then tossed up in a fresh salad of romaine, grilled corn, salty feta, and creamy avocado. The herby dressing is so deliciously flavorful and pulls it altogether. You will be pining for more 💜…
To simplify things on dinner night, pre-prep by making the crispy bacon pieces and charred corn ahead of time, let cool, and store until ready to use.
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled (don’t buy the pre-crumbled variety)
Directions
To make the dressing. Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.
In another bowl, toss the shrimp with 1/3 of the dressing. Let sit 10 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan. Roughly chop when cooled.
Add the shrimp to the hot bacon fat and cook on both sides until seared, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the heat. You will need to do this in two batches.
To make the salad, combine the greens, corn, and tomatoes in a salad bowl and toss with a little dressing. Add the shrimp, bacon, and avocados. Spoon the dressing overtop. Top with feta. Season with freshly cracked pepper and salt. Serve warm or cold.
The temps are warming here in southeastern PA, which starts our craving for brighter tasting food. This Citrus Couscous Salad recipe was spotted in Fine Cooking Magazine, but originated in Better Homes & Gardens from what I can surmise. Doesn’t really matter, we made numerous changes to make it our own.
Orange zest, juice, and segments brighten up this fresh take on a “pasta” salad recipe. Despite popular belief that couscous is a type of whole grain (it does have a rice-like appearance), it is actually a pasta made of semolina and wheat flour that is moistened and tossed together until it forms little balls. (Sorry keto-friendly dieters.)
Not only does couscous cook quickly—a plus for most home cooks—it is an excellent main or side dish that pleases almost anyone’s palate. While the original recipe used 6 oranges, and fed as many, the ingredients list here was halved for the most part. Although, the thyme and olive quantities remain the same, pine nuts were swapped out for the hazelnuts.
Because it can sit at room temperature, it would be a great asset at any pot luck or picnic.
¼ cup coarsely chopped, pitted Castelvetrano olives or Manzanilla olives
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
¼ tsp. coarse salt
⅛ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
Crushed red pepper (optional)
Directions
Using a vegetable peeler remove strips of zest from one orange, being careful not to remove the white pith; set aside.
In a medium saucepan with a tight lid heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add couscous; cook 2 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring often. Add two orange strips, broth, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat; reduce heat. Cover; cook 12 to 15 minutes or until couscous is tender and all liquid is absorbed. Let cool; discard strips.
Meanwhile, using a paring knife, remove peel and pith from the other two oranges. Working over a small bowl to catch juices, cut out each segment from membranes. (Or slice into wheels.)
For citrus oil: Chop enough of the remaining orange strips to get 1 tablespoon In a 10-inch skillet combine chopped strips, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, and thyme. Heat over low heat 5 minutes or until warm; set aside.
To serve, on a platter combine orange segments and juices, couscous, red onion, pinenuts and olives. Drizzle with red wine vinegar. Spoon citrus oil over top. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and, if desired, crushed red pepper.
Sweet potatoes roasted until deeply browned and tossed with a touch of paprika are a great foil for the savory, minerally notes of a miso-dressed kale salad, as noted in Milk Street magazine. The char on the potatoes provides a note of bitterness that balances the richness of the miso. Scallions and cilantro add fresh herbal notes and toasted nuts add crunch. (I switched out pistachios for the walnuts which The Hubs can’t stand.)
This was a perfect side dish for our Deviled Pork Chops entrée. Problem was, the chops took so much longer to cook than the recipe suggested, our sweet potatoes were way overdone by the time the meat was finally ready. And without white miso on hand, we incorporated red miso. Even so, it was still a fabulous pairing.
Don’t dress the salad until just before serving. If left to stand, the kale will turn limp and soggy.
Our potatoes were huge so after peeling them, I first cut them in half vertically before slicing into wedges.
4 medium orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (about 2¼ pounds), peeled, halved crosswise and cut into 1-inch wedge
6 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
¼ tsp. sweet paprika
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 small garlic clove, grated
4 tsp. sherry vinegar
1½ tsp. white miso
5 oz. baby kale
3 scallions, thinly sliced on bias
½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
½ cup chopped walnuts or pistachios, toasted
Directions
Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with kitchen parchment. In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 4 tablespoons of the oil. Spread the potatoes in an even layer on the baking sheet and roast until tender and the edges begin to darken, about 30 minutes.
Stir the potatoes, return to the oven and increase to 500°F. Roast until dark spotty brown and slightly crisped, about another 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Sprinkle with paprika, ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper, then toss.
While the potatoes roast, in a small bowl, stir together the garlic and vinegar. Let stand for 10 minutes to mellow the garlic. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, the miso and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
When the potatoes are done, in another large bowl, toss together the kale, scallions, cilantro and half the walnuts. Pour in the dressing and toss. Divide the sweet potatoes among serving plates and top with the salad. Sprinkle with the remaining walnuts/pistachios.
Accounting for Taste 