Salad season is arriving!

[bronihk]

an extremely strong dijon vinagrette....(the kind of vinagrette it seems impossible to recreate in this country, I try and I try, I buy every "extra strong/plus forte" dijon I can find, I go to gourmet shops...the mustard is not the same....) tart and spicy, strong enough to clear your sinuses if eaten on its own, and to cut through the potato...

i love this. i was actually thinking of somethign really similar only using roquefort or some sorta of blue for the cheese.

have you come close to figuring out a sort of really strong dijon-y vinegrette? if so, pls share! it is really too bad that it borders on impossible to get that extra tangy mustard here in the states...

[kimmyb72]

chicken marinated in balsamic, olive oil, s&p then grilled. romaine lettuce, red onion, red pepper, pepperjack cheese, and spanish olives chopped up real good. cut the chicken in bite sized pieces and mix it in with the salad, veggies, cheese, & olives. dress with ken's greek salad dressing.

[Andrew Fenton]

It sounds strange but one of my favorite summer salads is watermelon and red onion with watercress and pinenuts. Soak the thin-sliced red onion in ice water for a least 1/2 hr. before using in the salad to take some of the bite away. A simple red wine vinaigrette is all you need if all the ingredients are impecably fresh.

Oh yeah, that's good. Watermelon and feta, red onion, fresh mint, a little lime juice, black pepper: that's a great variation on the theme as well. Perfect for hot summer days.

[iriee]

i been on a radish,,green pepper and fennel salad binge lately. just slice everything thin in equal parts and drizzle with real good extra virgin olive oil, grey sea salt, and black pepper. mmmmmmmmm

[Double 0]

Chopped salad

cubed English cucumber

grape tomatoes cut in half

sweet red pepper diced

scallions sliced on the bias

vidallia onions diced

black olives chopped

Bulgarian Feta cubed

salt and fresh ground black pepper

fresh squeezed lemon and the best quality peppery EVOO

let it sit for 30 minutes and eat your way to heaven.

[ninadora]

have you come close to figuring out a sort of really strong dijon-y vinegrette?  if so, pls share!  it is really too bad that it borders on impossible to get that extra tangy mustard here in the states...

I really haven't, but I've been reading the making yer own condiments thread, and if you grind mustard seed and don't heat it very much when preparing the mustard it seems that you can prepare an extraordinarily strong mustard and i was thinking of my vinaigrette hunt, its hilarious I have no less than six jars of dijon mustard in my fridge, i think its time to give some away...but I want to try this very badly and will soon.

Edited June 25, 2004 by ninadora (log)

[RSincere]

I'd like to try something I saw on Food Network--a poached egg on a salad, also mentioned upthread. Is there a traditional way to make this salad? I'm still somewhat recipe-dependent.

[project]

With good Romaine lettuce in the grocery stores, got hungry for Caesar salad.

Traditional Caesar or not, I wanted some noticeable flavors.

For something fast, I tried a bottle of Caesar dressing from the grocery store. It was wimpy; baby food. After two more brands were essentially the same, decided to make my own version of Caesar dressing.

Page 63 of

Dale Brown, 'Foods of the World: American Cooking', Time-Life Books, New York, 1968.

has Caesar Salad.

Starting with their recipe and then making modifications, in a 1 quart stainless steel bowl with a small wire whip, combined

2 eggs, boiled 10 seconds

1 1/2 T finely minced garlic

One 2.0 ounce can flat anchovies packed in oil, minced, with oil

2 T Dijon mustard

1 T Worchestershire sauce

1/2 C olive oil

1/3 C wine vinegar

1 t dried basil

1 t dried oregano

1 T dried parsley

pepper

Combined all ingredients. Whipped until smooth.

Noticed that the sauce has good viscosity, holds together well, and actually has some flavor!

For the salad, started with a 3 quart bowl full of Romaine lettuce that had been separated, rinsed, torn, spun dry, and chilled. Tossed with dressing, just enough to coat thoroughly but lightly.

On top added slices of pepperoni, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, rings of scallions, grocery store croutons, and imitation bacon bits.

Have been adding chunks of tomato, but need a new supply!

Might add artichoke hearts marinated in 'sauce vinaigrette' of some kind.

Exactly traditional Caesar salad? No.

"Noticeable flavors"? Yes!

The anchovies do not seem 'fishy' at all. Instead, the anchovies and the Worchestershire sauce provide a complex center of flavors that are noticed first.

The oil holds all the flavors together. The vinegar pokes through to give some nice contrasting bright sharpness. The eggs bind the sauce all together and provide a relatively neutral background.

The wine flavors from the vinegar are noticeable as is the garlic.

Some home made croutons could be better.

Just before posting, did notice here on eG Recipe #914 - Caesar Salad Dressing at

http://recipes.egullet.com/recipes/r914.html

and see that my effort is closer to the eG version than the Time-Life version.

Comments?

[Susan in FL]

Rachel, here is one recipe to inspire you. I was looking for a recipe I've used calling for fried eggs, but I couldn't find it. I'm sure this is similar.

I too love many salads, from simple tossed salads to more complex meal salads. Some of my favorites are chopped salads, antipasto salads, cucumbers & onions, white bean & tuna, Cobb, Nicoise, ...yep, I too could go on and on! Oh, and an old favorite standby is romaine, tomato, onion, blue cheese and pine nuts, with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

[irodguy]

A very thing cut of Salmon with Skin Seared

Cucumber Salad

1 Cucumber seeded

1/4 cup sliced red onion

2 T Mayo

1/2 t Japanese Chili Oil

1 T toasted Sesame seeds

1/2 t Ginger

1 Garlic Clove

1/4 cup Rice vinegar

1 t sweetener (to taste depending on type used)

Mix the Wet

Toss the cucumber

Cut the Salmon into bite size strips

drizzle with a little extra chili oil

[ghostrider]

These days I have become a real minimalist with an Italian bent. Lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, maybe some parsley & a few fresh herbs, all from my local farmers' market, the best EV olive oil & wine vinegar I can find. It's all that I need.

In my younger days, when I was a reasonably accomplished Chinese cook, I used to make a fabulous bean sprout salad. Parboil the sprouts for 1 minute, drain, rinse & chill. Whisk up a dressing of sugar, pinch of salt, rice vinegar, few drops of sesame oil (the smoky kind). Just before serving, chop scallions, toss with the sprouts, add dressing & toss once more. A totally refreshing summertime dish.

I could look up the recipe if anyone wants, I still have the cookbook from whence it came, I no longer recall the proportions of sugar to vinegar, which is key.

Edited July 15, 2004 by ghostrider (log)

[RSincere]

Rachel, here is one recipe to inspire you.  I was looking for a recipe I've used calling for fried eggs, but I couldn't find it.  I'm sure this is similar.

Thank you, Susan! That looks fabulous--gotta love a salad where the calories are listed as 722 and the fat 60 gm for one serving! I'm still going to try it. I'm trying to decide if I should chicken out on the endive and go with romaine, which I know I like. I've never developed a taste for the really bitter stuff, although a little bit is okay mixed in with mild. I don't think I've ever had an endive salad.

Edited July 15, 2004 by RSincere (log)

[hillvalley]

The past few days I have inhaled one of my favorites. Pea tendrils, evoo, parmesean curls and s&p. It's crisp and light, perfect for days when it is too hot to eat.

[Susan in FL]

Pea tendrils ..... how I wish I could get some of those.

Up north we grew peas just for the tendrils. Did you grow yours? Here, our garden is virtually over. Even with rain and/or watering every day, it's too hot. The pepper plants and some of the herbs are still surviving, and one tomato plant is still producing, but that's just about it. I'm really looking forward to the fall to plant again.

[Mabelline]

Ghostrider beat me to the punch, because I was going to say I can't believe no one has mentioned sprouts! I love bean, radish, corn, and alfalfa in the summer. When I had to cut back on the greens in my diet, bean sprouts poached in mirin, soy, and rock sugar, drained and chilled was the base of many cold dishes. They are fabulous! And as if you are eating meat. Water chestnuts and bamboo shoots trip my trigger, too! Ah, summer...cold noodles, as well. Citrus fruits with artichokes, good cheese, yum...scuse me, I must raid the kitchen now.

Edited July 18, 2004 by Mabelline (log)

[andiesenji]

Ghostrider beat me to the punch, because I was going to say I can't believe no one has mentioned sprouts! I love bean, radish, corn, and alfalfa in the summer. When I had to cut back on the greens in my diet, bean sprouts poached in mirin, soy, and rock sugar, drained and chilled was the base of many cold dishes. They are fabulous! And as if you are eating meat. Water chestnuts and bamboo shoots trip my trigger, too! Ah, summer...cold noodles, as well. Citrus fruits with artichokes, good cheese, yum...scuse me, I must raid the kitchen now.

And do you know, those large plastic "clamshell" containers in which fruits, cherries, tomatoes, and etc., are sold at CostCo, Sam's Club, make great sprouting containers for various sprouts.

They have slots in the top and bottom so you can rinse them easily, as you should do at least daily (twice a day is better).

The "Viva" brand of paper towels are thick and resist tearing and do not dry out as rapidly as regular ones and several layers make a great growing surface in the bottom of the container.

(or you can use a pad made of loosely woven cloth).

[Mabelline]

andie, I think maybe you and I were attached at the hip in a former life!!You named the exact container, AND the same paper towel!! Eeks!

By the way, does everything still smell like BBQ?

Edit: I certainly hope your wonderful neighbors are okay, as well. Health and best regards!

Edited July 18, 2004 by Mabelline (log)

[andiesenji]

We had some of the smoke plume yesterday afternoon, it was up high and actually caused the temperature to drop quite a bit. It was actually quite comfortale. Since it was being carried at a higher level we had only a little of the smell. There was some ashfall but not a lot.

All my neighbors are fine. I have friends in Santa Clarita who have a small horse ranch, that have been evacuated because of a new fire that started yesterday close to their home. She had been helping evacuate horses from the fire that started earlier last week. They have a huge horse trailer and a big truck to pull it so could transport 8 animals at a time. Then they had to move their own animals. They say both these fires were deliberately set.

Anyway, I have been growing pea sprouts, broccoli sprouts and radish sprouts. I don't care much for alfalfa but love the others.

[Mabelline]

But alfalfa does miracles for the hair! I'm not even allowed much but I scarf 'em; my favorites are the adzuki, mung, and radish, though.

[amccomb]

I just read the thread on grilling duck, so now I'm thinking thin sliced duck on a bed of greens. What would you put with it? I was thinking dried cherries, pecans, maybe some goat cheese, and a sweet, spicy dressing - maybe a hot mustard and maple syrup dressing. Any other ideas?

[GG Mora]

I just read the thread on grilling duck, so now I'm thinking thin sliced duck on a bed of greens. What would you put with it? I was thinking dried cherries, pecans, maybe some goat cheese, and a sweet, spicy dressing - maybe a hot mustard and maple syrup dressing. Any other ideas?

I've been using my duck confit and combining it in a salad (baby lettuces and arugula) with green olives, toasted walnuts and goat cheese. Dressed very simply with a splash of good sherry vinegar, a drizzle of OO (I don't like to use EV in salad...too strong) and S&P (fleur de sel if I'm paying attention).

[Darienne]

Seemed like a good topic heading to bring up to date.

Yesterday, Deena offered via Melissa Clark this amazing new salad: Garlic Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad I bought some more broccoli. I made the salad. I love it!!! Amazing. Delicious. Will nibble my way through the entire bowl. Alas, the DH does not really like Chinese style Sesame Oil except in minute quantities and he does not share my enthusiasm. Well, only partly alas. This way, I get it all. Thanks Deensiebat.

[heidih]

Seemed like a good topic heading to bring up to date.

Yesterday, Deena offered via Melissa Clark this amazing new salad: Garlic Sesame-Cured Broccoli Salad I bought some more broccoli. I made the salad. I love it!!! Amazing. Delicious. Will nibble my way through the entire bowl. Alas, the DH does not really like Chinese style Sesame Oil except in minute quantities and he does not share my enthusiasm. Well, only partly alas. This way, I get it all. Thanks Deensiebat.

I made it the Melissa Clark way and love it, but it lends itself to pretty much any other oil and acid combo that you like. I love that it gets even better the next day so you can enjoy it for a few days. Much like her raw kale salad which I mentioned here.

[ScoopKW]

Salad season is basically over here in Las Vegas. My romaine is seeding right now. But it's been a good spring for crunchy fresh lettuce tossed with homemade Caesar.

[Darienne]

I made it the Melissa Clark way and love it, but it lends itself to pretty much any other oil and acid combo that you like. I love that it gets even better the next day so you can enjoy it for a few days. Much like her raw kale salad which I mentioned here.

Just went for a quick nibble and you are correct. It is even yummier the second day.

Shall look up the Clark way...if it's online. No, it's not. Too bad. Did Clark omit the sesame oil? Or use some other oil?