MIRIN CUCUMBER SALAD

1/2 T wasabi powder
2 T mirin
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 t. sugar
1/3 c. Canola oil
1 T sesame oil
S & P to taste
2 large English style cucumbers, peeled if you like, and very thinly sliced or even a large julienne cut would work here.
Sesame seeds for garnish.

Make a paste with the wasabi and mirin, then whisk in vinegar and sugar. Whisk in oils. Season with S & P. Toss the cucumbers with the vinaigrette and let sit for 15 minutes or so. To serve plate and garnish with sesame seeds.


CAJON SPINACH SALAD

This one is a winner, and is sure to please the most critical of palates.

1 1/4 pounds of spinach
1/2 lb. Sliced crimini mushrooms
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 c. grated parmesan reggiano cheese
2 tomatoes cut into bite-sized wedges
1 grated carrot
6 slices soy bacon
2 t. Dijon mustard
1 T sugar
1/2 c. red wine or sherry vinegar
1/4 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 c. olive oil
6 green onions, chopped
a handful of pitted kalamata olives

Remove any tough stems from spinach and tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces. Place in a large heat proof mixing bowl. Add mushrooms, eggs, tomatoes, carrot, and cheese, set aside. In a heavy skillet cook soy bacon in a little olive oil until crisp, remove bacon and when cool crumble into spinach bowl. Over medium heat whisk mustard and sugar into bacon oil (1 minute). Pour in vinegar, whisking until sugar dissolves. Add S & P. Add olive oil in a slow steady stream, whisking constantly. Turn off heat. Stir in green onions and invert skillet over the bowl of spinach. Leave for 1 minute, remove pan and toss salad well. Plate the salad and garnish with a few olives.

SERVES 6


ADRIANNA LIMA SALAD OF LOVE

An old friend of mine makes something like this and I have done my best to steal his “secrets”! You know who you are!!!

The salad is:
1 head of romaine, torn into bite-sized pieces
1 bunch of green onions, sliced fine
1 c. tomatoes seeded and diced
1 roasted beet, peeled and diced
1 c. kalamata olives rough chop
1 1/2 c. imported feta large crumbles
2 cups sliced hearts of palm
1/4 c. chives, fine chop

Toss this in a giant bowl!

The dressing is:
1 dozen mushrooms halved
2 stalks celery, large dice
1 carrot, large dice
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 T garlic, minced
1 t. fennel seed
1 t mustard seed
2 t paprika
1/2 t cayenne
1 t onion powder
1 c. apple cider vinegar
1 egg yolk
1 t Worcester sauce
1 T fresh lime juice
2 1/2 c olive oil
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
1/4 c. chopped fresh oregano
S & P to taste

Heat a large skillet over med-high heat and 4 T of the olive oil, then sauté the mushrooms, celery, carrot, and onion. Cook until the onions begin to caramelize 15-20 minutes. Add the garlic, and the dried spices, cook for a minute or two. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar for no more than a minute and remove from heat. Let it cool. Place the cooled mixture into a blender or food processor, add the egg yolk, mustard, Worcester, and lime juice. Puree until smooth, then add the olive oil in a slow steady stream. Mix in the oregano and cilantro, season with S & P. Taste, adjust seasoning. Toss with the salad.

SERVES 6-8


SPRING GREENS WITH FIGS

I love salad! And in the spring when young, tender flavorful greens abound, well…

12 figs halved
2 T fresh chopped rosemary
2 T balsamic vinegar
12 sprigs parsley stems removed
10 ounces spring greens
3 T olive oil
10 ounces prosciutto di rotundo or di parma sliced paper thin
S & P

Grill or broil the HALF of the fig halves for 2-4 minutes, allow to cool, and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the rest of the figs, rosemary, vinegar, parsley, spring greens, and olive oil, S & P; toss gently. Arrange some of the prosciutto festively on 4 plates then top with the salad and serve.

SERVES 4


MESCLUN MIX WITH SEARED SCALLOPS AND CHERRY REDUCTION

As I served this once, proclaiming the ingredients a house guest asked me “I didn’t know you could prescribe mescaline”. What can I say. Here is another salad bound to change the way you think of greens.

12 scallops marinated in vanilla extract for 1/2 hour each side and seared on a heavy skillet as hot as you can make it for 1-3 minutes each side.
8 ounces of fresh pitted cherries cooked down in a mixture of 1c. water and 1 cup sugar over medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
12 ounces of mesclun greens
2 T red wine vinegar
3 T olive oil
S & P

Strain the cherries and place into a bowl with 1/4 cup of the cherry juice, vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper, mix. Put the greens into a large bowl and toss with the dressing. Plate some salad on each plate and surround it with the scallops. Drizzle a little extra cherry juice over each plate/scallop festively.

SERVES 4


WATERCRESS AND ARGULA WITH BEETS

Vive la France. This is a French classic that I never get tired of.
Only the French, this dish is so simple but you would pay a fortune in a restaurant for this.

1 bunch watercress
1 bunch arugula
2 beets roasted or boiled and peeled, then sliced thin
8 ounces gout cheese
2 ounces pecan halves
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
dried oregano
S & P

Mix the cleaned and picked greens together, plate 4 plates with greens. Top the greens with a few slices of beet, then top with goat cheese slices or small hunks; sprinkle with pecans, dash with oregano, S & P and dress lightly with oil and vinegar.

SERVES 4


FIELD GREENS WITH BLACKENED TUNA AND MANTASIO CRISPS

This salad I threw together when I had more dinner guests than I planned on. So easy and yet the flavors are so complex.

12 ounces blackened seared tuna, then sliced thin
1/2 lb of Montasio cheese grated and dry fried like pancakes on a non- stick skillet.
12 ounces field greens

The dressing:

Toss the greens in some dressing, plate the greens, top with tuna; plate cheese crisps festively. Drizzle with a little more dressing esp. over the tuna.

SERVES 4




MARINATED CARROT SALAD

This is great for the summer and can be made 1-3 days ahead of time.

2T sugar
1T salt
2 lbs. Carrots, sliced into rounds
1-1/2 c. tomato juice
3/4 c vinegar, for this dish I like an herb flavored white wine vinegar like tarragon
3/4 c. sugar
1T prepared mustard, I like brown but yellow is fine
3/4 t salt (more or less to taste)
1 t black pepper
2 t dried tarragon
3/4 c. olive oil
2 med. bell peppers sliced into thin strips (I use one green and one red or yellow)
2 med. sweet (red) onions, sliced thin

In a large 6-8 qt pot bring 4 qts water to a rolling boil, add 2T sugar, 1T salt and carrots. Prepare ice water in a large bowl. Cook carrots 8-10 minutes until tender but still very crisp. Drain and put carrots into ice bath, stir. When cool, drain and place into a 9 x 13 baking dish with the bell peppers and onion. In a 2 quart bowl whisk tomato juice, vinegar, 3/4 c. sugar, mustard, 3/4 t. salt, pepper, and tarragon. Add oil in a slow stream while whisking. Pour this dressing over the carrot mixture, toss. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours; up to 3 days is fine.

SERVES 8

ASPARAGUS SALAD

16 Asparagus spears, blanched and cooled in an ice bath
8 thin slices of Proscutto di parma or rotundo cut in half
1/3 pound Blue cheese
Balsamic vinegar
12 pitted Kalamata olives
8 Roasted red pepper slices
Olive oil
S & P

Wrap each asparagus in a half piece of proscutto, and place 4 on each plate, top with blue cheese, put 2 pieces pepper on each plate and 3 olives. Top with vinegar, oil, S & P. Serve.

SERVES 4

BLANCHED PEA POD AND CARROT SALAD

2c. mixed greens
1c. blanched pea pods (snow peas)
1c. blanched julienned carrots
1 cucumber peeled and sliced
2 tomatoes cut in wedges
1/2 bunch green onions thin bias sliced

Carrots are blanched for 2 minutes, peas for 30 seconds. Then rinsed in cold water or given an ice bath. Next toss in the following dressing:

SESAME VINAIGRETTE

1/3 c. rice wine vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1t. sesame oil
1T. toasted sesame seeds (med. heat dry pan stir for 5 minutes)
1/2 T. tamari or soy
1/2 T honey
1/8 t. cayenne

Again this is enough dressing for several salads so refrigerate the rest it will keep for 10 days. Whisk together, toss with vegetables. Top salad with dressed noodles.
Serves 3-4

SEARED TUNA WITH MANGGO COOLIE – COMING IN SOON