March Crazy Salad (V)

Cooking skills focus: Roasting, sautéing, balancing flavors

Ingredients:
2 # baby red potatoes, cut in half

2 T cooking oil

Salt & pepper

2 t Ras El Hanout spice blend

2 # crimini (brown) mushrooms, quartered

4 T cooking oil

Salt and pepper

1 grapefruit, juiced

1 lemon, juiced

1-2 T olive oil

1 T Ras El Hanout

Salt and pepper

2 bu lacinato kale, sliced ½” thick

2 honeycrisp apples, medium diced (1/2” on a side)

3 bell peppers, julienned then cut in half

1 bu spring onion, sliced thinly

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Toss the potatoes with the first 2 T cooking oil, salt, pepper, and 2 t Ras El Hanout. Put on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Heat a large sate pan over high heat, then add the 3 T cooking oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté until browned, then set aside in a large bowl.

4. In a medium bowl, whish together the citrus juice, the olive oil, the last of the Ras El Hanout and season with salt and pepper.

5. Add everything to the large bowl, toss together, then toss with the dressing and serve.

Red Salad (V)

Cooking skills focus: Roasting, sautéing, balancing flavors

Ingredients:

2 # Yukon gold potatoes, diced medium (1/2” on a side)

2 T cooking oil

Salt and pepper TT

2 T cooking oil

1 head red cabbage, cut in quarters, core removed and sliced thinly

1 bu red chard, stems removed and leaves cut bite-sized. Stems sliced ½” thick.

Salt & pepper TT

1 T cooking oil

1 red onion, julienned

½ head garlic, cloves peeled & sliced thinly

½ bu celery, stalks peeled & sliced ¼” thick

3 bell peppers, cut into bite-sized strips (julienne, then cut in half)

2 lemons, juiced

2 T Melange Classique spice blend (from World Spice Merchants)

½ bu parsley, minced

Salt & pepper TT

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Coat the potatoes in the first 2 T cooking oil and season with salt and pepper, then roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside in a large bowl when done.

3. Heat the large sauté pan over high heat, then add the next 2 T cooking oil. Add the red cabbage, chard stems and cook for 3-4 minutes, remove to the large bowl.

4. Heat the sauté pan over high heat again, then add the last 1 T cooking oil. Add the onion, garlic and celery and cook 3-4 minutes. Add to the large bowl.

5. Add the peppers, lemons, spice blend, parsley and season with salt and pepper. Serve.

French Fall Vegetable Salad (V)

Cooking skills focus: Knife skills, sautéing/caramelizing, roasting, balancing flavors

Ingredients:

1 ½ # tomatoes, diced large (I know they aren’t seasonal, but they were cheap and available when I went shopping)

2/3 C red wine vinegar

Salt & pepper TT

2 T cooking oil

1 # yellow potatoes, diced large (3/4” on a side)

1 t Melange Classique spice blend (from World Spice Merchants)

salt & pepper TT

1 t cooking oil

2 acorn squash, sliced 1” thick and seeds/insides removed

salt & pepper TT

2 T cooking oil

1 ¾” Brussels Sprouts, sliced ¼” thick

1 T cooking oil

2 bags braising greens mix

3 T olive oil

2 cara cara oranges, juiced

1 lemon, juiced

4 t Melange Classique spice blend

salt & pepper TT

2 avocados, medium-diced

Instructions:

1. Toss the tomatoes with the red wine vinegar, salt and pepper, and set aside until the end.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Toss the potatoes with the first 2 T cooking oil, salt & pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside when done.

3. Meanwhile, coat the acorn rings in the next 1 t cooking oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and soft. When done, remove the peel and cut into large cubes, then set aside.

4. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the next 2 T cooking oil. Add the Brussels sprouts and begin to caramelize for 10-12 minutes, or until browned and tender.

5. Heat the sauté pan again over medium-high heat, Add the last of the cooking oil, then add the braising mix and briefly brown for 5-6 minutes.

6. Combine all ingredients (remove the tomatoes from their marinade) except the avocados, then add the avocados at the end so they don’t get too mashed up.

Green Bean, Caramelized Onion & Apple Salad (V)

Cooking skills focus: Knife skills, sauteeing, blanching, balancing flavors

Ingredients:

2 T cooking oil

2 yellow onions, sliced thinly

1/2 head garlic, cloves peeled & sliced thickly

salt & pepper TT

½ C water

1 1/2 # green beans, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces

3 carrots, trimmed & cut into half moons ¼” thick

1 head romesco cauliflower (a.k.a. broccoflower), diced ½” on a side

2 Fuji apples, cut into large dice (1/2” on a side)

3 T olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

salt & pepper TT

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. The water should taste salty like the ocean.

2. Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add the 2 T cooking oil. Add the onions and saute on high heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic. Drop the heat to low and season with salt and pepper. Cook over low, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Add the ½ C water and cook another 10 minutes. The onions and garlic should be dark and gooey. Set them aside.

3. When the water’s boiling, drop the green beans in and get ready to pull them out again after 2 minutes. Spread them on a sheet pan to dry and cool.

4. Combine all remaining ingredients.

Berbere Broccoflower & Mushroom Chips (V)

Ingredients:
2/3 lb. crimini mushrooms, sliced about 1/4" thick
3 T cooking oil
salt & pepper TT

1 T cooking oil
1/2 red onion, diced small
1 head broccoflower, core removed and cut about 1/2" on a side
salt & pepper TT
1 lemon, juiced
1 t berbere spice blend, or more TT

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss the mushrooms with the first 3 T cooking oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes or until well-browned and crispy. When they dry, they should be like thick chips in texture.
3. While the mushrooms are roasting, heat a large saute pan over high heat and add the last of the cooking oil. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, then drop the heat to medium-high, add the broccoflower and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes more, then add the lemon juice and berbere. Add the mushroom chips. Serve as a salad by itself or as a topping for something else.

Redbor Kale & Pomegranate Salad (V)

Ingredients:
2 T cooking oil
1/2 red onion, diced
1 bu redbor kale, ribs removed and leaves cut bite-sized
salt & pepper TT

2 T cooking oil

1 pomegranate, seeds removed
1 orange, juiced

Instructions:
1. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the first 2 T oil and then half of the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the first half of the kale leaves. Cook for 7-8 minutes more, stirring occasionally and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup or so water, stir, and cook until the water evaporates. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the oil, onion and kale. Allow to cool slightly and then add the pomegranate seeds and orange juice. Serve as a salad by itself or on top of other vegetables, meat or eggs.

Broccoflower Potato Salad (V, if you don't add the sausage)

Sorry to say it like this, but if you can't have fun with this vegetable, I feel deeply sad for you.


Cooking skills focus: Roasting, balancing flavors

Ingredients:
1 1/2# baby red potatoes, cut in half
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper TT

2 T olive oil
1 # crimini mushrooms, sliced in half and thickly sliced
salt and pepper TT

4 sausages, cut or pulled into chunks 1/2" inch on a side

2 t maple syrup
3 T olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
1/3 C water
1/2 bu parsley, chopped finely.
salt and pepper TT
1 T Togarashi spice blend

2 heads broccoflower, diced small (1/4" on a side)
1 Fuji apple, diced medium (1/2" on a side)

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss the potatoes with the first 2 T olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 35 minutes or until golden. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, toss the mushrooms with the second 2 T olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until brown and slightly crispy. Set aside.
4. Roast the sausage in the oven for 20 minutes or until well browned. Set aside
5. Whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, lemon juice, water, salt and pepper, Togarashi and parsley.
6. Toss the dressing over the broccoflower and apple in a large bowl. Add the mushrooms and potatoes, toss and serve with the sausage as an optional topping.

The Mixer Salad

I made this for a mixer at a friend's house recently. I think the mixer may have evolved into a shindig at some point.

[In condensed recipe format]

2 T cooking oil
1 bu collard greens, ribs removed and cut into strips
1/2 C water
2 t soy sauce
black pepper TT

[heat a large saute pan, add the oil and saute the greens on medium-high heat for 10 minutes. then, add the soy sauce, water and pepper, stir, increase heat to a boil and boil off the water.]

2 T cooking oil
1 red onion, quartered and sliced
1/2 head garlic, cloves peeled & sliced
1/3 C water
1 t soy sauce
black pepper TT

[heat the saute pan again. add the oil and saute the onion and garlic on medium-high heat for 6 minutes. then, add the soy sauce, water and pepper, stir, increase heat to a boil and boil off the water.]

1 head cauliflower, cut bite-sized
3 carrots, cut about 1/2" on a side
1 bell pepper, cut 1/2" on a side
2 cans beans, drained
3 T olive oil
1 T truffle oil
1/2 t black pepper
1 T soy sauce

[combine all ingredients. serve now or later, hot or cold.]

Crazy Vegetable Salad (vegan)

From the September Pike Market Community Kitchen at the Pike Market Senior Center.

Cooking skills focus: Knife skills, roasting, balancing flavors

Ingredients:
4-5 yellow squash, cut bite-sized
1 yellow onion, cut in half and sliced thinly
2 C vinegar (white/red wine, rice, apple cider, or even distilled white will do)
2 C water
2 t salt
1 t pepper

1 # crimini mushrooms, cut in half and then sliced thickly
2 T cooking oil
salt & pepper TT (about 1 t salt & 1/2 t pepper)

2 bu spinach, trimmed & cut bite-sized
1 bu radishes, trimmed & sliced thinly
3 avocadoes, diced
2 cans of beans, drained & rinsed
1 lemon, juiced
2 T olive oil
salt & pepper TT

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Marinate the squash and onion: divide the vinegar, water, salt & pepper into two containers and put the squash in one and the onion in another. mix and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, toss the mushrooms with the 2 T cooking oil, salt & pepper, and transfer to a sheet pan. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes or until crispy. Set aside in a large bowl.
4. Remove the squash and onion from the marinade and add them to the mushrooms. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Season to taste and serve.

Another score for vegan goodness! This is less of a salad and more of a celebration of how nicely a variety of veggies and legumes can play together. Flavors and textures are distinctive but harmonize well.

Roasted Chard Salad

*Written for Clean Greens Farm & Market*

The texture of this salad is even more of a treat than the flavor, which is also excellent. Mmmmmmm!

Ingredients:
1 bunch rainbow chard, stems removed and leaves roughly torn (save for soup stock)
1 T olive oil
salt & black pepper TT
1 head red leaf lettuce, chopped bite-sized
1 C cherry tomatoes, halved
1 C Italian parsley, chopped
½ baguette, sliced 1/4" thick
Optional: 2 sausages, halved lengthwise and sliced. [Cook sausages in skillet over high heat using
approximately 1 t cooking oil for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through & well-browned.]

Dressing:
2 t soy sauce
1 lime, juiced
2-3 dashes ground cinnamon
4-5 dashes Tabasco sauce
2 T olive oil
Salt & black pepper TT

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Lightly crumple chard leaves onto baking sheet. Drizzle leaves with olive oil and mix with your hands. Add salt & pepper to taste. Chard should be left to roast for 12 minutes or until it is wilted & crispy around the edges. When done, set aside. But while it's cooking:
3. Line baguette slices on a baking pan, rubbing both sides of slices with olive oil, salt and pepper lightly. Bake until edges are browned. Once cooled to touch, use hands to break-up slices into bite-size pieces.
4. Combine chard and lettuce in large bowl with dressing, then top with baguette pieces, sausage (if used), tomato and parsley. Serve.

Super Vegan Salad

Bonanza of vegetables!

Ingredients:
1 T cooking oil
1 bu lacinato kale, washed and sliced thinly
salt & pepper TT

1 sm yellow onion, sliced thinly
1/2 C vinegar
1 large pinch each salt and pepper

1 C cashews
1 t olive oil
1 pinch salt
1/2 t curry powder

1 lemon, juiced
1 t masala kala or another masala spice blend
1/2 t salt
1/2 C olive oil

1/2 bu celery, peeled & sliced thinly
4 Persian cucumbers, washed & diced
4-5 heirloom carrots, washed & sliced thinly
1/2 C dried cherries

Instructions:
1. Toss the onion with the vinegar, salt and pepper and enough water to cover in a small container. Soak the onions for at least and hour and drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the cooking oil. Add the kale, season and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Toss the cashews with the olive oil, curry powder and pinch of salt. Set aside.
4. Whisk together the lemon juice, masala kala, 1/2 t salt and 1/2 C olive oil.
5. Toss all ingredients together and serve.

Summer Vegetable Salad

So pretty.



Ingredients:
2/3 lb crimini mushrooms; washed, cut in half & sliced thinly
2 T cooking oil
salt and pepper TT

2 T cooking oil
5 ears corn, kernels cut off the cob
1/2 head garlic, peeled & cloves sliced
1/2 red onion, diced small
salt & pepper TT

1 bu lacinato kale, 1/2" trimmed off the bottom and sliced 1/2" thick
1 t cooking oil
salt & pepper TT

2 bu French breakfast radishes, washed & trimmed
1 T white wine vinegar (I used a really nice Pinot Grigio vinegar that my mom sent me)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Toss the mushrooms with the first 2 T cooking oil and season with salt and pepper. Lay on a sheet pan and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes or until crispy.
3. In the meantime, heat a large saute pan over high heat and add the next 2 T oil. Add the corn, onion and garlic, season and saute for 6-8 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Remove from heat and reserve.
4. Heat the saute pan again over medium high heat and add the last 1 t oil, then add the kale. Season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Combine all ingredients and serve.

Chimichurri Braised Chicken & Black Bean Salad

(Chimichurri is originally from Argentina & Uruguay, but is now used widely)
from the last Pike Market Community Kitchen

Ingredients:
1/2 t cooking oil
4 whole chicken legs, scored
salt and pepper TT
1 red onion, diced
1/2 head garlic, peeled & sliced
2 t Chimichurri
2 cans black beans, rinsed well and drained
2 bell peppers, diced
1/2 C cashews
1 lemon, juiced
1 t Chimichurri spice blend (ours was from World Spice)
1/2 bu parsley, chopped

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over hgh heat. Add the legs (be careful! they like to spit hot grease at you!), season with salt & pepper and brown well. Remove to a baking dish.
3. In the same pan, saute the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes, then add to the chicken. Add the 2 t Chimichurri and mix. Cover the dish and braise for about 45 minutes.
4. Pull the chicken off the bones and combine with all remaining ingredients. Season to taste.

Cucumber & Sausage Green Salad

Ingredients:
1 t cooking oil
2 sausages, diced (I used smoked chicken pesto sausages.. any would be fine)
1 lemon, juiced
salt & pepper TT
1 T olive oil
4 Persian cucumbers (I found these at Trader Joe's... you could use one English cucumber instead)
3 C or so salad greens

Instructions:
1. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat and add the cooking oil.
2. Saute the sausage until well-browned and then remove to cool.
3. Add the lemon juice to the pan with a bit of salt & pepper and the 1 T olive oil. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and mix to incorporate; this is your salad dressing.
4. Combine all the ingredients when the sausage is pretty cool. Serve as-is or with bread.

Lamb Heart Salad

or... what did they call it last night? the bleeding heart? the bloody heart salad? it had something to do with blood and I think it was funnier than either of these. I had prepared beef heart before but never lamb, but it was a pretty straightforward muscle, with a few parts that were too rubbery for me to want to serve. find the lamb heart at a butcher and the pepper paste at a latin foods market.



Ingredients:
2 lamb hearts, fat & arteries trimmed (save trim) & diced about 1/2" on a side
1 t oil
2 shallots, peeled & sliced
1 t oil
1 bu radishes, washed & quartered
1 T & 1 t aji panca pepper paste
1/2 bu cilantro, sliced thinly
salt & pepper to taste
1 T white wine vinegar

Instructions:
1. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the heart trimmings and render the fat off of them for about 5 minutes. Remove the trimmings and discard (or save for stock).
2. Heat the pan to high heat, add 1 t of the oil to the pan and add the shallots. Allow to brown then lower the heat to medium. Season the shallots and caramelize them for about 10 minutes. Remove form the pan and set aside.
3. Heat the pan over high heat again and add the last 1 t oil. Add the diced heart and cook over high heat until brown and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a little water and add the pepper paste to coat the meat.
4. Combine all the ingredients, season to taste and serve.

This could also be a sandwich, or something served on crackers or toast.

Spring Salad

A kind of fussy salad, but a good salad.

this is a condensed-format recipe, designed for a pocket recipe book called "Learn to Cook" I made and gave out to random people at the Pike Market for a few months in 2009. some of the ingredients may be difficult to find outside of the market, and can be substituted or disregarded.

1/4 C hazelnuts [rough chop]
1 head bibb/butter lettuce [rough chop or tear bite-sized]
2 oz pecorino romano cheese [dice]
[combine these in a large bowl]

1 Fuji (or any) apple [dice]
1/2 bu thick asparagus [slice 1/2" thick]
2 T oil
[saute asparagus in oil over medium-high heat until tender, about 2 minutes. turn off heat and add apple to cool the pan.]
[when the asparagus is cooled but not yet cold, pour the asparagus/apple mix over the lettuce mix.]

1 lemon [juice]
1 t soy sauce
1/2 t agave nectar
1 pinch black pepper
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
[toss everything together and serve]

Cucumber & Almond Salad

(conforms to the elimination diet)
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 English cucumber
½ t salt
1 pinch pepper
1 tsp honey
1 lime, juiced
¼ bunch cilantro or parsley
1 oz almonds

Method:
Slice the cucumber about ¼ inch thick. Toss with everything else but the almonds and allow to marinate for 30 minutes. Top with almonds and serve.

Tuna & Broccoli Salad

(conforms to the elimination diet)

makes about 2 large salads

Ingredients:

1 bu. broccoli

1 t olive oil

pinch each of salt and pepper

¹/₃ C turkey stock

1 green bell pepper

One 3 oz. can of tuna (nice, imported tuna if you want)

1 t olive oil

1 lime, juiced

1 pinch each salt & black pepper

2 T white or black sesame seeds

Method:

Trim the bottom off the broccoli and peel the fibrous skin of the stalk. Slice the broccoli into ¼ inch planks.

Season the broccoli. Heat a large sauté pan, then add the first teaspoon of olive oil. Sear the broccoli over high heat in olive oil for a few minutes, then add the stock. Cook for one minute over high heat (stock should reduce a lot), move to a bowl and set aside.

Slice the bell pepper into strips and put in another large bowl. Add the broccoli.

Break the tuna into large chunks and add. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil; add salt, pepper and the sesame seeds. Toss lightly and serve or store.

Crab & Avocado Salad

(conforms to the elimination diet)

makes about 2 large salads

Ingredients:

¼ lb. crab meat (whatever source & quality desired)

1 avocado

2 carrots

¼ C pecans

1 T honey

½ lemon, juiced

1 pinch each salt & black pepper

Method:

Put the crab in a large bowl.

Dice the avocado and add.

Use a vegetable peeler to “whittle” the carrots into thin, papery coins. Start at the tip of the carrot and whittle at a 45 degree angle to it until you are holding a carrot nub. Eat the nub. Add the coins to the bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and toss lightly. Serve or store.

Apple and Kale Bread Salad

Ingredients:

1 loaf bread, cut into 1 inch cubes

2 yellow onions, sliced ¼ inch thick

1 bunch lacinato kale, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 T oil

salt and pepper TT

½ bunch celery, sliced ¼ inch thick

4 apples, diced

½ bunch parsley, sliced

1 bunch thyme, minced

1 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper TT

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400. Toast bread for 10 minutes.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add oil, onion and kale, and season with salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes, or until onion begins to caramelize.

Combine with all remaining ingredients and serve.