Strings... of Bean, Pepper & Asparagus Salad

Many, many moons ago I made a string bean and pepper salad to bring to a BBQ. The hostess and guests loved it, but ironically I never made it again. Mostly because back then, I never wrote any of my recipe ideas down and had forgotten all about this one.  My memory was jogged when I was shopping yesterday and saw some of the ingredients.  I decided it was worth digging into the memory banks to revive this salad.  

The main ingredients I remembered

I knew I used string beans, red and yellow peppers with a creamy type of dressing. I also remembered that I cut the string beans on a severe angle, and julienned the peppers so that the visual effect was of all the ingredients being long and lean.  After that, quite honestly the rest was a blur.  This time around I found that I had asparagus in the back of the fridge and thought they fell right in line with the long and lean mantra. So, into this recipe they went. Then began the "recreation".   

Ingredients

4 c (approx) string beans, blanched then cut on a long diagonal
1 red pepper, julienned and blanched
1 yellow pepper, julienned and blanched
1 bunch asparagus, cut lengthwise on the diagonal, blanched
1 scallion, thinly sliced on the diagonal
Mint, chiffonade
 

Dressing

1/2 avocado
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 t course sea salt
1/8 t crushed black pepper
1/4 t whole grain mustard
3 T olive oil

String beans blanching

It's the peppers' turn

Now the asparagus

Instructions

Trim and wash the string beans.  In a saucepan, blanch the string beans until tender but still with a bite.  Cut both the red and yellow peppers into thin julienne slices.  Once the string beans are done, remove and cut them in long diagonal pieces. Add the peppers to same saucepan and lightly blanch.  These literally take 30 seconds to one minute. You just want to get the raw bite out of these.  Cut the asparagus stems on a long diagonal cut.  After removing the peppers, blanch in same saucepan.  Add all the vegetables to a serving dish. Add the scallions and chopped mint.  

I simply could not recall what I did for the dressing but I had an avocado and knew that would deliver a creamy version.  I used a mortal and pestle to combine all the above ingredients, whisking in the olive oil.  You certainly can use a mini blender in pulse mode or a fork to mash the avocado, then whisk all together.  Pour the dressing over the room temperature vegetables and lightly toss.  

This wasn't quite the original salad, and I'm not even sure how I can say that since I can't remember what the exact original salad was, but I liked it just the same.  I loved how I could taste the hint of mustard with a bright mint finish and that all the veggies still had a fresh bite to them.  I think this is a great spring and summer side dish for a warm evening's dinner or great for a afternoon BBQ.  This could also be hearty base for a sautéd fish.  It looks great. Tastes great. And truly is a quick and easy recipe to whip up in a hurry.  So hurry, get your long and lean strings of veggies on.
 

Salmon Salad... A Deconstructed Platter

As the weather gets warmer the urge to entertain grows.  Well, at least for me.  Although, if you were to ask my husband, he would say my urge to invite guests over is based solely on having free time, weather notwithstanding. He might be right.

Entertaining friends and family is such a treat.  Spending time and sharing food with loved ones, well, that's what living is all about.  However, the trick is to be able to actual spend time when invited guests come.  So entertaining has to be easy.  Look no further, for this recipe delivers a party on a platter. 

Usually, time of day will dictate the menu, as some dishes are clearly for lunch, while others are clearly dinner or breakfast.  Every now and then there are those star recipes that are the ideal crossover dishes.  This platter is one of those dishes.  It was originally devised for a brunch menu that I created last year but look deeper into its serving possibilities.  It's a perfect lunch,  or a summer dinner or simply ideal for a large party, indoors or out.  It's my take on a Niçoise salad but a bit deconstructed and replacing the traditionally used Tuna with Salmon, as I try to avoid Tuna due to high levels of mercury.  

Why I love this dish?  Let me count the ways.  

• Eighty percent of this can be easily prepped beforehand.  Even the day the before.  
• It's as simple as cutting up vegetables, roasting the onions and fish and assembling a beautifully abundant platter full of options. 
• You can use whatever vegetable combinations you have or whatever are your favorites
• Guests can grab whatever they like to compose their own 'salad' on their plate
• It's plentiful and fresh...and a gorgeous presentation
• It's room temperature so it's stress free serving
• And let's not forget... delicious

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs Wild Salmon, roasted
4 c string beans, sauteéd
2 large heirloom tomatoes, cut in thick slices
1/2 c thinly sliced red onion
1/2 English cucumber, sliced
1/2 c Moroccan oil cured black olives
1 c Greek yogurt
2 small yellow onions, cut in thick slices/oven roasted
1 endive, leaves separated
2 T chopped basil
1/4 c dill, minced
Olive oil, salt, pepper
roe, optional
Lemons

Instructions

In a roasting pan, place the slices of onions, drizzle with the Magic 3 (olive oil, salt & pepper). Roast at 425 degrees, turning once until they are caramelized.  About 30 minutes.  (These can be done ahead of time and left out at room temp before serving, or even slightly warmed up while the salmon is cooking). While the onions are roasting away, sauté the string beans with the Magic 3 to your liking.  I like these with some bite to them.

In a separate roasting pan, place the salmon skin side down. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and add the chopped basil on top.  Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees.  I do not like dry salmon and prefer to serve medium rare.

Salmon ready for roasting

While those are cooking away, prep all the other ingredients.  Thinly slice the red onion, cut the cucumber. Chop the dill and mix it into the yogurt.  Cut the lemon wedges.  Separate the endive leaves.  (Note: all the previous cutting can be done the day before and place in containers or baggies and kept in the fridge.) Once you have all those prepped, you can start assembling your platter by placing all the above items any way you like. For me, I feel color blocking makes an attractive platter.  I like grouping same items together and spreading the color around the plate for visual interest.  I also use small bowls to hold certain items like the olives, roe and yogurt. Remember to leave a space for the star; Salmon.  For a little more pizazz, I use fennel fronds as a base for the salmon. 

All it really takes is some assembling to "deconstruct". 

I have made this platter several times now and really do love it's presentation, it's flavors and it's adaptability to any guest.   I have added boiled potatoes or roasted beets to it on occasion which truly makes it a complete meal in and of itself.  This dish can be adapted for a gathering of 4 or a large party of 20.  Deconstructed salad... makes the best building blocks of a great meal.  Get your entertainment apron on start deconstructing. 

Spicy Chick Pea Crunch

I love crunch.  I'm always looking for a snack that delivers that kind of texture.  I also like to have this type of offering on a party table such as spiced nuts or these Spicy Chick Peas.  It's an easy item to to have at the ready when guests just arrive as you serve up cocktails, as well as placing around the party setting or on a cheese platter.  It's the kind of appetizer that people can pick up a handful and pop in their mouths as they go.

Abundant charcuterie platter with cheeses, dry cured meats, Marcona almonds, dried apricots and of course, Spicy Chick Peas.

There are many versions of roasted chick peas but I like them a bit spicy.   I experimented with a blend of spices that creates enough heat to make you notice but not so fiery that you can't or won't want more.

Here's the combo I ultimately came up with and love.

INGREDIENTS

1 can of Chick Peas (29 oz), rinsed and drained
1 t course sea salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chili powder
1 t tumeric
1/2 t cayenne pepper
2 T olive oil  

INSTRUCTIONS

Toss all above ingredients together and place on a roasting pan.  Roast at 400 degrees for 45 minutes until the chick peas have dried out.

Turn oven off and let sit for another 15 minutes, or take out and leave in the pan for 1/2 hour.  (This step is important because if you put them in a closed jar right away they will get soggy.  But they can still be saved by putting them back in a low oven temp to dry out. How do I know this?  I made the mistake and figured out a solve.)  

Crispy, fiery nuggets of crunch heaven

These are great served warm but are just as yummy cool.  These pair perfecting with red wine or a gin or vodka cocktail.  I have even taken some to the office as a snack, minus the vodka cocktail (although, there are some days when I wish I had one!).  Enjoy the Crunch... And the Heat.

Graped Up Bibb Salad

When I was growing up, salad was always a part our meal.  Every night without fail there was salad on the table. However, looking back now I realize that the salad remained the same; lettuce dressed with olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.  My mom used Iceberg lettuce for a long time before she realized that it had no nutritional value whatsoever. Yet even after she started using romaine lettuce, the salad stayed exactly as before: Just the Lettuce, Ma'am.   

I can't quite remember when salad became so important to me.  I'm not sure if I started experimenting during my High School years or maybe when I became a vegetarian in college. The starting point isn't as important as where I am today.  I love salads.  I love making them.  I love eating them. But most of all, I love sharing them.

Whenever I am planning a meal or dinner party, I consider salad to be one of the main dishes not the wallflower that stands on the sidelines hoping someone notices. Yet, I do keep in mind that it does need to complement the meal, not steal the show.  The flavors should enhance and unify the rest of the food offerings.  This Graped Up Bibb Salad did just that as one of the stars of a recent brunch. It was the bridge between the Citrus Salad: Martini Style to the rest of the meal. The two types of grapes played so well with the two types of Apiaceae vegetables; celery and fennel.  The mildness of Bibb lettuce provided a wonderful, soft backdrop so the other ingredients could pop when blended with a lemon mustard dressing. It was a lovely mix between the sweet and savory.

INGREDIENTS

1 lg or 2 small heads of Bibb/Boston lettuce
1/3 c thinly sliced scallions
1 c chopped celery
1 c red grapes, halved
1 c green grapes, halved
1/2 c sliced fennel
(reserve the fronds to mix into the dressing)

Dressing

1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1 tsp whole grain mustard
1/4 t crushed garlic
1/2 c olive oil
1 T chopped fennel fronds
salt & pepper to taste
Whisk together until well blended and pour over salad right before serving.

Like a crisp morning day, this salad is a fresh start to any meal and perfect for a brunch.

I'm dedicating this post to my fabulous husband on this day his birthday.  He is a huge fan of my salads, and I'm so grateful to have him in my life,  supporting me and my many endeavors.  Together, life is grand. Here's to creating, testing and enjoying salads for decades to come. 

My handsome, supportive and loving husband, JuanCarlos... and me.

Citrus Salad: Martini Style

Mother's Day is approaching and often times a sumptuous breakfast in bed is on the menu.  But if time doesn't allow for such an elaborate offering, try presenting her with this simple refreshing breakfast starter, and maybe add a bubbly glass of Proscecco.  This is such an easy way to serve up a fruit salad, but I think it's the stemless martini glass that ups the ante just enough.  

Every time I serve this salad I love hearing the 'ahs' and 'yums' from our guests.  It must be the crisp, fresh flavors of the citrus fruit blended with that pop of blueberry tartness combined with the crunch of the almonds, the sweetness of the coconut with that blast of cool mint.  Just writing that made my own mouth quench for one.  

With the Vitamin C power from the citrus, the highest of antioxidants given by the blueberry, good fatty acids and vitamin E presented by the almond, and vitamin rich coconut, this salad will put a smile on your face and energy in your step.  Heck, try it because it's delicious, the other stuff is just gravy.

INGREDIENTS

3 red grapefruits, segmented
2 orange, segmented
2/3 c blueberries
1/4 c almond slivers
1/4 c coconut shavings, unsweetened
Mint
Homemade Granola (optional)

This amount makes 4 servings.

 

INSTRUCTIONS

Segment the citrus fruits and place them in bowl with the blueberries. As you are cutting the fruit be sure to reserve the juices. Cut some of the mint into ribbons and add to the fruit.  Spoon the fruit mixture into a pretty cup, adding a few spoonfuls of the juices to each glass. I used stemless martini glasses. Sprinkle the coconut and almond slivers right before serving and top with a few whole mint leaves.  

I also offered my homemade granola for my guests to top off. You definitely would not want to plate it with the granola as it would get soggy.

Honestly, this is so simple but packs a powerful punch as breakfast or brunch starter.  I often serve this as part of my brunch menu.  I think if you offer this up on Sunday it will be a great start to a very Happy Mother's Day.

Postscript: It dawned on me that you could splash some Prosecco over the top to kick this into a true cocktail type brunch item.  I haven't actually tried that but, hey why not?