I think I can safely say that the summer has arrived. We waited a long time and endured rain, cold and a much drawn out winter plus a non-existent spring. So it's time to bring on the summer and bring out the salads.

Now you know from previous posts that salads can be made from any ingredient and are definitely not limited to summertime. But I will admit that Summer and salads seem perfectly made for each other. As Forrest Gump once declared, "We was like peas and carrots, Jenny and me." (I guess back in the day peas and carrots were a common combo.)

Some summer salads can be filling like Orzo Pasta Salad, while others can be light and refreshing like Graped Up Bibb Salad or S alad Baby. Today's salad version is the latter, a refreshing burst of both color and flavor. Although I must have winter still on my mind, since this salad I often like serving in the fall and winter, but actually works equally well for summer.

Ingredients

6-8 c Baby Arugula
2 navel oranges, segmented
3/4 c pomegranate seeds
1/3 c red onion, thinly slice
1.5 c hearts of palm, thick slices
2/3 c Medjool Dates, sliced (optional)

Dressing
1/3 c juice from orange
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2/3 c olive oil
salt/pepper to taste

Instructions

This is fairly self explanatory, so no need for any complicated directions here. A simple assemble 'em up kinda salad.

Segment the orange, capturing the juices in a bowl as you cut them.
Slice the onions. I use a mandolin to get them super thin.
Cut the hearts of palm into 1/2" slices.
Remove pit and slice or dice the dates.
Open the pomegranate and remove the seeds making sure to take off any of the white pith.
Whisk the dressing ingredients together.

Arrange the platter in any way you see fit and drizzle the dressing over top. Recommendation: enjoy a crisp glass of white wine while you platter this up. I guarantee it will increase creativity and the overall enjoyment level of preparation.

I love the colors of this salad which is why I dubbed it 'A Jewel of a Salad', the tones are just that. What I really relish is the diverse flavors and textures that this offers. The arugula is peppery while the orange is cool and refreshing. The hearts of palm are mild and soft then the pomegranate offers up crunch and tang. The red onion gives the spicy note, and if you decide to use the dates, their sweetness is a perfect counterbalance. This is a salad that reaches all sensory notes, and shows how well sweet and savory, tangy and peppery play off one another. BBQ's are a-calling so bring this jewel of salad along to brighten any plate, or palate for that matter.

Whenever I'm in need of a light bite to add to my appetizer table, I immediately think of endive. Their scoop-like leaves make a perfect boat to float a variety of fillings plus super easy to pick up and eat.

A couple of weeks ago just such a heavy appetizer menu gave way for the endive to make an appearance and bring some freshness to the party. Since I wasn't originally thinking of serving endive boats, I wasn't sure what the filling would be this time. A quick glance around the kitchen revealed a few fresh, clean items raising their hands saying "Pick Me! Pick Me!"

Ingredients

1/2 Pink Grapefruit (originally slated for the citrus martini)
1/2 large Avocado (just because JC wanted some in the house after our Chile trip)
1/3 c shaved Fennel (because I was serving it in another dish)
1 Scallion (because I always have some in the house)
1/3 c Pomegranate seeds (Left over from another event)
2 Endive, leaves separated (I cut the end to get a clean edge)
1-2 tbsp minced red onion
1 tsp grapefruit juice
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
salt

Instructions:

I segmented the grapefruit. Cut the avocado into small chunks. Shaved the fennel, chopped the scallions, minced the onion, added the pomegranate seeds, then added a touch of grapefruit juice, a squeeze of lemon juice, 2 pinches of salt and an ever so slight drizzle of olive oil. Lightly tossed and filled the endive leaves. As an added touch, I chopped and sprinkled the fennel frounds on top.
And there you have it, a fresh medley of flavors to float this boat.

P.S. for a tad more plate decor, when I was segmenting the grapefruit I sliced the ends off leaving a bit of pulp to use as a center plate adornment. I also saved the middle of the endive, whose leaves are too small to fill but make for a nice little torch-like finishing touch.

I have several other ways to fill endive leaves. Look for the future post entitled "Endless Endive".

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