Salad suggestions

[lyndalou]

We are having a group of people over for a Memorial Day party - ther will be 14 - 16 of us. I plan to do some chicken drumsticks on the grill and will have a black bean salad and a potato salad for sure. Can anyone suggest some other sides? I think dessert will be brownie sundaes.

Any suggestions will be really appreciated.

 

[HanArt]

Baked beans, deviled eggs, cole slaw, corn on the cob, pasta salad...

 

[GB]

Fennel, Apple, Celery Salad with Cilantro and Lemon

This was a salad I made for mothers day. It was very refreshing and delicious. I have a mandolin which had a julienne blade so it made preparation very easy. I don't think I would have wanted to do this all by hand. The shredding blade of a food processor might work for this too.

Fennel, Apple, Celery Salad with Cilantro and Lemon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Cracked black pepper
2 large Granny Smith apples, julienned
1 medium head fennel, cored and julienned
3 large ribs celery, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped or more to taste (this can be left out if your guests don't like cilantro)

In a large non-reactive bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the apples, fennel, celery and cilantro. Toss until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.

I did not add the following, but after eating this salad I though both crumbled bleu cheese and/or a little dill would work very well in this salad as well. Next time I make this I will add one or both.

 

[GB]

Black Eye Pea Salad

This is one of my absolute favorites.

Black Eye Pea Salad

2 cups black eye peas
4 oz. white onion - diced
6 oz. red bell peppers - diced
4 oz. black olives - chopped
1 tbsp oregano
4 oz. parsley
(great with cilantro too)

For the dressing:
6 oz. EVOO
Zest of half a lime
4 oz. white vinegar
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.
Mix dressing in a separate bowl and pour over salad.
Adjust with salt and pepper to taste.

This is even better the second day.

 

[GB]

Greek Cucumber Salad

Greek Cucumber Salad

1 cup cucumber diced (I use 1/2 to 1 full English cuke)
1 cup tomato chopped (I used 1 lg tom)
3/4 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup kalamata olives sliced
3-6 scallions slices
handful of parsley chopped
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic minced
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons EVOO
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
toasted pita bread torn (optional)
Feta cheese



Combine the cuckes, tomato, chickpeas, olives, scallions, and parsley in a bowl.

Whisk lemon juice, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper. Drizzle EVOO into lemon mixture while whisking. Stir in mint. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add Feta to taste.

Toss salad with vinaigrette and toasted pita (if using). Serve at room temp.

 

[PA Baker]

Orzo with Spinach and Tomatoes

1 lb spinach, washed, dried, stems removed
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
2 lemons, zested
1 ½ c orzo, cooked al dente
1 Tbsp EVOO
24 basil leaves, torn or thinly sliced
Salt and pepper

Pile spinach leaves in stacks 1 on top of the other. Thinly slice stacks of leaves to make spinach confetti. Pile shredded spinach into the bottom of a medium sized mixing bowl. Halve grape or cherry tomatoes with a paring knife and add them to the mixing bowl. Add the zest of 2 lemons to the bowl and save the lemons in the refrigerator to juice for another recipe. Add hot cooked and drained orzo pasta to the mixing bowl. The heat of the pasta will wilt the spinach and warm the tomatoes at the bottom of the bowl and get the juices flowing from veggies. The heat of the pasta will also release the flavor and oils in the lemon zest. Drizzle 1 Tbsp EVOO over the pasta and toss to combine the veggies and orzo. Add basil and salt and pepper and toss to combine. Taste your orzo to adjust seasonings and serve.

 

[pdswife]

Olive Oil bread Spread

1 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablepoon dried Oregano
3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped sundried tomatoes

Mix all of the above and let sit for two hours
so that the flavors all meld together.

Great for bread dipping.

 

[lyndalou]

OMG. Thanks to all of you. Now I have some hard decisions to make. I'll eventually try all of these, I know. They all look great. Thanks again.

 

[kitchenelf]

This was a salad I made for mothers day. It was very refreshing and delicious. I have a mandolin which had a julienne blade so it made preparation very easy. I don't think I would have wanted to do this all by hand. The shredding blade of a food processor might work for this too.

Fennel, Apple, Celery Salad with Cilantro and Lemon

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Cracked black pepper
2 large Granny Smith apples, julienned
1 medium head fennel, cored and julienned
3 large ribs celery, sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped or more to taste (this can be left out if your guests don't like cilantro)

In a large non-reactive bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Add the apples, fennel, celery and cilantro. Toss until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings.

I did not add the following, but after eating this salad I though both crumbled bleu cheese and/or a little dill would work very well in this salad as well. Next time I make this I will add one or both.

GB - I make something almost exactly like this except it's apple fennel and chopped walnuts and some spring onion too - make a walnut vinaigrette and add some of the fennel leaves to it. Pour over and toss and right before serving see if more needs to be added. Plate and put a nice piece of grilled salmon on top.

I thought this would make a nice dressing/topping for a spring mix and after I tasted it I added blue cheese to it - GMTA

 

[GB]

Walnuts!!! OMG that is brilliant! What a great flavor combination!!!