Summer Salads

[Alix]

Kadesma got me thinking about the salads I do in the summer. Tell us what you served this week.

I served a coleslaw with balsamic vinaigrette and toasted almonds. Opened a bag of coleslaw (I'm too lazy to slice the cabbage myself!), generously salted it and left it to sit for a few hours. (Dad told me this softens the cabbage without "bruising" and it is lovely, just remember to drain the liquid or you will have too salty a salad)

While it was sitting I made a vinaigrette. I just tossed together some balsamic vinegar, a little minced garlic, a bit of sugar, some lemon juice and EVOO. I can't give you specific measurements because I was cooking for a LOT of people. Sorry, mess around and see what works for you. Then I poured some EVOO over some slivered almonds and tossed them in the microwave for a couple of minutes. When they were done I tossed them on the cabbage and then dressed it all. It was a huge hit.

I'll try to remember to post a couple more salad recipes later in the week. What did you do this week?

 

[ironchef]

I didn't do anything this week, but here are some summer salad ideas:

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/kanpachi-en-crudo-22938.html

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/calamari-fennel-and-orange-salad-22560.html

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f11/arugula-fuji-apple-salad-w-manchego-cheese-dried-16459.html

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f11/italian-style-seafood-salad-14011.html

http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f16/grilled-salmon-w-summer-veg-salad-citrus-vinaigrette-1993.html

 

[SharonT]

We did this salad for our lunch today:
baby spinach
small red potatoes - cook and allow to cool and slice
coarsely chopped celery
thinly sliced red onion
toasted slivered almonds
Toss spinach with tomato vinaigrette and put in large platter or bowl. Add salt and pepper to remaining ingredients and toss them with more vinaigrette and mound atop spinach. Chop fresh tomatoes and add as a border around the bowl.
It was great alongside Honey Mustard Chicken.

 

[licia]

I usually start out with romaine and just see what is in the fridge. Many times I can't make the same salad twice. I made one while we were at the farm and everybody really enjoyed it. The only problem I couldn't remember what all I had put into it. We eat lots of salad year round with grilled meat in the summer and with soup or casseroles in the cooler months.

 

[kadesma]

DH and I, when it's just the two of us, love a big salad and some warm bread and since today was hot and quiet ( no kids today or grandkids) I've added to the salad I posted this morning...Along with the hard cooked eggs and tomatoes I've added some imported oil packed tuna in large chunks, some cucumber, avocado, cannellini beans, a few blanched green beans and par boiled baby potatoes that I cut in quarters..NOw some parmesan bread and we're set.
kadesma

 

[licia]

Sounds delicious. Is this a recipe, or did you just add what you enjoy?

 

[kadesma]

Sounds delicious. Is this a recipe, or did you just add what you enjoy?

No special recipe,
I'm a watcher of things people eat, if it looks like I might like it I give it a try. My dad loved scrambled eggs and ketchup during the winter, in the summer it was scrambled eggs, and his garden tomatoes cut in wedges, sooo,
I thought eggs, tomatoes, I like those too and from there I raided the refridgerator and threw in things DH and I like..That's how I do lot's of things just mix up our favorites and see what I get

kadesma

 

[Ellen]

I like wedged tomatoes, (no core) beetroot, pickled or not, and red onion rings. Dressed or not.

 

[Alix]

OK, tonight we had company and lots of blueberries.

Spinach salad with blueberry dressing. I buzzed up about a 1/2 cup of blueberries with a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and about a 1/3 cup EVOO. I added a bit of sugar, but not enough. Next time I would add more sugar (say...about 1/4 cup) and maybe some garlic and a pinch of dry mustard. I just tossed this on the spinach and threw in some extra blueberries. If I were making for non allergic folks I would also have toasted some pecans...mmmmmmmmmmm!

 

[buckytom]

a little passe' i restaurants around here nowadays, but i still like a good mesculun salad with lots of frisse leaves, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and goat cheese puppies (dollops of goat cheese rolled in fine, toasted breadcrumbs), in a sweet balsamic viniagrette.

 

[Alix]

Hey buckytom, you have me drooling with that one! Have you ever rolled the cheese in poppyseeds? I just saw that in a picture and it looked good.

 

[Lynan]

Kadesma, your salad sounds like a Nicoise with your own touches...delicious!
Just the ticket for a hot day

Has anyone tried Gado Gado? Great Indonesian/Malaysian salad of vegetables at room temp with hard boiled eggs and a good peanut sauce. I want one now actually. Should not have brought it up, salivating at the computer is not a good look!

 

[DaCook]

I almost live on salads, as does my daughter, who shows up for lunch now and then. I have a basil vinegrette that I will share with you tomorrow, when I am not so tired. (Busy night at work) I have to actually find it first, and I don't want to put my feet down. I put it on my everything in the fridge salads. They vary, but I try to keep baby field greens, sweet peppers, tomatoes and red onion in the house. I love to add supremed oranges to salads as well, and add the juice to the dressing.
Oh yeah, there better be Feta cheese and/or olives in that salad.

 

[buckytom]

Hey buckytom, you have me drooling with that one! Have you ever rolled the cheese in poppyseeds? I just saw that in a picture and it looked good.

mmmm, poppy seeds have just found a new use in our house, besides bagels. gonna haveta try that. thanks alix!

 

[kadesma]

OK, tonight we had company and lots of blueberries.

Spinach salad with blueberry dressing. I buzzed up about a 1/2 cup of blueberries with a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and about a 1/3 cup EVOO. I added a bit of sugar, but not enough. Next time I would add more sugar (say...about 1/4 cup) and maybe some garlic and a pinch of dry mustard. I just tossed this on the spinach and threw in some extra blueberries. If I were making for non allergic folks I would also have toasted some pecans...mmmmmmmmmmm!

I'll have to give this a try Alix, it sounds so good. blueberries are plentiful right now and I have several packages I just bought.

kadesma

 

[kadesma]

a little passe' i restaurants around here nowadays, but i still like a good mesculun salad with lots of frisse leaves, toasted walnuts, dried cranberries, and goat cheese puppies (dollops of goat cheese rolled in fine, toasted breadcrumbs), in a sweet balsamic viniagrette.

passe phooey Bucky, mesculun salad is one of our favorites, and now that i've convinced them that goat cheese is GOOD, I'll try the rolled in breadcrumbs and watch them fight over any that are left
kadesma

 

[kadesma]

Kadesma, your salad sounds like a Nicoise with your own touches...delicious!
Just the ticket for a hot day

Has anyone tried Gado Gado? Great Indonesian/Malaysian salad of vegetables at room temp with hard boiled eggs and a good peanut sauce. I want one now actually. Should not have brought it up, salivating at the computer is not a good look!

Thanks Lynan,
but really it's just open the refrigerator and take your pick..I've not tried Gado Gado, but love a good peanut sauce..Makes me want to run out to get spring rolls from my favorite little place just to get their peanut sauce

kadesma

 

[SierraCook]

I have not made any salads this week, but I saw one served in a restaurant that looked yummy and made me wish that I had ordered it. It was a 2 wedges of iceberg lettuce topped with a blue cheese dressing, tomato, crumbled bacon, and diced red onion. It is like a version of a BLT sandwich with out the bread.

 

[LEFSElover]

Capitol Grille has the best salad, it's worth going just to eat it. Iceburg, fresh crisp and cold, with bleu cheese salad dressing on top with chunks of bleu cheese and walnuts.

I know what I have in the pantry, cans of this and that, lot's of incredible stuff in there and unusual too. Plus, a month ago while in Peru, I ate at a restaurant where they served this wonderful salad/dipping sauce dressing. I asked what was in it and they tried hard to tell me. I came home and had the ingredients, all very basic with luck on my side due to the purple basil in the yard and the elephant garlic too that's growing. I made it and it was unbelieveable. I think today, I'll raid the pantry and the frig and make that dip/dressing again. My garden is overflowing anyway

It'll be veggies, beans, nuts, salami, cheese, with the dressing

 

[BreezyCooking]

I have 3 favorite salads that I make frequently.

1) Diced or shredded poached chicken breast, diced smoked Gouda cheese, halved red seedless grapes, handful of walnut or pecan pieces, enough mayo to bind - served over mixed greens.

2) Mixed greens tossed with whatever wonderful antipasto-type items I have on hand - marinated artichoke hearts, different varieties of olives, diced cheese &/or meats, anchovies, capers, chopped fresh herbs &/or a sprinkling of dried oregano, dash of crushed red pepper flakes, extra-virgin olive oil & red wine vinegar.

3) Carefully washed & dried savoy-type spinach (not so easy to find these days!!), quartered hard-boiled eggs, crisp-cooked & crumbled bacon, sliced white button mushrooms, blue-cheese dressing. (This was a standard lunch item at the restaurant "Applause" in Manhattan, which I don't think is there anymore. It was a great little place - all the wait & bus staff were aspiring actors who worked there during the day, performed there at night during dinnertime, & had various auditions & theatre jobs at night as well. A friend & I used to go there for lunch frequently & order this salad - then laugh at ourselves thinking that we were being so "healthy", yet slathering everything in tons of blue cheese dressing - lol!!)