4/26/17 Cook’s Corner
Betty Kaiser
A crisp green salad is always a bright and perky accent to
whatever you’re serving for dinner. But after a long, wet winter, the lettuce
we buy for our salads can be very disappointing. The dreary days and endless
winter rains) lettuce is often kind of wimpy and tasteless.
In fact, my dinner salads have been so boring that not even
the dogs want to eat them. I finally gave up on my old stand-by-salad of
lettuce, tomato and avocado. Instead, I opted for fruit combos. I think I’ve
added more shredded carrots, cabbage, cranberries, apples and oranges to
lettuce salads than ever before.They are really tasty with a bottled raspberry-walnut dressing
I have the same bland, boring problem with green vegetables.
One can only eat so much broccoli or green beans and I have had my fill. So I went
looking for a different, tasty and interesting green leaf lettuce salad AND an
unusual green vegetable combination. I found both in an old “Good Housekeeping”
magazine.
The following recipes violate my rule of “the fewer
ingredients the better” but they are worth the effort. The salad is a little
confusing because it has three parts: dressing, pickled red onions and the
salad base of greens, etc. But is tangy, crispy and different. The Spring
vegetables are a meal in themselves.
Good luck and enjoy!
BAJA SALAD
Cilantro Dressing
1/4 c. packed fresh
cilantro leaves
1 clove garlic
2 tablespoons fresh
lime juice
2 tablespoons liquid
from pickled red onions (see below)
1/4 c. olive oil
Make Dressing: In
small food processor, process cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and pickled-onion
liquid until garlic is minced and cilantro is finely chopped. With machine
running, slowly pour in oil until dressing is well blended. Season with kosher
salt. Dressing can be made up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.
Pickled Red Onions
1/3 c. fresh lime
juice
1/4 c. distilled
white vinegar
10 oz. small red
boiling onions (about 30), peeled and halved, or 1 red onion, thinly sliced
(about 1 cup)
Make Pickled Red
Onions
If using boiling onions: In medium bowl, stir lime juice, vinegar,
and 1 teaspoon kosher salt together. Heat medium saucepan of water to boiling
on high. Add small onions; boil 1 minute or until just softened. With slotted
spoon, transfer to bowl with lime juice mixture. Cover and refrigerate,
stirring occasionally, at least 40 minutes or until cold. Makes 2 cups.
If using sliced onion: In small bowl, combine sliced onion, lime
juice, vinegar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cover; refrigerate 30 minutes, stir
occasionally. Makes 3/4 cup.
Transfer to a jar;
refrigerate (up to 2 weeks) until ready to use.
Salad
3 c. coarsely torn
romaine lettuce hearts (from 1 head)
1 1/2 c. green
cabbage, very thinly sliced
4 radishes, cut into
matchstick-size strips
1 carrot, cut into
matchstick-size strips
1 c. cherry
tomatoes, halved
Pickled Red Onions
(see recipe below)
2 small avocados cut
into large chunks
1/2 c. coarsely
crumbled Cotija cheese or feta cheese
3 tbsp. toasted
shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 1/2 c. tortilla
chips, coarsely crumbled
Make Salad: Just
before serving gently toss romaine, cabbage, radishes, carrot, and tomatoes
with enough dressing to coat. Season with salt. Drain pickled onions and
scatter over salad. Top with diced avocados, Cotija cheese, pumpkin seeds, and
crumbled tortilla chips. Serve immediately. Serves a lot!
QUICK BRAISED SPRING
VETABLES
4 green onions,
trimmed and slices
2 cloves garlic
(finely chopped)
3 tablespoons
olive oil
3 tablespoons
lower sodium chicken broth (or water)
8 ounces
asparagus (trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces)
1 cup fresh
fava bean (shelled, from about 1 pound pods, peeled, or sugar snap peas,
trimmed and halved crosswise)
1 cup garden
peas (shelled fresh, from about 1 pound peas in the pod or frozen peas, thawed)
1/2 head
escarole (torn into bite-size pieces, about 2 cups)
1/2 cup loosely
packed fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon
grated lemon peel (finely)
1 tablespoon
fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon
chopped fresh chives (finely)
1/2 cups baby
spinach leaves (loosely packed)
Parmesan cheese (for
serving)
In heavy 12-inch skillet, combine onions, garlic, oil and
broth; heat to simmering on med. heat. Cover; cook about 2 min. or until onion
softens slightly.
Add asparagus, fava beans and peas and sauté 2-3 min. or
until heated through. Add escarole, spinach and basil; sauté 2-3 min. or until
escarole wilts and asparagus is crisp-tender.
Stir in lemon peel and juice. Season to taste with kosher
salt. Transfer to serving platter; sprinkle with chives and grated Parmesan.
Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Keep it simple
and keep it seasonal!
Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s Corner is dedicated to sharing a
variety of recipes
that are delicious, family oriented and easy to prepare.
