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Salads

Roasted Tomato Salad With Goat Cheese Crumbles
Ingredients:
4 cups mixed spring greens
16 roasted tomato halves, cooled
3 diced green onions
1 (6 oz.) goat cheese cylinder
fresh herbs as desired
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Arrange the greens, fresh herbs, and onions on four individual plates. Mix the vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper together until well blended.
Cut the tomato halves in half once more, and arrange attractively on the salad greens. Crumble the goat cheese over each plate, and then drizzle with the dressing.
Serve immediately.

Rice Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked Italian carnaroli rice
3 small, ripe tomatoes, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup zucchini, finely chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup blanched carrot rounds, finely chopped
1/2 cup black olives, chopped
1/4 cup capers, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

Preparation:
Cook the rice in three cups of water and a dash of salt by bringing to a boil. Reduce the heat, stir, and simmer until it is tender but still has a bite, about 18 to 20 minutes. Drain the rice, and rinse under cold water. Let dry.
Once the rice has cooled, mix it with the remaining ingredients. Toss well, and let sit 30 minutes for the flavors to meld. Serve.

Grilled Eggplant And Tomato Salad
Ingredients:
6 small, firm eggplants
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups ripe cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped capers
3 tablespoons chopped, fresh herb of choice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Slice the eggplants into 1/2 inch rounds. Heat up the grill and brush it lightly with a little of the olive oil.
Lay the eggplant rounds on the grill, and brush the tops lightly with olive oil. Grill about 2 minutes on each side, or until they are soft and golden brown.
Remove the cooked eggplant to a serving platter, and continue cooking until they are all completely cooked.

Spread over the eggplants, the cherry tomatoes, onions, garlic, parsley and capers. Mix the remaining oil with the balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle over the dish.
Season with salt and pepper, and mix the mixture lightly, being careful not to break up the eggplant. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Porcini Mushroom Salad
Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh porcini mushrooms
2 bunches of arugula, washed and dried
parmesan cheese shavings
Dressing:
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Preparation:
Mix the dressing ingredients together. Quickly wash the mushrooms, not letting them sit in the water too long. Drain, and slice very thinly.
Toss the mushrooms with the balsamic dressing to coat well. Arrange the arugula on four plates, and top with the mushrooms.
Arrange the cheese shavings on top. Serve

Panzanella
Ingredients:
8 oz. stale Italian bread, heavy crusts removed
3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 small cucumber
1 small bunch of fresh parsley or basil
10 pitted black olives, chopped
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/3-cup olive oil

Preparation:
Break the bread into pieces, and soak briefly in water until moistened. Carefully squeeze dry. Place the bread in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

Grilled Potato Salad
Ingredients:
8 medium red potatoes
2 large red onions
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Microwave the potatoes until they are half cooked. Remove and cut into halves or quarters if they are large.
Cut the onions into 1 inch slices, using wooden skewers or large toothpicks to hold them together. Grill both the onions and potatoes over medium heat until they are fork tender and browned.

To prepare the dressing, mix the oil, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Chop the onions and potatoes into bite sized pieces, and place in a serving bowl.
Add enough dressing to coat well, and mix thoroughly. Save the extra dressing for another purpose. Add the fresh chopped parsley and mix again. Serve warm.

Fennel Orange Salad
Ingredients:
2 large fresh bulbs of fennel
4 blood oranges
1 cup pomegranate seeds
3 green onions, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
6 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
shavings of parmesan or pecorino cheese to serve

Preparation:
Remove any brown or damaged outer sections of the fennel bulbs. Cut them in half, and cut out the cores.
Either using a mandolin, or a very sharp knife, slice the fennel very thin. Place the slices in a bowl, and toss with the lemon, oil, and salt and pepper.
Cut the oranges into sections, removing the membranes and white pith. Add the orange sections and pomegranate seeds to the fennel and toss gently.

On four individual plates, arrange the fennel, oranges, and seeds attractively.
Sprinkle some chopped onions on each plate, and then add the shavings of cheese. Serve.

Harvest Salad
Ingredients:
4 medium small sized beets
1/4 cup olive oil
2 seedless oranges
seeds from 1 pomegranate
3 oz. log semi soft goat cheese
3 cups baby arugula
4 green onions (scallions), chopped
Dressing:
3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Mix the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. F. Place the beets in a shallow baking dish, and pour over half the olive oil. Roll the beets to coat, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until fork tender, about an hour and thirty minutes. Remove from the oven to cool.

Remove the peel and white skin from the oranges, and cut into thin wedges, removing the membranes between.
Remove the skin from the pomegranate, and take out the seeds. Skin the beets, and cut into 2 inch pieces.

Buon appetito!

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