Now that one of the biggest food days of the year is behind us, I’m turning to a bevy of winter salads to lighten my caloric load before the next holiday feast. From tangy citrus to crisp endive, our recipes are guaranteed to provide a light and refreshing twist to your next meal.
Photo: Sang An
It’s the perfect time of year to enjoy a picnic with friends and family. So, pack your baskets, blankets, and snacks and head to the park. With great grab-and-go grub like sandwiches, chips, fruit, cheese and crackers, salad, dips, and spreads, it’s hard not bring them all along. But, we want you to tell us:
What’s your go-to food to pack for a picnic?
The Julia Child Centennial celebration continues this week with a salute to summer starring Julia’s recipe for Salad Niçoise. Julia often wrote about her love of this hearty mix of greens, potatoes, eggs, and tuna, noting that the salad is a “fine example of how to combine a number of good things into a happy whole, as well as into a whole main course.”
Check out the blogs below for their take on this timeless favorite and don’t forget to join the #JC100 party on Twitter (@JC100) and Facebook.
Photo: Gourmet/Romulo A. Yanes
In case you were so busy munching on lettuce that the news passed you by, May is National Salad Month, kicking off the summer season when most of us crave salad the most. And what’s a salad without a dressing? A boring bunch of greens. Salad dressings were consistently among the most frequently requested recipes at Gourmet magazine and for good reason: A perfectly dressed salad is a thing of beauty. Here are five dressings that are guaranteed to rock your salad bowl, if not your world!
BASIL CAESAR DRESSING: A fresh green riff on a flavor combination we’ll never tire of (photo above).
Mince 1 medium garlic clove. In a blender blend it with 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon anchovy paste. With motor running, add 6 tablespoons olive oil in a slow stream, blending until it’s emulsified. Add 1 cup basil leaves and ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, and blend until dressing is green. Serve with hearts of romaine, croutons, and shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano. (Be aware that the egg is not cooked.)
BLUE CHEESE AND CHIVE: This cries out for a wedge of chilled iceberg lettuce.
Whisk together ¼ cup each of mayonnaise and sour cream, 1 tablespoon each fresh lemon juice and snipped chives, and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper, then whisk in 1 cup crumbled blue cheese (1/4 lb; we love Maytag blue). Thin the dressing, if you’d like, with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water.
CARROT GINGER DRESSING: The Japanese restaurant favorite!
In a blender combine 3/4 cup finely chopped carrot with 2 tablespoons each seasoned rice vinegar, finely chopped peeled ginger, and finely chopped shallots, 1/2 tablespoon each of soy sauce and Asian sesame oil, a pinch of salt, 1/4 cup grape-seed oil or vegetable oil, and 2 tablespoons water and blend until smooth as possible, at least 1 minute. Thin with more water, if desired. Continue reading
If there is one food that should be making a more regular appearance on my plate, it’s leafy greens. For only a meager amount of calories, greens provide countless nutritional benefits, including a punch of Vitamins A, C, and K, as well as Iron and Magnesium. Health benefits aside, they’re also a blank canvas when it comes to sprucing them up, raw or cooked.
In my kitchen, many a bunch (particularly of the kale and spinach variety) have passed through a pan hot with oil or a simple squeeze of lemon, and are all the better for it. But it’s time to mix things up. A healthy breakfast sets the tone of my food choices for the rest of the day, and Kemp’s Eggs on Toast with Dandelion Greens is the ideal balance of protein, whole grains, and vegetables to do just that. I like to dress my fanciest locally-grown greens with Warm Sherry Vinaigrette, allowing the heat from the dressing to tenderize and slightly infuse each leaf. For greens that are just starting to turn, or for using up those attached to beets and other root vegetables, purée them into Creamy Fennel and Greens Soup.
How do you like to prepare fresh greens?
Photo: CN Digital Studio
A big salad is my go-to lunch year-round—I find a salad loaded with hearty grains and greens so much more satisfying than a sandwich, and it’s just as easy to make (I toss everything but the dressing in a reusable container and bring a little jar of vinaigrette to add at the last minute, then shake and serve). But this time of year, what to put in my reusable container to tote to the office becomes a little less obvious than it is in the summer, when the salads practically make themselves at the farmers’ market.
I’m sad to see the juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, snap peas, and tender lettuces go, but I’m also happy to welcome back some of their robust fall counterparts: radicchio, lacinato kale, fennel, dried fruit, apples and pears, roasted squash, cauliflower, and mushrooms, to name a few. See below for fall salad recipes that are exciting me now, then share your favorites in the Comments section:
Location: Vancouver, BC
What is your all-time favorite recipe from your blog?
It’s hard to say since my favorites change all the time. But one of my current favorites is this Garden Fresh Salsa because it’s very versatile and you can add in everything from peppers, cucumbers and pineapple in addition to the more traditional ingredients. Plus, my dad got me a food processor for a Christmas gift last year and whizzing up something still has loads of appeal.
What is your favorite restaurant and what do you order there?
Vancouver has lots of great restaurants but my favorite is The Alibi Room because it’s got a stunning selection of small batch beers on tap. It also helps that the space is gorgeous – lots of windows and it’s comfortable without being pretentious. Plus, they make a great burger and it’s close to home.
What’s your go-to quick and easy dinner?
If you’re looking for quick and easy, I think you could do no better than a soup or a stew. Or a quick pasta dish. Our CSA loves to give us kale and chard, so for a quick meal, I’ll get a pot of pasta cooking and in a large skillet I’ll saute some onions, garlic, some crushed red pepper, and kale until soft and fragrant. If you’ve got some nice farmer’s sausage, slice it up and throw it in as well. Pour in a little of the pasta water along with some chicken stock base and add in the drained pasta when it’s close to al dente. Let it simmer and reduce for a minute or two and add in a squeeze of fresh orange or lemon juice and some of the zest. Serve with grated cheese and it’s a surprisingly delicious and hearty meal that takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
Green Kitchen Stories’ earthy and delicious Beetroot, Zucchini & Apple Salad, topped with macadamia nuts, Queso Manchego, and herb and mustard dressing, is the perfect end-of-summer salad. Marinated, grilled zucchini contrasts with raw beets and apples, giving this healthy creation a great textural contrast.
Photo: Earthbound Farm
Gourmet Live caught up with Myra Goodman, who is co-founder of Earthbound Farm, the nation’s largest grower of organic produce. Goodman dished about salad, food safety, and the impact of the E. coli scare.
GL: What is the time line like from seed to table with regards to your organic salads (spinach, romaine, arugula, etc.)?Myra Goodman: The time line from seed to table will vary depending on the season. When it’s colder, the baby greens may take up to 45 days from seed to harvest. When it’s very warm, that period can be as short as 20 days. Either way, from harvest to your local store can take anywhere from two to seven days, depending on the distance. All of our greens have a 17–day shelf life as long as they are kept at the appropriate temperature, and part of that time accounts for our “test and hold” food–safety program. We test all lots of greens for pathogens, and then hold them for up to 16 hours while we await results of the testing. It takes a little extra time, but it’s an investment in selling only the healthiest food possible.
For the full story and more, download the free Gourmet Live app.
Dig in to summer’s freshest flavors with our Salad Seven Ways collection, now available in the Gourmet Live Store.
Toss big flavor into your classic side salad by serving up our Escarole, Fennel and Oak-Leaf Salad, or get a touch of flame-kissed flavor with our Grilled Skirt Steak and Arugula Salad. And for a floral touch to your table, try our Baby Greens with Roasted Beets and Potatoes that’s made with Nasturtium petals.
Download the free Gourmet Live app then head to the Library to access the Store for our Salad Seven Ways collection and more.
