Creamy Tamari Dressing May 13, 2008

In keeping with the international flavor of these last posts, I want to share with you a salad dressing that uses up any leftover tamari or soy sauce you use to marinate - in my case, it was tofu.

I am a firm believer in not wasting.  So, if the recipe calls for ¼ cup of something and that would leave a tiny bit left in the jar… dump it all in.  You should not either save a tiny bit that probably is not enough for something else in the future, nor throw it in the garbage either.  So when I marinated some tofu pieces the other day and was left with about a good 1-2 tbs of tamari left on the little dish, I decided to use it to make a dressing.

Many people come to me asking me for simple salad dressed ideas… salad dressings is even one of the offerings I have in my try-out culinary business, believe it or not.  People want something healthier than the bottled, preservatives filled options in the market these days.  But apparently, they are stumped when it comes to mixing it up.

Hey, oil and vinegar with some salt and pepper is the ultimate dressing…  mixing ip different kinds of oils and vinegars will give you different results.  But what if you’re into creamy dressings?  The solution is Mayonnaise.  Veggie Mayonnaise in our case.   Pay attention kids, because this will happen really quick…

 

 

CREAMY TAMARI DRESSING

¼ cup Veggie Mayo

A good squirt of ketchup

1-2 tbs tamari sauce

A squirt of honey

1 tbs lemon juice

A pinch of garlic salt or garlic powder

 

1. Mix everything up in a small bowl and spoon it over your favorite salad.

 

My salad was a simple lettuce, tomato and cucumber salad. The dressing is creamy and a bit salty and tangy.  Great partner for any stir fry or Asian rice dish.

 

Comme Çi Comme Ça Salade Niçoise April 2, 2008

To celebrate my French classmates and to practice the French we learn at l’Alliance Française, I decided to host a French dinner  get-together - French food while speaking only in French…  Parlez-vous français, anyone???  Hey, one of my friends even showed up with her books to look up any word she might forget…  she’s hilarious.I decided to try a few adaptations from the cooking book and TV special that inspired me to take-up French again - Barefoot in Paris from Ina Garten.  I decided my menu would be Comme Çi Comme Ça Salade Niçoise and Croque Monsieur sandwiches.

Comme Çi Comme Ça means in English “more or less” or “so so” - this salad is a karma-free version of the original, which typically includes tuna and eggs.  The sandwich is also an adaptation, using a soy-protein smoked ham in place of the traditional real ham.  I must say that none of my guests were vegetarian and they could not believe the deliciousness of the dinner.

I’m telling you… They were both magnifique!!! 

 

COMME ÇI COMME ÇA SALADE NIçOISE

This salad is a composed salad with lots of ingredients.  It might seem like a lot, but if you take it little by little it will not seem as daunting as the ingredients list might suggest.  Please believe me, it’s simple.

1 recipe for French Potato Salad, recipe follows

Roasted button mushrooms, recipe follows

Marinated roasted red bell peppers, recipe follows

Sautéed green beans, recipe follows

1 head of Romaine lettuce

2 handfuls of grape tomatoes

1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thin

½ English cucumber, sliced thin

2 radishes, washed and sliced thin

Handful of olives - niçoise are best, but I also used lemon-stuffed manzanillas

Nicoise Vinnaigrette Dressing, recipe follows

1. Arrange the lettuce, potato salad, sautéed green beans, roasted mushrooms, marinated bell peppers, grape tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, radishes and olives on a large flat platter.

For the French Potato Salad:

10 baby red-skinned potatoes, washed and quartered

4 tbs vegetable stock

3 tbs white wine vinegar

½ tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp kosher salt

A few grinds of freshly ground pepper

10 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 stalk of green onion, sliced at an angle

4-5 leaves of basil, julienned

1. Boil the potatoes in a medium pot in salted water.  Cook for about 20 minutes, until they are just cooked through.
2. While the potatoes boil, prepare the dressing in a medium sized bowl that can accommodate the potatoes comfortably.  Whisk together the vegetable stock, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper.  While whisking, add the olive oil to create an emulsion. 
3. Drain the potatoes well and add to the bowl with the dressing.  Add the chopped green onion and basil.  Toss well to combine.  Cover bowl with a plastic wrap and let all the dressing to be soaked into the potatoes.
4. Set aside until you get ready the rest of the salad ingredients.

Marinated Roasted Peppers

4-5 jarred roasted Piquillo peppers

Splash of extra virgin olive oil

Splash of balsamic vinegar

1 tbs capers

¼ tsp grated garlic

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and let the peppers marinate while the rest of the salad ingredients are ready.

Sautéed Green beans

½ bag of frozen green beans - I really prefer fresh, but I found non at the market so this is a cool substitute

1 shallot sliced thinly

1 clove of garlic, finely minced or grated

A dash of olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Fill a medium saucepan with salted water and bring to a boil.  Pour in the frozen green beans and cook for about 3-4 minutes. 
2. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil and sauté the shallot and the garlic lightly.  Add the drain green beans and sauté with the shallots and garlic.  Season with Salt and Pepper to taste.

Roasted Button Mushrooms

1 pint of white button mushrooms, cleaned with a damp paper towel

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the mushrooms in half.  Place in a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.  Toss to coat.
3. Roast in oven (I do this in my toaster oven) for about 20 minutes until mushrooms are cooked and golden brown.

Niçoise Vinaigrette Dressing

1 tbs white wine vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

3 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 scallion, cut in big pieces

4 olives, pitted

1 tsp capers

A squirt of Dijon mustard

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground pepper

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. Combine all ingredients except oil in a blender.
2. With blender running, slowly add oil until completely incorporated and emulsified.
3. Serve in a dressing pitcher on the side of the salad.

This salad was so delicious, that my friend’s husband could not stop eating it.  This whole platter served only 4 people.  Accompanied by the Croque Monsieur sandwiches and my friend’s Aniette’s Bull… this was a complete meal.

Bon Appétit!!!

Spinach Strawberry Salad March 7, 2008

I went to Costco yesterday.  And here in Puerto Rico, Costco has the BEST produce you can find… everything is beautiful and fresh and gorgeous. 

I bought yesterday strawberries (you know how I feel about strawberries), grape tomatoes and organic baby leaf  spinach.  You’ll be seeing these ingredients in the next few posts, I’ll promise. 

As I was doing my Serious Eats site daily perusing - I noticed this Talk string about being on a “kick”.  I get those sometimes, but nothing lately.  I read the post from evilchefmom saying she’s on a Strawberry Spinach Salad kick…  That’s exactly what I bought today - baby spinach and strawberries, never thinking when I bought them I would actually eat them together.

I decided to make my version of what she wrote… I do not normally mix fruit in my salads, but I decided to take a chance.  The results were DELICIOUS!!!!  Sweet and tangy, a very different salad that screams for company…

 

SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD

for one

2 handfuls of washed organic baby spinach

3-4 beautifully ripe strawberries - hulled and cut in pieces or slices

2-3 very thin slices of red onion

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil - the best one you can find

2 splashes of balsamic vinegar - about 2 tbs

Salt and Ground pepper to taste

a squirt of Honey

1. In a medium sized bowl prepare the dressing - Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and honey.
2. Add the strawberries and onions to the dressing and toss to coat.
3. In a salad bowl, arrange the baby spinach leaves and top with the strawberries, onions and dressing.

I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this flavor combination, that I immediately made a mental note to serve this salad at any upcoming dinner party… this is too good to keep to myself.

Thanks eveilchefmom for showing me something I have never tried before… 

Avocado and Tomato Salad February 21, 2008

I have a pet peeve - why do TV chefs teach people to cut avocados using a knife and a spoon??   Cutting the whole avocado in half, taking the pit out using a knife, spooning the flesh away from the skin… why so much hassle???

For the single person… you would never be able to eat a whole avocado in one sitting… at least not the ones usually found here in Puerto Rico.  I believe these are called Fuerte Avocados.  It’s difficult to eat one in one sitting, unless you were making guacamole or cooking for a crowd.

First - it’s easier to cut avocados in wedges.  And if the avocado is ripe, the skin will come right off.  If you cut them in wedges, you just use/eat what you want at that moment and wrap the remainder with tight plastic wrap for the next time.  No need to eat a whole avocado in one sitting.

                          

So… avocado season is starting again… apparently, because they’re all over the supermarkets and markets.  So I bought one and made myself a quick easy salad to accompany my Green Banana Mash.

 

AVOCADO AND TOMATO SALAD

2-3 wedges of avocado, cut in pieces

1 medium sized tomato, cubed

Extra-virgin olive oil

Garlic Salt

1. Mix everything in a small bowl and enjoy

Quick Lettuce, Tomato and Corn Salad February 19, 2008

I had some leftover Sauteed Corn and Onions but not enough to eat by itself, so I created this quick salad.

I grew up eating canned corn…  I will out my mom and confess that when we were growing up, salad was many times opening up a can of corn or a can of string green beans.  I loved them, but now I know better.  One of my former secret indulgences were white rice with tuna,  ketchup and corn.  Mmmm!!!  My grandpa used to call this - Arroz Pio Pio. 

No need to heat up the corn, just take the chill off from the fridge and it’s good to go.

 

QUICK LETTUCE, TOMATO and CORN SALAD

Romaine Lettuce

Tomato

left over Sauteed Corn and Onions

Extra-virgin olive oil

the juice of 1/2 a lemon

Garlic salt

1. Place the lettuce, tomatoes and corn in a salad bowl.
2. Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice and garlic salt.
3. Toss together and serve.

Acid Fruit Salad January 19, 2008

Fruit salad come in different varieties - those made with what we call “sweet” fruits - like bananas, papayas, mangoes, red apples, etc.  And my favorite, “acid” fruit salads, made with fruits that are more tart, like oranges, kiwi fruit, grapes, strawberries, pineapples, etc.

At work, we planned a breakfast to celebrate a co-worker’s birthday.  I was somewhat surprised thta no one had offered to bring any fresh fruits.  The ”pot luck” menu was full of baked goods, greasy foods and not a fruit in sight.  So I offered to bring a fruit salad.  This is one of my favorite combinations…

 

ACID FRUIT SALAD

1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut in small pieces

5 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut in small pieces

2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut in small pieces

1 medium bunch of green or red grapes, cut in half and seeded, if not seedless

2 navel oranges, peeled and supremed

4 red plums, peeled and cut into small pieces

the juice of 1 lemon

honey to taste

1. Mix in a large bowl the pineapple, kiwi fruit, grapes and plums. 
2. When you peel and cut the apple, drizzle some of the lemon juice to prevent browning.  Add to salad.
3. To supreme the oranges, peel all the orange until you reach the flesh.  With a paring knife, cut in between each membrane so you get clean segments of orange without the membrane.  This way it’s easier to eat.  Add to the salad.  Squeeze the membrane over the salad to capture any remaining juice.
4. Drizzle with some honey to sweeten if the fruits are too tart.  This will also help “juice” the fruits a bit.

This is the best way to start your day… Enjoy!!!

Mustard Vinaigrette January 11, 2008

It’s the time of New Year resolutions… another one of mine - eat more salads at home.

I tend to eat big salads when I eat out or a side salad when I feel what I am eating is not that healthy - like a pizza. I try to add more nutrition by accompanying whatever I am having with a salad. But at home, sometimes I get lazy. But I have noticed that when I am hooked to the taste of an awesome dressing, I look forward to eating a salad at home everyday.

This is my new vice - Mustard Vinaigrette. Easy, tasty, and goes well with any greens and vegetables you might fancy in your salad. I did this to accompany my not-so-healthy veggie “chicken” nuggets.

I make this by “eye-balling” the ingredients… so bear with me here on the quantities.

MUSTARD VINAIGRETTE

1 tbs Dijon or Grain Mustard
1 tbs Apple cider vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste
Extra-virgin Olive oil

1. In the same bowl you’ll prepare your salad, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.
2. Then, pour olive oil slowly while whisking it in, until you get a nice emulsified dressing mixture.
3. Taste to adjust any seasonings.
4.  Add any greens and vegetables you crave on your salad.

I am sure you could use this vinaigrette to season grilled vegetables - like portobello mushrooms, peppers, onions, etc.

Enjoy!!!

Super Easily Dressed Green Salad December 22, 2007

This is my go-to dressing…

It’s sooooo simple, people usually don’t believe it only has 4 ingredients.  And the only thing you’ll dirty is your hands to toss it together with the salad.

This works with ANY green salad - romaine, arugula, iceberg, baby spinach or a spring mix. I added this time grape tomatoes, but it’s your salad, you can add whatever you’d like.  I’m just showing you the dressing…

 

SUPER EASILY DRESSED GREEN SALAD

1/2 bag of spring mix salad

6-7 grape tomatoes

the juice of 1/2 a lemon

about 1/4 cup of olive oil - use the best stuff you have around here

salt and pepper to taste

1. Place salad greens and tomatoes in a salad bowl.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper on top of salad.
3. Toss gently with your hands to dress.

Serve immediately.

Arugula-Red Onion and Orange Salad November 24, 2007

This is a recipe I learned while I was at a cooking seminar this past April called the Conscious Gourmet.  This was a wonderful 5 day vegetarian cooking course in Jupiter, FL.  It was lead by Diane Carlson and I learned to work with new ingredients and new flavor combinations.

I chose this salad for my Thanksgiving menu because it has curry and that gave me a Autumn feel to it.  My apologies for forgetting to take a picture of this…  I will make it again a do a whole photo shoot for you.

ARUGULA-RED ONION AND ORANGE SALAD

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon light sesame oil or canola oil

1/2 medium red onion, thinly sliced crosswise

4 cups arugula leaves

2 navel oranges

1. Pour the orange juice into a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and reduce, uncovered until you have 1/3 cup, about 15 minutes.

1. Combine the reduced juice in a small bowl with the garlic, salt and vinegar.  Whisk in the curry powder and oil.  Cut the top and bottom of the oranges.  Peel them with a knife, removing all the white pith exposing the flesh.  Cut segments of the orange following the line of each orange division.  or you can  just cut them crosswise, making discs of orange.
2. Heat 1″ of water in a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil and add onions. Blanch for 30 seconds.  Drain and plunge in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again.
3. Place the arugula in a bowl along with the onions and orange segments.  Just before serving, toss with the dressing and serve.

My mom loved the salad.  Even though we normally do not mix vegetable salads with fruits, she admitted the orange helps cool off your palate from the heat of the curry dressing.  This is a very tasty salad. 

Try it and tell me your impressions.

Romaine Salad with Citrus Ceasar Dressing November 17, 2007

This is a great recipe for a very tasting dressing.  The dressing is an adaptation from a Bobby Flay recipe.  This yields a nice amount of dressing.  I choose to toss the salads individually and save any left-over dressing.  I make the croutons from scratch because I have not been able to find whole wheat croutons yet.

 

Romaine Salad with Citrus Ceasar Dressing

1 -2 Romaine lettuce hearts

Whole Wheat croutons - recipe follows

Citrus Ceasar Dressing:

1/4 cup of orange juice with the juice of 1/2 a lemon

4 cloves of roasted garlic

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon egg-free mayonnaise

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Place the orange/lemon juice mixture, garlic, mustard, mayo, vinegar, salt and pepper in a food processor.  Blend until smooth.  With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and blend until emulsified.  Add the Parmesan and pulse a few times until incorporated.
2. Wash the Romaine lettuce and cut into slices.
3. Place in a mixing bowl, toss with dressing, croutons and additional Parmesan cheese.  Shaved or Shredded Parmesan looks really good here.

Whole-Wheat Croutons

1. Cut a whole wheat bagguette in squares.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Toast in a 350 degree oven until crispy and golden, for about 15 min.
4. While still warm, toss with parsley flakes.