#composed salad

[planforgoodcooking]

Hope you like jelly with your pickled cabbage!

34 Selected Recipes for Delicious Dishes and Dinners with Kraut, undated (1949ish?)

[planforgoodcooking]

"potato salad"

Gelatine Home Cooking Secrets, 1972

[crazyblondelife]

Garden Party on a Plate - Fresh Tuna Salad

I’ve been making this Fresh Tuna Salad for as long as I can remember and it’s always a hit! I’m going to be honest and say that I would call it a Tuna Niçoise Salad but I totally forgot the olives and it was still so delicious! It’s a little untraditional because of the cherry tomatoes, but I love the freshness that they add. I sprinkled micro greens (my new obsession) over the top of the salad along with a little red onion for color.

If you’re serving a crowd, this salad is so easy to put together and it’s all you need other than a good crunchy loaf of bread and maybe dessert. The day I made this salad, it was raining and miserable out so I seared the tuna in a cast iron skillet, but usually I grill it…either way it’s delicious. Be sure to buy the freshest tuna you can find and leave it a little pink in the middle. Also…roast your potatoes so they have some crunch and don’t forget the flaky sea salt (I buy Maldon Sea Salt in bulk)!

{"image":"https://i.imgur.com/LWco5Ua.png","name":"Fresh Tuna Salad","prepTime":"PT20M","cookTime":"PT20M","totalTime":"PT40M","description":"This delicious recipe also makes a beautiful presentation!","yield":"As many as you like!","author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Suzanne Smith"},"recipeIngredient":["Fresh tuna steaks - I used albacore tuna","Baby lettuces","Small tricolor potatoes","Green beans","Olive oil","Salt and freshly ground black pepper","Garlic salt","Cherry tomatoes","Thinly sliced red onion","Hard cooked boiled eggs","Micro greens (any kind will do)","Mustard vinaigrette - homemade or bottled (recipe below)","For the mustard vinaigrette...In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper and 1/3 cup olive oil."],"recipeInstructions":["Drizzle potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic salt. Roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until crisp and brown.","Prepare the green beans in the same way and roast for about 10 minutes or until they reach desired doneness. I like mine still a little crisp.","Drizzle tuna steaks on both sides with olive oil, salt and pepper. Sear in a very hot cast iron skillet until medium rare - no more than about 5 minutes total for medium rare tuna.","Arrange baby lettuces on a large platter. Slice tuna steaks after they have cooled slightly. Arrange tuna, green beans and roasted potatoes on the lettuces and garnish with halved cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion, sliced eggs and micro greens. Drizzle dressing over all and enjoy!"],"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"Recipe"}

You can see what a beautiful presentation this salad makes so it’s perfect when you want to impress your guests! As with everything…make it your own by adding a little goat cheese or anything else that sounds good to you and…don’t forget the olives!

Last week was a very busy one! My oldest daughter turned 37 on Monday and we had everyone for birthday dinner and I hosted my book club here on Thursday night for dinner. On Friday, I attended the Art in Bloom exhibit at the Museum of Art in Raleigh and yesterday, went back to Raleigh for lunch at Rosewater Kitchen and Bar (highly recommend) and shopping with my daughter for her birthday! It was a jam packed but really fun week and I’m so behind on everything! I hope you all are having a fabulous weekend! Don’t forget to keep those comments coming!

Thanks for reading today!

[dinneratsheilas]

Cobb Salad

Here is a delicious and simple Cobb Salad from the New York Times online cooking column.  The basic recipe follows, but you can always tweak  some of the ingredients to suit your taste.

You can also check out this NY Times video of it being made.

While I’m a lover of blue cheese, my husband ,not so much (actually, not at all).

So I decided to switch out the blue cheese for some beautiful fresh orange bell peppers, and in place of the sliced avocado I threw in some Castelvetrano olives.

Again, while my husband has grown to love guacamole, he is not a fan of sliced avocado, go figure!

I prefer to bake applewood smoked bacon on a rack in a 400 degree oven till crisp (less mess and less fat) than frying it, but it is up to you.

Spring is here, and summer on the way so I’m certain you will find a day to enjoy this easy and filling Cobb salad, your way!

Here’s the original recipe...

Cobb Salad (Alison Roman for NYT Cooking) (4 servings)

...While the origins of a Cobb salad are still up for debate, what goes into one is fairly absolute: tender chicken breast, tangy tomatoes, perfectly hard-boiled egg and, perhaps most important, crispy bacon. This classic version relies on crumbled blue cheese and ripe avocado for creaminess, rather than a cheese or buttermilk-based dressing, making way for a mustardy shallot vinaigrette. The way each of the ingredients is prepared will depend on personal preference: Are you a chunky, chopped salad kind of person? Or do you prefer your lettuce torn and tomatoes sliced? Here, the torn and sliced approach is taken for a more elegant visual, but feel free to make it your own. It also halves nicely if you're cooking for two.

Ingredients

For The Dressing

1 small shallot, thinly sliced into rings

3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

Kosher salt and ground pepper

1 tablespoon whole grain or Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

For The Salad And Assembly

4 large eggs

10 ounces thick-cut bacon (about 8 strips)

12 ounces boneless chicken breast (about 2 medium breasts)

1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces or coarsely chopped

6 ounces small to medium tomatoes (about 6), sliced or quartered

1 avocado, thinly sliced or chopped

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

Bring a small pot of water to a boil.  Gently lower in 4 large eggs and boil for 8 minutes.

Remove from hear and run cold water over to quickly chill.(You could throw a few ice cubes in the bowl as well.)

Once the eggs are properly chilled, peel them and set aside till you’re ready to assemble the salad.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy on both sides, 8 to 10 minutes.

Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, coarsely chop bacon and set aside.

Drain all but roughly 2 tablespoons bacon grease from the skillet.  (Toss the drained grease or reserve for another purpose.)

Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the same skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides and cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a large plate or cutting board.

Transfer any drippings (you should have at least 2 tablespoons) from the skillet to the bowl with the vinaigrette and whisk to blend, adding more olive oil if desired.

Once chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into bit-sized pieces.(Alternatively, chop or shred it into bit-sized pieces.)

Slice or chop the hard-boiled eggs.

Arrange lettuce in your largest serving bowl or platter.  

Drizzle about half the dressing over the lettuce and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the chicken in the center of the bowl or platter in a straight line.  

Place the tomatoes on one side and the eggs on the other.

Place the avocado next to the eggs, and the blue cheese next to the tomatoes.

Sprinkle bacon ion the center of the bowl.

Spoon remaining dressing over the top and sprinkle with chives.

Toss and serve.  Add a warm baguette.  Add a glass of wine.  You’re done!

[dinneratsheilas]

Salade Nicoise

Recently I prepared this Salade Nicoise for a lunch meeting my husband was hosting at our home. 

The original recipe is from an issue of Bon Appetite Magazine for Salmon Nicoise.  

The last time I made it I used fresh salmon, along with substitutions for ingredients I didn’t have on hand since it was more of a spur of the moment dinner decision.  You can see it here.

This time I wanted to make it with canned yellowfin tuna in olive oil which has become one of my favorites to add to salads, and more commonly seen in this type of salad.  

Other than substituting the tuna for the salmon in the recipe I planned ahead and made certain I had the frisee and mache lettuces, the nicoise olives,  and since the haricots verts were not available I painstakingly picked through the lovely green beans choosing the slimmest and best looking ones.

The  vinaigrette dressing which includes anchovies, whole grain mustard, and shallots is delicious,  and can be made ahead to allow the flavors to meld and mellow a bit.

It is a perfect salad to serve for entertaining because all the prep work can be done ahead, and composed shortly before your guests arrive. 

Along with some good crusty bread it is a complete meal, and colorful enough to be the centerpiece of your buffet or table.

Here it is...

Salade Nicoise (adapted from Salmon Nicoise, Bon Appetite, April 2015)

8 to 12 ounces of multi colored fingerling potatoes

Kosher salt

1/2 to 3/4 pound of haricots verts (or substitute fresh slim green beans with good color)

6 large eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup drained capers, patted dry

3  -5 ounce cans yellowfin tuna in olive oil

freshly ground black pepper

4 anchovy fillets packed in oil

1 generous tablespoon whole grain Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 lemon

1/2 medium shallot, finely chopped

splash of red wine vinegar, optional

4 cups frisee or mache lettuces, or a combination

1/4to 1/2  cup nicoise olives, with or without pits

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch.

Bring to a boil, season with salt, and cook until fork tender, 15-20 minutes.

Transfer potatoes to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Return same water to a boil and cook the green beans in the same saucepan till crisp-tender, and bright green in color, about 2 minutes. 

Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water.  Chill until cold, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to paper towels and pat dry.

Return water in pot to a boil and cook the eggs 8 to 12 minutes depending how done you like them.

Note: To cook hard boiled eggs, I cover the eggs with cold water and bring to a boil. When it reaches a full boil, I cover with lid and turn off the heat.  Allow it to sit for 12 minutes (less if you prefer them less done). 

Drain the eggs, and transfer to a bowl of ice water and chill about 3 to 5 minutes.  Peel and set aside.

Meanwhile heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan over medium-high.  Add capers and cook, swirling pan occasionally until capers burst and are crisp, about 5 minutes.  Transfer capers with a slotted spoon to a paper towel to drain.

Meanwhile, mash anchovies, mustard, and sugar in a large bowl to form a coarse paste.

Remove the peel and white pith from the lemon.  Working over the bowl, cut between membranes of lemon to release the segments.  Squeeze the remaining juice from the membranes into bowl; discard membranes.

Whisk in the shallot, then slowly whisk in the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil. 

Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.  If you like, add a splash of red wine vinegar.

Using a fork, flake the drained tuna, leaving some larger chunks if possible..  Halve the reserved potatoes and eggs crosswise.

When ready to assemble, arrange the frisee  and mache on a platter and season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle with half of the dressing.  

Top in separate piles with potatoes, green beans, hard-boiled eggs, olives, and tuna.

Drizzle salad with remaining dressing and top with fried capers.

Note:  In addition, I like to toss the potatoes with a small amount of vinaigrette while they are still warm so they absorb the dressing better. Uou can prepare them ahead, wrap well and refrigerate overnight.  Bring to room temperature before adding to salad.

Serve with a good crusty bread.

[jasonsmithcooks]

An incredible art masterpiece by my favorite Egyptian chef. A bundle of bitter greens and julienne pear (endive, travisio, arugula, and butter lettuce) wrapped with pickled watermelon radish and tied with a chive. The crustini rests on a bed of diced apples and pecans, and holds a quenelle of bacon goat cheese mouse. The dressing is honey apple.

[foodfuck]

[littlegirlsguide]

Asparagus Salad

When I was a junior in high school, our food service program started Taste of Konawaena, an evening food festival of student-cooked dishes, for the public to enjoy. My senior year, I prepared an asparagus salad, and won first prize in appetizer and the people’s choice award. It’s still one of my favorite composed salads. Recipe follows.

Asparagus Salad:

1 pound thin asparagus, tough ends broken off, then cut or snapped into 1 inch pieces (if you want to make it really pretty, you can cut the stalks on a diagonal) 4 cloves garlic, finely minced 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced into circles (or ovals, whatever tickles your fancy) 4 hearts of palm, sliced into circles Salt and fresh cracked pepper Pecorino-romano, grated Combine olive oil and garlic in a saute pan with a pinch of salt. Cook on medium heat until the garlic is dancing in the pan and smells cooked, about a minute. If you were to taste it, the garlic would be soft and aromatic, not crispy. Turn the heat on low, add the asparagus pieces and another pinch of salt and a grind of pepper and cook for a few minutes, until the asparagus is bright green and the center of the stalk is no longer bright white. If you were to taste the asparagus, it would be crisp and not stringy. Remove from heat immediately.

Arrange the salad on four plates, with one egg, one heart of palm, and a quarter of the asparagus on each plate. Play with circles and lines and the beautiful asparagus tips, and make it pretty. Scatter a few grinds of black pepper on the top and sprinkle with grated pecorino-romano. (Feeds four as an salad course, or one hungry Ma’ayan who is craving asparagus, though I only used one egg and two hearts of palm for my single dish)