Posts tagged ‘Salads’

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January 17, 2012

Fresh Fennel & Orange Salad

Fresh Fennel & Orange Salad

I’ve discovered that if you name a dish after your child, the chances they’ll eat it increase. Although my daughter has a hearty appetite and a fairly sophisticated palate, sometimes salad is not the most exciting choice at the dinner table. When I make this, I always refer to it as hers. She especially enjoys this with the addition of crumbled blue cheese or feta. The salty cheese adds another layer of delicious flavor, though I’ve opted to leave it out in this simpler version. For a super healthy dinner, we’ve added grilled chicken to make it a meal.

This salad is very light and refreshing. The thinly sliced fennel gives a nice crunch and its sweet anise flavor is a perfect match to the oranges.  If you’re unsure about fennel, you should give it a try. It’s a versatile veggie that’s delicious raw and thinly sliced in salads, or even roasted in the oven. Cooking it in the oven mellows the flavor and it’s really nice when roasted alongside carrots or even potatoes. The New York Times featured a segment in their series “Recipes for Health” about fennel and included various recipes. If my salad hasn’t inspired you enough to try it, possibly Martha Rose Shulman’s oven roasted fish with fennel will have you shopping for fennel on your next trip to the market.

INGREDIENTS (Serves about 4)

  • About 5-6oz mixed baby greens or other favorite lettuce mix
  • 2 navel oranges, segmented and juiced
  • 1/2 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored & thinly sliced
  • 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt & pepper to taste
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Place the mixed greens, fennel and onion in a salad bowl. Segment your oranges and squeeze the orange skeleton over a bowl to gather all the fresh OJ. Add the orange segments to the salad bowl and measure out 2 tbsp of the fresh orange juice for the dressing. Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper and red pepper (if using) in a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil to emulsify. Taste for seasoning.

Dress the salad right before serving.

Enjoy!

* HOW TO SEGMENT AN ORANGE

While helping cook for a charity dinner years ago, a friend/caterer shared her tips and techniques for slicing and segmenting oranges. I’ve found this short video on Food52 which walks you through those steps. Click here to see the video.

Posted in EAT, Soups, Salads & Sandwiches | 2 Comments »

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January 4, 2012

Three Bean Salad with Rosemary Garlic Oil

Three Bean Salad with Rosemary Garlic Oil

I served this dish over the holidays for a dinner party that included 10 kids on the guest list. I was looking for a sophisticated salad that would appeal to both the adults and children. I’ve adapted this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis’ book Giada at Home. Her recipe, Pecorino and Bean salad, has been one of our favorites. With the addition of crunchy snap peas and arugula, along with a bit of spicy red pepper, this was a hit with all ages at my New Years Eve dinner. I love the crunch of the snap peas and green beans. Giving the beans a quick shock in an ice water bath after blanching, helps retain their vibrant green color and fresh flavor. Bite sized chunks of pecorino give the salad a salty twist, perfectly matched with the creamy cannellini beans. I know your family will love this salad as much as we do.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2-3 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • 12oz fresh green beans, snipped
  • 8oz fresh snap peas, strings removed
  • 15oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup bite sized chunks pecorino cheese
  • 2 oz baby arugula (a couple of big handfuls)
  • pinch of red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how much of a kick you like)
  • Kosher salt & pepper

Heat the olive oil in a small fry pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute, being careful not to brown or burn it. Remove the pan from the heat immediately and toss in the chopped rosemary.  Stir and set aside to cool.

Fill a 4qt saucepan with water, add a hearty pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water and set near your stove. Once the water comes to a boil, drop in the green beans. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the beans are bright green but still crunchy. Remove using a slotted spoon or spider strainer, and plunge into the ice water bowl. Allow to cool in the ice water for a couple of minutes, then lay the beans on a dish towel or paper towels to drain and dry. Repeat the process with the snap peas.

Place the snap peas, green beans, cannellini beans, arugula and pecorino in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the rosemary garlic oil and season with the red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. You won’t need much salt as the pecorino is salty. Toss the salad together and serve.

* This recipe doubles nicely and is a great salad to serve when entertaining, as it tastes best at room temperature.

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