shrimp caesar

shrimp salad

Roquefort Pear Salad

servings 6

Ingredients

• 1 head leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
• 3 pears - peeled, cored and chopped
• 5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces.
2. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.

chicken Caesar salad

Serves 2 (Makes more dressing than you’ll need, but it keeps well in the refrigerator.)

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Caesar Dressing:

¼ cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

3 garlic cloves, pressed

Ground pepper, to taste

A few dashes of Tabasco sauce

1/3 cup olive oil

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1. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, mustard, garlic, pepper, and Tabasco in a bowl. Whisk together so they are well-blended.

2. Slowly drizzle the olive oil in with the other ingredients while whisking constantly. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Chicken breast, pounded and ready for the grill:

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1. Heat a grill on high for 10 minutes.

2. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken breast; grill the chicken for 3 minutes on each side, until done. Let rest while you toss the salad; then cut into slices.

3. Toss the lettuce, cheese, and Caesar dressing together until the lettuce is well-coated.

4. Divide the salad between 2 plates and top with croutons and chicken.

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Salad:

About ½ head Romaine lettuce, cleaned, dried and torn into pieces

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

About ¼ cup Caesar dressing, or to taste

½ – ¾ cup croutons (omit for gluten free version)

¾ pound chicken breast (1 large breast), pounded to about ½-inch thick

nicoise salad

Ingredients

Vinaigrette:

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:

• 1 pound small red new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
• 8 large eggs
• 1/2 pound haricots verts or French green beans, stems trimmed
• 2 pounds fresh sushi-quality tuna
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pint teardrop or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup nicoise olives
• 16 anchovy fillets
• 16 caper berries with stems
• 1/2 bunch fresh chives, snipped in 1/2

Directions

To make the vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a mason jar. Screw the cap on the jar and shake the vinaigrette vigorously to emulsify. Set the dressing aside while preparing the salad so the flavors can marry.

Cooking the potatoes, eggs, and green beans in the same pot cuts down on prep time and clean up. To do this, put the potatoes in a large saucepan, add water to cover and a nice pinch of salt; bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer the potatoes for 12 minutes to give them a head start, and then add the eggs. Place a steamer basket or colander on top of the simmering water. Put the green beans in the steamer and cover with a lid. Steam the beans for 5 minutes until crisp-tender while continuing to cook the potatoes until fork tender. Drain out the water and put the potatoes, eggs, and green beans in a colander; rinse briefly under cold water. Peel the shells off the eggs and cut them in 1/2 lengthwise.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Rub the tuna on all sides with olive oil, and a bit of the vinaigrette; season with a fair amount of salt and pepper. Lay the tuna in the hot pan and sear for approximately 2 minutes on each side; as the tuna cooks, the red meat will become whiter. Transfer the tuna to a cutting board and slice.

To assemble the salad: combine the potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, olives, anchovies, capers, and chives in a large mixing bowl. Take the vinaigrette and give it another good shake to recombine. Drizzle the salad with enough vinaigrette to fully moisten and toss gently to coat; season with salt and pepper. Take care not to mush up the ingredients - the important thing about salad nicoise is that it is arranged nicely on a platter with all the elements keeping their individual integrity. Put the tossed salad down the center of a serving platter and lay the seared tuna attractively across the top and the eggs around the rim. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and serve.

caprese

Ingredients

• 
  1/4 pound fresh mozzarella
• 1 large heirloom tomatoes
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn
• Sea salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Balsamic vinegar
• Extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preparation
2. Slice mozzarella and tomatoes 1/4 inch thick; arrange on serving platter. Sprinkle with fresh basil, salt, and pepper. Drizzle to taste with balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil.

vegetable salad

• ingredients
• Salad servings 8
• 1 cup (3/4-inch) cubed peeled Yukon gold potato
• 1 cup (3/4-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato 
• 4 cups water
• 1 cup cauliflower florets 
• 1 cup broccoli florets 
• 4 medium carrots, peeled 
• 3 small beets (about 8 ounces)
• 10 Bibb lettuce leaves
• 10 small red cabbage leaves
• Vinaigrette:
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar 
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• 2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil 
• Dipping Sauce:
• 2 dried habanero chiles
• 1/2 cup prepared cocktail sauce 
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
• Dash of ground ginger

Preparation

1. To prepare salad, place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain. Place potatoes in a large bowl. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add cauliflower and broccoli. Cook 1 minute or until crisp-tender. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain. Add cauliflower mixture to potatoes. Using a vegetable peeler, scrape carrots from tip to stem to make long ribbons. Add carrot to potato mixture, tossing gently to combine. Leave root and 1-inch stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until tender. Drain; rinse with cold water. Drain; cool. Trim off beet roots; rub off skins. Cut beets into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange lettuce and cabbage leaves alternately on a large platter.
2. To prepare vinaigrette, combine thyme and next 5 ingredients (thyme through 1/8 teaspoon black pepper), stirring with a whisk. Add oil, stirring well to combine; drizzle vinaigrette over lettuce. Spoon potato mixture over lettuce; top with beets.
3. To prepare dipping sauce, place chiles in a spice or coffee grinder; process until finely ground. Place 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground chile in a medium bowl (reserve remaining ground chile for another use). Add cocktail sauce and remaining ingredients, stirring well to combine. Serve with vegetables.