LEAF SOME FOR ME!
'Tis the season for sensational spring salads
Lately, I've been craving Boston Bibb. It's the perfect foil for hard-boiled eggs, asparagus and red onion with a tarragon-based dressing.
And don't get me started on arugula — that delicious, spicy green, also known as rocket, marries nicely with a thinly sliced pear, beets, crumbled blue cheese and candied pecans, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Yum!
It's a given — we're all craving something refreshing and nothing beats the taste of a spring salad. We're talking dishes filled with bold colours, textures and layers of flavour. Your greens are the perfect foil for the variety of foods you can add — whatever suits your fancy. Last night's leftover roast beef, for example, a cold salmon filet or shredded cheese are ideal when added to a bed of greens.
How about a salad tossed with fresh fruit, nuts and grains? Any way you toss it, a salad is a one-dish feast and the priority meal for picnic season, even if that picnic is taking place in your living room this year.
Add crusty bread on the side and you've the makings of a sensational spring meal.
POTATO AND STRING BEAN SALAD
This is one of my all-time fave salads and it tastes even better the next day!
1 lb. (500 g) yellow-skin baby potatoes
3/4 lb. (375 g) string beans, trimmed
4 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
1/2 red onion, finely minced
DRESSING
1/4 cup (60 mL) full-flavour olive oil
1/4 cup (60 mL) red wine vinegar
Salt/pepper, to taste
Place baby potatoes, skin on, in boiling salted water 15-20 minutes until tender when pierced with a fork. In last 5-6 minutes, add string beans and cook until snap tender.
Drain potatoes and string beans, add to a large bowl. Add eggs and red onion and toss. Drizzle with dressing and toss again. Adjust seasoning. Serve on its own or as a side dish with grilled salmon or chicken.
Serves 4.
TIP: Add a can of olive oil-based canned tuna, drained, and a handful of black olives for a riff on Salad Nicoise.
CHICKEN LIVERS WITH GREENS
I had a lovely neighbour named Marek who invited me over before he and his family moved away. Dinner was this absolutely delicious warm salad made with chicken livers. Here's my take.
4 slices bacon
1 tbsp (15 mL) butter 1 shallot, finely minced
1 lb. (500 g) chicken livers, cleaned, sliced in half
2 tbsp (30 mL) port or sherry
Salt/pepper, to taste
1 head Boston Bibb (butter lettuce), torn
1 small head Romaine, torn
Handful arugula 1 small red onion, minced 1 apple, cored, finely diced
DRESSING
2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil
3 tbsp (45 mL) red wine or sherry vinegar
Salt/pepper to taste
In a large frying pan, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to a plate, cool and crumble. In same pan, remove half of fat. Add butter, melt and add minced shallot. Cook 2-3 minutes. Add in chicken livers and toss until no longer pink. Add port and toss until livers are cooked thoroughly. Place greens, red onion and apple in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss. Divide greens into four salad bowls. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and place chicken livers on top. Drizzle with juices from the livers. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 4.
THAI NOODLE SALAD
This salad features a host of fresh vegetables and plums and does not need refrigeration, making it the perfect dish for lunch. This dish features a wider noodle. Recipe courtesy Foodland Ontario (foodlandontario.ca.)
SALAD
Half pkg. (454 g) 10-mm rice sticks
3 medium carrots, scrubbed or peeled, julienned
1 cup (250 mL) julienned sweet red pepper
5 plums, pitted and sliced thinly, (about 1 cup/250 mL)
2 green onions, sliced thinly on diagonal
DRESSING
1 cup (250 mL) julienned greenhouse cucumber 1/4 cup (60 mL) EACH soy sauce and lime juice
2 tbsp (30 mL) EACH vegetable oil and seasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) minced fresh coriander
1 tbsp (15 mL) EACH maple Syrup and Asian garlic chili sauce
2 tbsp (30 mL) crushed toasted peanuts (optional)
Bring large pot of water to boil; add rice sticks, return to boil and cook for 3 minutes. Add carrots; cook for 4 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well and place in large serving dish. Add cucumber, red pepper, plums and green onions; toss. In small bowl, whisk soy sauce, lime juice, oil, vinegar, coriander, maple syrup and Asian garlic chili sauce.
Add dressing to salad and toss well. Garnish with peanuts, if desired. Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6.
CREAMY TARRAGON MUSTARD DRESSING
Use this fragrant dressing on any combination of greens or use it for a pasta salad. I love it on a bed of Boston Bibb with canned tuna, a hardboiled egg, baby potatoes and asparagus. Adapted from a Maille.ca recipe.
1/4 cup (60 mL) extravirgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) EACH Dijon mustard and tarragon vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh tarragon
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
2 green onions, white parts with some green, finely minced
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
Pinch white pepper 1 tsp (5mL) sugar
Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Using a whisk blend to emulsify. Pour into a glass jar, cover and store in fridge for up to three days.