SUMMER SALADS

 SUMMER SALADS 

Summer meals can be a challenge. Meat is too heavy for the scorching days we are suffering through. So are hot pasta dishes, and most men are not thrilled with cold pasta as an entrée. A diet based solely on vegetables can become boring unless one is a dedicated vegetarian. And, the thought of hanging over a hot stove at the end of the day is downright unappealing, to say nothing of being confronted with cleaning the dishes afterwards. Even the barbecue is just one more physical exertion when one is heat-beat.

Salad to the Rescue! Prepare it all in advance so you can relax with the rest of the family. Make ice tea or fruit punch and have beer or wine well-chilled in the refrigerator. Get the greens crispy-cold by washing, drying completely, and then, chopping and setting into the refrigerator, uncovered or lightly covered with a dish towel, so they will not gather moisture associated with plastic wrap, foil, and even plastic containers.  Put together the accompaniments in separate covered containers to stay fresh and cold. Salad dressings should also be stored in the refrigerator to toss into the salad when the family is ready to eat. A dressing left at room temperature will warm the other ingredients.

Cold shrimp, either alone with a dipping sauce as an appetizer or with other ingredients to comprise a complete meal, are a favorite choice of this foodie. For the best flavor and texture, purchase raw shrimp with or without their shells, either 21-25 or 26-30 per pound. Most shrimp come to the stores frozen and have a tendency to remain soft and only semi-cooked with a bit of a “fishy” flavor, particularly those in sealed plastic packages found in the case containing frozen fish. I discovered a solution one day when I was too lazy to boil them in a pot. Defrost the shrimp to the very cold stage. Set them on a foil covered baking sheet. Brush them with extra virgin or regular olive oil. You can sprinkle pepper, garlic or spices over, but no salt. (Shrimp are naturally high in sodium - Three ounces yield 119 mg or higher after being processed) Preheat the oven to 400°F. Bake uncovered, until the shrimp become very pink and are firm to the touch, approximately 10 minutes. (Cut one in half or sample it to test). Do not overcook. For a rosy, grilled appearance, toss them with paprika before placing them into the oven.

Enjoy your salad with whole grain or French bread. Make an easy dipping sauce with extra virgin olive oil and a heavy grinding of Alessi® Dipping Spices with the built-in grater. Remember to serve the bread hot, wrapping the whole loaf in foil and heating at 200°F for 10 minutes or setting it on a plate, uncovered, to heat quickly in the microwave for no longer than 15 seconds. You might have to cut the loaf in half to fit.

           

Blue Cheese Dressing

Marie’s® Blue Cheese Dressing (displayed with cold dressings)

Crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese - Lots of it

Several drops Worcestershire sauce

A tablespoon or more minced red onion

1.      Combine ingredients with a fork, leaving the cheese chunky. Refrigerate. Chop cold iceberg lettuce or leave it in old fashioned wedges. Slice or dice a ripe beefsteak tomato and baby cucumbers purchased in one of our artisanal markets. Spoon dressing over to serve.

Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Yield: Approximately 1 cup dressing

Yield: Approximately 6 side salads or first course salads

Note the absence of salt and pepper. The combination of sesame, soy, garlic, and ginger offers ample flavor without the addition of salt and pepper.

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons julienned crystallized ginger (Economical at Renninger’s Twin Markets)

Lettuce: Romaine or a combination of lettuce of choice

1 carrot, peeled and stripped with a peeler

½ cup canned Mandarin oranges or fresh tangerine segments

Chopped scallion greens to top

Optional: Sliced water chestnuts, toasted pine nuts, toasted sesame seeds, black olives, cherry tomatoes.

1.      Mix together the oils, soy, vinegar and lime juice with the sugar and garlic.

2.      Slice the ginger and stir into the dressing. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

3.      Chop the lettuce into bite-size pieces. Toss with the carrot strips and oranges.

4.      Divide the lettuce mixture on the plates. Spoon some sauce over. Arrange the water chestnuts, pine nuts, sesame seeds, olives, and tomatoes on top to serve.

Veggie & Fruit Salad

Lettuce of choice or raw spinach 

Yellow crook neck squash or small green zucchini or both

Yellow grape tomatoes

Julienned bell pepper of choice

Dried cranberries (Craisins®)

Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette- fat-free dressing of choice

Feta cheese chunks

Fresh raspberries

Pine nuts*

1.      Toss the lettuce, squash, tomatoes, peppers and dried cranberries with the raspberry dressing. Top with feta cheese and raspberries. Sprinkle pine nuts over.

Note: Pine nuts are costly. They can be exchanged for chopped or slivered almonds.

Shrimp with Mango and Avocado

Yield: Approximately 2 servings - A complete dinner

This is a delicate and colorful combination of ingredients. It is  important to slice the avocado directly before serving so it does not have time to discolor.

16 raw shrimp, peeled. U26-30 to the pound

1 tablespoon olive oil or melted butter or a combination

Paprika

1 fresh ripe mango, peeled and diced (or peaches in season)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 small purple onion, peeled and sliced very thin on the round

Chopped Romaine lettuce

Sesame-Ginger Dressing above (omit Mandarin oranges) or French Dressing recipe below.

Optional: Reduced balsamic vinegar to drizzle around edges of the plate*

2 ripe firm Hass avocados, peeled and sliced
2 tablespoons lime juice

1.      Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss the shrimp with paprika and oil and set them on a foil covered baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until firm. Do not overcook. Refrigerate.

2.      Chop the Romaine, reserving the green leafy tops.  Combine the peppers, onion and chopped Romaine in a bowl and toss with dressing. Refrigerate until very cold.

3.      Peel and slice the avocado and brush with lime juice so it will not discolor.

4.      Peel and dice the mango.

5.      Divide the salad for two or more servings, placing the green leafy tops around. Top with the avocado, mango and shrimp to serve.

*To reduce balsamic vinegar: 4 cups red balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon molasses. Bring to a full boil. Stir. Reduce heat just a notch so vinegar will not boil over. Boil continuously until reduced to 3 cups. Cool and fill a glass bottle. This will remain good indefinitely unrefrigerated.

French Dressing for Seafood Salads

Yield: Approximately 2 cups

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (Regina®)

1 tablespoon chopped purple onion

Optional: 1 clove garlic, sliced

¼ teaspoon dried tarragon or ½ teaspoon chopped leaves

¼ teaspoon dried thyme or ½ teaspoon chopped leaves

1 teaspoon (or more to taste) granulated sugar

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon cilantro leaves

Salt to taste

1.      Several hours in advance, combine ingredients in a blender and purée. Refrigerate.

 Insalata Caprese

Yield: Approximately 2 servings

(Salad from the island of Capri from the Italian region of Campania)

6 thick slices from fresh beefsteak tomatoes (Remember, if it smells like a tomato, it will taste like a tomato. The secret of this recipe is a quality tomato found in our farmers’ markets)

6 slices fresh mozzarella cheese (¼ inch thickness)

1 small purple onion, sliced thin on the round

Freshly ground black pepper

Sprinkling of salt over all

8 fresh basil leaves (no substitutes)

Red balsamic vinegar (the best quality you can afford) to drizzle

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

1.      This Italian favorite never goes out of style. It is imperative that the ingredients be of the best quality.

2.      Slice the tomatoes, mozzarella and onion. Alternate 3 of each on individual plates, overlapping each other with a basil leaf in-between each. (If you are an onion aficionado, add a few extra slices) Grind fresh pepper over. Sprinkle with salt.

3.      Drizzle the balsamic over. Drizzle the olive oil over. The secret is frugality. If the tomatoes/cheese are swimming, the salad will be ruined.

4.      Place a basil leaf on top of each salad. Serve a pepper grinder and salt shaker on the side.

Tune in Comcast channel 22 & BrightHouse 199 to watch host, Valerie Hart, interview chefs in their kitchens "The Back of the House", or watch it live on your computer at www.lakefronttv.com. Follow her food page on Wednesdays in The Daily Commercial.

VICHYSSOISE

Yield: Approximately 8 cups

The original recipe called for 3 leeks, white part only, split lengthwise, and roasted on a flat sheet at 400°F in the oven until browned before chopping to add to the soup pot. An onion may also be added. Leeks have a unique flavor, pleasant to some and not so appealing to others. They are also costlier than onions. It is interesting to note that this sophisticated rendition of peasant cooking with a French title did not originate in France at all, but, rather, the fashionable Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Madison Avenue at 46^th Street in New York. The year was 1917, and the head chef was a Frenchman named Louis Diat (1885-1957), who later became a regular contributor to the early issues of Gourmet Magazine. One of his favorite recipes was a potato and leek soup given to him by his mother. According to legend, he had planned to serve the soup for the opening of the roof garden.  He made it the day before with the intent of reheating. However, someone, in the confusion, forgot to remove it from the refrigerator. With instant culinary creativity, he left it cold, added cream and sprinkled it with chopped chives. He quickly renamed it “Crème Vichyssoise Glacée”, or Chilled Cream Vichyssoise, in honor of Vichy, the town in which he was born.  The proper pronunciation is “vee shee swahzz” and not “vee shee swah”, because, in the French language, an “e” after the final “s” signals the sound “zzz”. Slice yourself a piece of rustic bread and pour an icy cold light beer or a German Reisling wine to take the heat off all the summer blahs.

           

VICHYSSOISE

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large onions, sliced

2 celery ribs, sliced

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 quart rich chicken broth

½ cup vodka

1 bay leaf

Salt to taste, approximately 1 tablespoon

1 teaspoon white pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons chopped chives or scallions

1.                  Melt the butter in a soup pot.  Slice the leeks and onions thin and sauté in the butter until soft.   

2.                  Add the celery, sliced potatoes, chicken broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Boil gently 45 minutes.  Add salt and peppers. Cool to room temperature.

3.                  Purée in a blender. You will have to do this in batches.

4.                  Strain the soup into a bowl or plastic container, pushing the thickness through.  Stir in the heavy cream.  Taste for seasoning.  Chill overnight.

5.                  Serve in cream soup bowls that have been chilled in the refrigerator.  Garnish the tops with fresh chives

COLD TOMATO SOUP

Gluten-free

2 teaspoons of instant tapioca may be exchanged for the tomato paste to thicken the soup.

Dill may be exchanged for the basil for a different taste sensation. Some cooks incorporate both into recipes but I personally feel the two spices confuse each other when mixed. This is personal preference. This soup, when made with basil, can change to Tomato-Curry with the addition of one teaspoon curry powder. Delicious!

Yield: Approximately 4 cups after it has been strained

3 pounds ripe beefsteak tomatoes, sliced

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 cups organic vegetable broth (Pacific® preferred by this foodie)

1 large garlic clove, peeled and split

Large handful of fresh basil leaves, stems removed

½ teaspoon ground thyme or 1 large sprig fresh

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

8 ounces onion (1 small) or 1 large shallot, peeled and chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons lime juice

Pinch of Hungarian hot paprika or cayenne pepper or hot sauce, if desired.

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Fresh basil leaves, chopped or left whole to decorate. Chopped hard-boiled eggs to decorate.

Optional: Heavy cream or fat-free half & half served on the side to temper the acid

1.                  Combine all the ingredients except the tomato paste in a pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat    to low or simmer if soup boils too hard. Cover and cook, gently, 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove bay leaf.

2.                  Remove to a blender or, if you own one of those fabulous professional hand blenders, known as the “Smart Stick” (priced from $20.00 - $150.00 - The cheap ones work just as well as the expensive). Blend the ingredients until smooth. Strain into a bowl.

3.                  Stir in the tomato paste. Add paprika or cayenne, if desired. Taste for more white pepper and salt. Refrigerate until very cold. Leaving it overnight will allow the flavors to settle.

4.                  Serve topped with basil leaves and, if you wish, chopped egg or chives to decorate.

5.                  Offer fat-free half and half or heavy cream in a cream pitcher to minimize the acid.

SENEGALESE SOUP

 (Senegal is a republic in N. Africa on the Atlantic. Once a French colony, it achieved independence in 1960.) This creamy curry soup that incorporates fresh African ingredients and spices is traditionally served cold, although it is equally delicious hot. This recipe looks long, but is quite uncomplicated.

Adapted from the recipe served at the ‘21’ Club in New York City.

Yield: Approximately 6 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tart (Granny Smith) apples, peeled and chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped coarse

1-2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

¼ cup black raisins

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

(Gluten intolerant? Exchange the flour with a medium potato, peeled and sliced thin)

1 tablespoon curry powder

½ teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

4 cups chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

Major Grey® Chutney to garnish

1.      In a heavy soup pot, bring the butter to the bubbling point over medium heat. Add the apples, onion, garlic, celery, carrot and raisins. Reduce the heat to low and cook very slowly until the onion, garlic celery and apples have softened. Add the flour (potato), curry and ginger.

2.      Slowly stir in 2 cups of the chicken broth, bringing the soup to a full boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and boil gently 10 minutes, covered. Remove from the heat to cool 15 minutes.

3.      Transfer the soup to an electric blender and blend smooth. Return to the pot.

4.      Slowly stir in remaining 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 45 minutes or longer, covered.

5.      Taste for salt and pepper.

6.      Pour the soup through a strainer into a large bowl or container.

7.      Cool and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

8.      Stir in the heavy cream directly before ladling into bowls topped with a spoonful of chutney.

AVOCADO SOUP

Yield: Approximately 4-6 servings

1 ripe large Florida or 2 Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and diced

2 tablespoons lime juice

3 cups vegetable broth or unsweetened coconut milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried

2 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped

2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves

3 scallions, green part only, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Optional: 1 ounce melon liqueur

1.      Combine ingredients in a blender and blend smooth. Refrigerate until very cold.

2.      Top with a spoonful of plain yogurt or sour cream, chopped tomatoes and bell peppers of choice.

BERRY CHILLED FRUIT SOUP

Yield:  Approximately 8 cups with fruit

1 bottle (750 ml.) sweet wine, such as Riesling or Beringer® Zinfandel

3 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca

1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

Handful fresh mint leaves or 2 tablespoons Crème de Menthe liqueur

10 ounce package frozen strawberries or raspberries in syrup

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup granulated sugar

Fresh mint leaves

1.                  Bring wine, tapioca, vanilla bean, mint leaves, sugar and salt to a boil. Boil gently until mixture reduces to 3 cups. Pour through a fine strainer, discarding mint and vanilla bean.

2.                  Purée frozen strawberries in a blender.  Strain into wine mixture through a fine strainer to remove seeds. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

3.                  Toss fresh berries in the lemon juice and sugar and stir into the soup, leaving some to decorate. Ladle into individual glass bowls and decorate with reserved berries and mint leaves.

Tune in Comcast channel 22 & BrightHouse 199 to watch host, Valerie Hart, interview chefs in their kitchens "The Back of the House", or watch it live on your computer at www.lakefronttv.com. Follow her food page on Wednesdays in The Daily Commercial.