GRILLED LETTUCE SALAD

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

The slightly unusual food preparations continue to take place in our kitchen… After frying a boiled egg and roasting greens, I grilled some lettuce . This 3-minute preparation delivers a punch of flavor, leading the humble butter lettuce to its best performance. From the latest Fine Cooking magazine which, by the way, is an awesome issue, I’d love to make almost every recipe from it!

GRILLED BUTTER LETTUCE SALAD WITH BUTTERMILK-CHIVE DRESSING
(adapted from Fine Cooking #105)

1 butter lettuce, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/8 cup creme fraiche (I substituted sour cream)
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs thinly sliced chives
1/2 Tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
vegetable oil for the grill

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill at medium-high heat.

Whisk the buttermilk, creme fraiche, olive oil in a bowl. Add the chives, lemon juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.

Brush the grill with a light coating of vegetable oil, place the lettuce, cut side down, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the grilled lettuce to a serving plate, cut side up, and drizzle the dressing over it. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Sometimes the idea of washing, drying, slicing… the whole “prep work” associated with making a good salad makes me a bit tired. However, this recipe delivers a delicious, and quite elegant salad in – literally – 6 minutes. All you need is the most gorgeous, preferably organic butter lettuce available, and a few ingredients for the dressing. My beloved suggested adding a little blue cheese – “it will make it perfect”! – so, keep this in mind if you make it.

Grilling the lettuce intensifies its flavor, and changes the texture ever so slightly, making each bite have its own character: closer to the edge a bit smokey, a crisper and brighter taste as you indulge deeper. The buttermilk dressing is very flavorful – it will certainly go well over other roasted or steamed veggies. I can see myself grilling lettuce during the whole Summer!

14May2010

A SIMPLE SALAD a la JACQUES PEPIN

Posted in Salads, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Of all “master chefs” in the cooking world, Jacques Pepin is my favorite. He is the kind of man I’d love to dine with: gentle, authentic, and down to earth. Reading his autobiography “The Apprentice”, made me appreciate him even more. Of course, his charming French accent is the icing on the cake. 😉

If his name wasn’t beneath this recipe, I wouldn’t have tried it because it seems a little strange. Who in their right mind would fry a hard boiled egg? Well, his mother did just that, during the hard years of the Second World War, and when I made it for our lunch, it was clear that her genes were the basis of Jacques’ skills in the kitchen: the apple didn’t fall far from the tree!

PAN-CRISPED DEVILED EGGS ON FRENCH LETTUCES
(adapted from The Splendid Table’s How to Eat Supper)

2 large eggs, hard boiled and peeled
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp chives, finely minced
1-2 Tbs milk
2 tsp yogurt
1 tsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 T olive oil

Dressing
leftover egg yolk filling
3 Tbs olive oil
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbs milk
2 tsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Salad
mixed greens of your choice

Cut the boiled eggs in half lengthwise, remove the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Add all the ingredients for the filling, mashing it well to form a cream. Carefully fill each egg white half with the mixture, but do not overfill, make it exactly like the egg yolk would be. You will have excess filling that will be used as part of the dressing.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil on a non-stick pan, and add the egg halves, cut side down. Sautee for 3-4 minutes, until golden. Reserve.

Make a dressing by mixing well all the ingredients. To serve, place the salad greens on a plate or serving bowl, drizzle some of the dressing and mix. Place the sauteed eggs on top, sprinkle a little more dressing, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Some people dislike hard boiled eggs, or even fried eggs. I love them all. The only thing that turns me off is uncooked egg white floating on top of my sunny-side-up eggs. I hope that even a deviled-egg-hater might enjoy this preparation. The subtle crunchiness on the hard-cooked eggs gives it a bit of substance, making the salad seem more filling. The use of the excess egg yolk filling as part of the dressing is a brilliant touch. It’s a nice light lunch for those of you without high cholesterol issues (or with a prescription vial of a statin in the cupboard!).

For another tasty example of using sauteed hard boiled eggs, take a look at this post by Ilva, a proof that great cooks think alike! 😉

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5Mar2010

IMPROMPTU PASTA DINNER

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

It was a dark and stormy night… no, not really, but it was a busy day at work and we wanted to go home, get some comfy clothes, kick back and relax. My night to cook: I pulled out a cookbook, but even browsing for recipes seemed like an herculean effort, so I opened the fridge searching for inspiration. Voila’: half a bunch of asparagus! In the pantry, I spotted a can of Muir fire-roasted tomatoes (love that stuff!). It was all that I needed. Dinner took shape in less than 20 min, resulting in two happy humans and an enjoyable evening ahead of us.

PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS COINS and TOMATOES
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

1 shallot
1 T olive oil
fresh asparagus
1 small can Muir fire-roasted tomatoes
salt and pepper
grated parmiggiano-reggiano cheese
pasta of your preference

Set a large pot with salted water to boil.

Using a sharp knife, cut the asparagus into small coins, trying to get them in similar sizes, about 1/4 inch thick. Dice the shallot. Open the can of tomatoes.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, saute the shallots until translucent, immediately add the asparagus coins, and cook them in medium-high heat, moving them around. Season with salt and pepper, and try a bite after a couple of minutes. They should be still very firm. Add the tomatoes, cook for a few more minutes, adjust seasoning.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and add to the skillet with the asparagus/tomato sauce. Cook them together for a minute or so, add parmiggiano on top and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Slicing asparagus in little coins is a fun way to enjoy it. In Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Anne Burrell made a salad of raw asparagus cut this way – I’ve been saving the recipe to try it when Spring comes. Time for a little disclaimer: we understand that buying asparagus in mid-winter is politically incorrect. Yes, they traveled a long distance. But, we needed an asparagus-fix. It might even speed the arrival of Spring! 😉

13Nov2009

POTATO ROQUEFORT CAKES WITH RIPE PEARS

Posted in Salads, Veggies by sallybr

I don’t know Michael Bauer, so I have absolutely no ulterior motives for returning to the recipes of his book ‘Secrets of Success,” except for the fact that many of them result in absolutely delicious dishes 😉

This recipe comes from Fabrice Marcon, who was a sous chef for Paul Bocuse, and then opened his own restaurant in San Francisco, Hyde Street Bistro. His cuisine falls into the category of “French-Californian,” simple words that attract me the way that flowers attract bees. France and California: two places I called home in the past, that always bring a nostalgic smile to my face.

Try this dish, it’s very good.

(receita em portugues na pagina seguinte)

POTATO ROQUEFORT CAKES WITH RIPE PEARS
(from Michael Bauer, Secrets of Success, original from Fabrice Marcon)

4 russet potatoes, scrubbed
8 ounces firm Roquefort cheese, crumbled
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper
2 Anjou pears, diced
1/2 pounds salad greens of your choice
1 tsp fresh tarragon, chopped
hazelnut oil

for vinaigrette
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t Dijon mustard
1 shallot, minced
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 375F, and bake the potatoes until tender (about 1 hour). Let them cool until you can handle them, peel them, and transfer the flesh to a bowl. Mash slightly, add the roquefort and 1 T olive oil. Stir until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, going light on the salt as roquefort is salty. Form the mixture into 4 equal patties, 1/2 inch thick. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Make the vinaigrette by whisking the vinegar, mustard, and shallots in a small bowl to blend well. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to form an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat the oven to 350F. Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the potato patties and brown on both sides until golden brown, 7 minutes total. Transfer them to the oven and bake for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the salad. Toss the pears with the salad greens and tarragon. Add the vinaigrette and place in a serving bowl, or divide into individual plates. Top the salad with the potato cakes, and drizzle with a little hazelnut oil.

(serves 4 regular guests, or 2 very hungry people… )

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments – Great food is all about contrast. A little spice, a little sweetness, something smooth, something crunchy, teasing your palate at every bite. This dish is it. The roquefort cheese (which must not be too soft or the cakes will not stand up to the frying), counteract the sweetness of the pears extremely well, and the hazelnut oil ties it all. Who doesn’t like cheese, fruit and nuts? 😉 The cakes are wonderful by themselves, but please follow Marcon’s take on it, you won’t regret it.

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14Oct2009

GOT SPINACH? HAVE A SALAD!

Posted in Salads by sallybr

I can’t say enough about this salad! The recipe, from Lisa’s blog (Lisa is Cooking), originated from Donna Hay, the Australian writer who has incredibly beautiful cookbooks, with simple, elegant recipes. You can find the original recipe here; I’m giving you my own adapted version.

CRISPY POTATO SALAD
(adapted from Donna Hay)

1 bag of baby spinach
3 small red potatoes, sliced very thin in a mandoline
olive oil spray
1/2 cup grated Parmiggiano-reggiano cheese
2 Tbs sour cream
2 Tbs low fat yogurt
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the potatoes…
Place the slices on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper and spray them with olive oil. Place in a 420F oven until they get dark golden spots, turn them over and bake until crispy. Remove from the oven, allow them to cool slightly.

Prepare the dressing…
Mix the sour cream, yogurt, lemon juice, and olive oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the salad…
In a large serving bowl, mix the spinach with the potato slices and parmiggiano-cheese. Add the dressing right before serving.

Enjoy!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Don’t be too concerned with measurements, but make more than you think you’ll eat. It will quickly disappear … I imagine that variations with different greens, like baby arugula or a mixture of greens, will also work well….Maybe with crumbled feta or gorgonzola cheese… A nice salad to serve at your next dinner party!

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