Food

Salads Rule!

On a hot day, there's nothing like a salad to keep the kitchen and the cook cool.

ANNABEL COHEN
Special to the Jewish News

T

incorporate. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Alternately, place all ingredients in a jar with a
tight-fitting lid and shake well. Makes approxi-
mately 1 cup of vinaigrette.

he onset of warm weather has us hanker-
ing for fresh, leafy, even fruity, meals. Each
BROCCOLI, ALMOND, ORANGE
year, we bring you bowlfuls of recipes that
are all about turning the tables on hot food and
AND CHERRY SALAD
presenting the best of summer chopped, tossed
• This salad is equally good prepared with aspara-
and dressed for dinner.
gus or cauliflower.
There's nothing more dreary than a boring
1 pound broccoli florets, cut into small bite-
salad. It always amazes me when a restaurant
sized pieces (If buying whole heads of broccoli,
house salad contains nothing more than iceberg
you may need more than one pound.)
lettuce, a wedge of unripe tomato and ranch
1 cup sweetened dried cherries
dressing.
1
cup sliced or slivered almonds, lightly toasted
With the bounty of fresh vegetables brimming
in market produce departments and the staggering 1 can (about 10 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained
well
variety of nuts, seeds, fruits, dried ingredients and
dressings lining grocers' aisles, there's no reason
1 cup slivered red or Bermuda onions
for lackluster when sensational is just a few chops,
1 cup fresh chopped parsley
tosses and whisks away.
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
While we've become accustomed to the Martha's
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
Vineyard salad or Michigan salad in these parts,
kosher salt and pepper to taste
with its dried cherries, blue cheese, walnuts and
Place broccoli in a microwave-safe bowl with
onions, we sometimes don't realize that substitu-
1/4
cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook
tion and additional elements can make this staple
on
high
heat for 3 minutes. Allow to cool slightly,
into a whole new taste treat.
rinse
with
cold water and drain very well.
Fresh fruits can replace dried. Different cheese
Transfer
the broccoli to a large bowl. Add
flavors can be substituted for even more variety
remaining ingredients and
and nuance. Vinegar now comes in too many fla-
toss well. Adjust
vors to count. So does olive oil. And the addition
seasonings to
of protein — in fish or fowl form — bulk up a
taste and serve
salad handily for a more complete meal.
cold. Makes 8
Truth is, it's hard to ruin a salad. Fresh produce
servings.
in interchangeable in so many recipes. Even
vinaigrettes — the most often cited compo-
nent people feel they don't make well —
k
can be easy. Just whip up the simple
recipe below and shake it on, drizzle it
over or toss it with your favorite green
stuff.

SIMPLE VINAIGRETTE
Use as is or embellished or altered with
your favorite herbs, spices, fruit juices,
jam, flavored vinegars or whatever suits
your fancy.
1/4 cup red wine vinegar or fresh
lemon juice
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. fresh ground pepper, or more to taste
3/4 cup olive oil
Place vinegar, mustard, sugar and salt in a
medium bowl and whisk well. While continuing
to whisk, drizzle in the oil in a thin stream to

6/18
2004

46

GREENS, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, BLUE CHEESE,
ZUCCHINI, RED PEPPER VINAIGRETTE
Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1 roasted red pepper (jarred is fine)
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 t. sugar
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper (not powder)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salad:
4 cups torn, bite-sized pieces of Romaine lettuce
4 cups mixed field or baby greens
1 medium zucchini, unpeeled, diced fine
4 oz. pea pods, sliced thin diagonally
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cups fresh bean sprouts (mung beans)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, any variety, or
more to taste
1/4 cup salted sunflower seeds
Make dressing: In the bowl of a food processor
or pitcher of a blender, place all ingredients
except oil and process or blend until smooth.
With the motor running, slowly stream in the oil
until incorporated.
Toss all salad ingredients together in a large
bowl. Divide the mixture among 8 dinner sized
plates. Drizzle the dressing over the salads and
serve. Makes 8 servings.

ROASTED GREEN. BEAN SALAD WITH
TOMATOES, ONIONS, MINT
2 pounds green beans
1 large sweet onion
(such as Vidalia or Spanish),
slivered (about 2 cups)
6 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pint cherry or grape
tomatoes,
halved lengthwise
1/2 cup fresh
chopped mint,
any variety
3 T. red wine
vinegar
kosher salt and
pepper to taste
Preheat oven
to 425E Toss beans,
onion, garlic and olive oil together in a
large bowl. Arrange the beans and vegetables on a
large baking sheet (spread them out). Roast the
beans for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
Arrange the cooled beans on a serving platter and
sprinkle the tomatoes, mint and salt and pepper over