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CookTeaser

“Photos, Recipes & CookTales For Those Who Enjoy Cooking”

Category Archives: Salads

September 19, 2011 Tomato, Onion & Avocado Salad


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

The Chicken’s Lemon Sauce was so savory and tart that we opted for a light salad as the side dish. The selection was tasty and did lightly balanced the dinner.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tomatoes of medium size (quartered)
1 Red Onion (thinly sliced on a mandoline)
1 Avocado (sliced in 8 pieces)
1 TB of EVOO
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

METHOD

1 In a mixing bowl prepare the first three ingredients, & season with the Salt & Pepper.

2. Add the 1TB of EVOO & genly toss,

September 17, 2011 Cucumber Kimchi


RECIPE

An Adaptation from the New York Times of a recipe by Hooni Kim of the Danji Restaurant in New York

A CookTale

When I come across a Kimchi recipe, my eyes open wide. The classic method calls for Cabbage cut into a slaw. Here it was made with Cucumbers from our garden, which has yielded a bounty crop of Market Mores and Lemon Cucumbers. The result was a less “violent” Kimchi. I suppose you could add more hot pepper, but I don’t know why. This version is delicious.

INGREDIENTS

3 small Cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 small Onion (thinly sliced on a mandoline)
2 TB of Kosher Salt
1 TB of Sugar
1 TB Red Pepper Flakes.
1/4 Cup of Mirin
6 TB of Rice Vinegar
1 tsp of grated Garlic

METHOD

1. Place the Cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, then sprinkle with the Salt. Let stand 20 minutes.

2. Rinse the Cucumbers in cold water to remove Salt, drain & dry with paper towels.

3. Return Cucumbers to bowl, add the Onion & all the other ingredients, toss to combine.

4. Cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.

September 15, 2011 Julienned Zucchini with Basil, Lemon Juice, EVOO, Pine Nuts & Slivers of Parmesan


 

RECIPE

SErves 2

A CookTale

At dinner at our good friend Maureen’s, who is a food stylist, food editor, cookbook writer and an exceptional cook, was this delightfully fresh first course. I made a note that one day soon it would be on our dinner table. I sent her an e-mail recipe request, and her response was, “I didn’t use a recipe. I used a julienne peeler for the zucchini – tossed it with olive oil, lemon juice, s&p, then added chopped fresh basil, shaved Parmesan, and toasted pine nuts. That’s it!” And it was what I anticipated, a fresh delicious appetizer and it took no time to prepare just before dinner.

INGREDIENTS

2 Zucchini (cut in half to 4″ pieces)
1 TB of EVOO
Kosher Salt & Pepper
The juice of 1 Lemon
12 Basil Leaves (cut to a chiffonade)
1/4 Cup of Toasted Pine Nuts
Parmesan Cheese (wide shavings with a vegetable peeler)

METHOD

1. With a julienne peeler or a mandoline slice about 4 cups of Zucchini

2. Chiffonad the Basil Leaves.

3. Toast the Pine Nuts

4. Toss the two ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the Salt, Pepper, EVOO, Lemon juice, and Pine Nuts. Plate & top with the Parmesan shavings.

September 14, 2011 Vietnamese Duck Salad with Cucumber, Radishes & Peanuts


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

Back on August 3rd, which is starting to sound like a long time ago, The New York Times featured a recipe for a Vietnamese Duck Salad. Since I rarely make Roast Duck It was tucked it away for future reference (we usually purchase Duck Breasts). One of our favorite resources, The Smokehouse of The Catskills, began carrying an organic free range duck from a farm in the Hudson Valley. That did it! Sunday we ducked out on Roast Duck. Last evening the leftovers morphed into a zesty Duck Salad in an adaption of the Times recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup Soy Sauce
1 Lime
1 TB grated Ginger
2 tp toasted (Asian) Sesame Oil
1 Garlic Clove, finely chopped
2 cups of leftover Duck, finely sliced
2 tp Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tp Thai or Vietnamese Fish Sauce
1 or 2 small Jalapeños, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup Peanut Oil
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1 large Cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
3/4 cup Radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 cup chopped Cilantro, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup chopped Mint, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup chopped salted roasted Peanuts
Bibb Lettuce

METHOD

1. Whisk together the Soy Sauce, juice and zest of 1 Lime, Ginger, Sesame Oil, Rice Wine Vinegar, Fish Sauce, Jalapeno(s) and Peanut Oil. Mash the Garlic into a paste and whisk it into the Vinaigrette.

2. In a large bowl, toss together Cucumber, Radishes, Cilantro, Mint and 1 thinly sliced Jalapeno (optional) with just enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat everything. Taste and season with Salt & Pepper as needed. Toss in the Peanuts.

3. Plate by placing the Salad on a bed of Bibb Lettuce, and top with the sliced Duck. Drizzle with more of the Vinaigrette, and sprinkle with Cilantro and Mint.

September 5, 2011 Ginger Cucumber Salad


RECIPE

Serves 2

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds Cucumber, preferably thin Asian or English variety
1/2 cup Rice Vinegar or 1/2 cup White Vinegar diluted with 1/4 cup Water
2-inch piece of fresh Ginger, peeled and minced or grate
2 tsp Sugar
1 tep Salt
3 TB of grapeseed or other neutral oil
1 medium to large Onion, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon ground Turmeric, optional but necessary
2 TB of sesame seeds.

METHOD

1. With Asian or English cucumbers (or small garden cucumbers), slice thinly, preferably with a mandoline. With thick cucumbers, peel, halve lengthwise, and scoop out seeds before slicing.
2. Mix Vinegar, Ginger, Sugar and Salt, and toss with Cucumbers. Let stand for 30 to 60 minutes. (Refrigerate if marinating for more than an hour in warm weather.)
3. Heat a saute pan & add remaining Oil, Onions and the Turmeric, Really try to use it. Cook until the Onion softens, about 5 minutes. The cooked Onions will take on the color of saffron.
4. Meanwhile, toast Sesame Seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until browned and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Stir the Onions into Cucumbers, garnish with the Sesame Seeds & plate.

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September 5, 2011 Insalata Caprese


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

With Fall lurking, this is the perfect way to keep the memory of Summer alive.
Simply, the Heirloom Tomato is combined with fresh Basil leaves and Mozzarella. One caution, do nothing to the Tomato until serving time except to slice it and place the slices on a paper towel to drain. Just before dinnertime add them to a platter, add Salt, the EVOO and the Basil leaves. By doing this, the serving plate will not not be saturated with Tomato water.

INGREDIENTS

1 Large ripe HeirloomTomato (thickly sliced)
Fresh Mozzarella
1 TB of EVOO
12 Basil Leaves
Kosher Salt

METHOD

1. Once the Tomato has properly drained, add the slices to a platter.
2. Top with  the Basil Leaves & the Mozzarella.
3. Just before serving time, add the Salt & the EVOO.
4. Seperate into two plates & serve.

September 2, 2011 Peach and Tomato Salad with Mint and A Dijon Vinaigrette


 
RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

When your “rush” for Watermelon and Tomatoes or Caprese salad, levels off, think about fresh local farm Peaches as a great alternative. Aided by a tangy Vinaigrette, it might even send those other Salads further back in your mind.

INGREDIENTS

3 Peaches (cut into a 1″ dice)
2 or 3 Heirloom Tomatoes (cut into a 1″ dice)
1/4 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp of dark brown Sugar (optional)
1 Clove of chopped Garlic
A Pinch of Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp of freshly ground Black Pepper
1/2 Cup of EVOO
1 tsp of Dijon Mustard

METHOD

1. Add the Peaches & Tomatoes to a large mixing bowl.
2. Place the next seven ingredients in a screw-top jar & shake to combine. Or simply whisk them in a small bowl.
3. At the last minute before serving, add your preferred amount of Vinaigrette to the bowl, & gently fold it all together.

August 21, 2011 Chicken Liver & Green Bean Salad with Garam Masala


 

 

RECIPE Chicken Liver & Green Bean Salad with Garam Masala
An adaptation of a Mark Bittman recipe in the New York Times

Serves 2

A CookTale

I’ve written this before (it’s worth repeating) — to me Mark Bittman is the finest food writer in the industry today, He refers to his column as “The Minimalist” which interprets as few ingedients and simple to adapt and they are. When it comes to chicken livers, my basic experience is chopped chicken liver, prepared quite infrequently. With this recipe, we picked up a 1 pound container of fresh chicken livers, and the results were great. MB advises that the cooking time is 2 minutes on one side and 1 minute on the other, leaving them pink in the center.

INGREDIENTS

For the Vinaigrette

1 TB of Red Wine Vinegar
1 tsp of Dijon Mustard
1 Garlic Clove, smashed to a paste with a little salt
Kosher Salt & Pepper
3 TB of EVOO

Mix the Vinegar, Mustard & Garlic in a small bowl. Add a little Salt & Pepper, & whisk in the oil.

For the Salad

1/2 pound small Green Beans, topped & tailed
Kosher Salt
6 to 8 Chicken Livers, trimmed, about 1 pound
2 tsp of Garam Masala
2 TB of Clarified Butter (preferred)
10 Cherry Tomatoes, halved, optional
3 Handfuls of Salad Greens (about 5 or 6 ounces or to taste)

1. Cook the green beans in boiling salted water until tender, about 2 minutes. Drain, cool & set aside.
2. Pat the livers dry with paper towels, then season on both sides with Salt & the Garam Masala.
3. Heat the Butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned Livers in one layer & let them brown for about 2 minutes. Turn them over & cook 1 minute more, leaving them pink at the center. Remove from heat.
4. Dress the Beans & Tomatoes, if using, with half the Vinaigrette, add a little Salt & Pepper.
5. Dress the Greens with the rest of the Vinaigrette, & pile them on individual plates. Top the Greens with the Beans, the Tomatoes, if using, & the warm Chicken Livers.

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August 11, 2011 Spicy Shrimp with Baby Arugula & Mint Leaves


 

 

RECIPE

Adapted from Mark Bittman in the New York Times

A CookTale

Cathie announced “It’s Broccoli for me tonight”. That left me to my own devices. Pasta was out, no need for 38 carbs in 2 ounces. In the morning’s New York Times, Mark Bittman’s Minimalist column seemed to hold the answer, and all the required ingredients were either in the fridge or in the garden.
One thing about MB, his recipes are always simple and always reliable. As was the case for his “Spicy Shrimp Salad With Mint”.
Full of flavor and non-fattening.

INGREDIENTS for 1 serving

9 to 10 Raw Shrimp in the 15-to-30-a-pound range, peeled
1/4 Cup of EVOO
Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp of Cayenne, or to taste
1 tsp of Paprika
1 tsp minced Garlic
3 Cups of Baby Arugula
1/2 Cup of Mint Leaves
1 TB of Lemon Juice.

METHOD

1. Place a large ovenproof skillet or thick-bottomed roasting pan on the stove over high heat.
2. Put the shrimp in a medium bowl, drizzle with the EVOO & sprinkle with Salt & Pepper. Add the Cayenne, Paprika, & Garlic, & stir to combine.
3. When skillet smokes, add the Shrimp mixture. Shake the pan once or twice to distribute them evenly, brown well, then turn once. The Shrimp are done when opaque & firm, about 2 minutes.
4. Toss together the Arugula & Mint in a large bowl. Add the Shrimp with its pan juices & the Lemon Juice. Toss to combine; the hot Shrimp should wilt the greens slightly.
5. Serve immediately.

August 8, 2011 Spicy Asian Zucchini Slaw


 

RECIPE

A CookTale

It becomes Asian, primarily with a change in the dressing. It also completely changes the taste from everyday to zesty. And It’s no longer the supermarket daily special.

RECIPE Salad

1 large green Zucchini, julienned or shredded
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into thin 2‐inch‐long slices
3 green Onions, thinly sliced
1 Cup of Bean Sprouts (optional)

RECIPE Dressing

3 TB of Rice Wine Vinegar
1 TB of Soy Sauce
1 TB of dark Sesame Oil
1 tsp. grated fresh Ginger
1½ tsp. lightly toasted Sesame Seeds
¼ tsp. crushed Red Pepper Flakes

1. Toss together salad ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
3. Toast Sesame Seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Add to dressing.
4. Dress the salad just before serving and toss to coat.

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