Daily Unadventures in Cooking » Salad

Tomato, Caper and Artichoke Salad Recipe

katerina — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:20:32 +0000

Easy salads that can be served warm or cold are the key to stress-free summer entertaining. Roasted corn salad, fresh asparagus salad, and this tomato salad are perfect as they can be made a few hours ahead and they keep well. You can make a full meal of them too by just stirring in some cooked grains like quinoa.

Tomato Vinaigrette Recipe

katerina — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:15:48 +0000

Tomato season is easily the best time of the year since it happens to coincide with beach weather, fresh basil, and frosty beverages. Here is an unusual recipe which uses tomatoes – a tomato based salad dressing.

If you have a strong enough blender, it only takes 30 seconds. Otherwise try it in a food processor and slowly stream in the oil. Not tomato season where you are? Try using a roasted tomato to give it that real tomato flavour.

Sriracha and Honey Grilled Tofu Salad

katerina — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:55:07 +0000

This grilled tofu recipe is for all of my vegetarians readers, and any adventurous carnivores of course. I realize tofu is not for everyone, but I actually really enjoy the way it can be a sponge for flavours. Plus tofu lasts for months un-opened in the fridge, ready for any night you need it. If you are a tofu newbie, try cooking up a few squares the next time you do a mixed grill, I think you will be surprised at how delicious tofu can be with the right saucing.

Because the sweet and spicy marinade only has three ingredients it makes for a perfect quick and easy dinner. Tell me, if you are a meat-eater do you eat meat free regularly? Do you ever cook tofu at home?

Chickpea and Broccoli Salad Recipe

katerina — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 11:04:00 +0000

Chickpeas are not only my favorite legume but are also a good source of protein, zinc and calcium. Besides being the heart of any good hummus, they are also a great addition to many dishes or a good protein for a vegetarian recipe. This salad is great as an easy work lunch and can be prepared ahead of time. Try this vegan salad for meatless monday!

Amazingly, this recipe is an updated version of a recipe from the archives. Back in 2006 I created this recipe and thankfully it has stood the test of time pretty well. That said, I think I can safely say the photo has improved. You can see the original photo here.

Honey Mustard and Dill Salad Dressing Recipe

katerina — Mon, 30 May 2011 12:49:31 +0000

Dijon mustard might just be the perfect condiment; it is as good on a sandwich as it is in a marinade. It is also low in fat with a short list of natural ingredients. Try using it as the base ingredient to your salad dressing, not only will it bring a distinct flavour but it will also help the oil and vinegar emulsification stay more stable.

Don’t worry, you don’t need honey mustard for this recipe, that is an entirely separate condiment. It does however, also bring these contrasting flavours together. (By the way, check the label the next time you see a bottle of honey mustard, it doesn’t have honey in it at all though there is certainly a good amount of sugar.)

This salad dressing works particularly well on a simple salad of fresh Romaine lettuce, thinly sliced apple and crumbled goat cheese. Once made, this salad dressing will keep in the fridge for several days.

Raw Asparagus with Orange Zest and Pancetta

katerina — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:28:48 +0000

Now that asparagus is in season, the web is full of beautiful raw asparagus recipes and so trying one was overdue. In this recipe, crispy pancetta is scalded with white wine and orange juice, forming a hot dressing to pour over the raw, shaved, asparagus.

This recipe comes together in a snap. Give yourself 5-10 minutes to peel the asparagus and only a few minutes to make the dressing. This is best served warm, but is also nice cold.

Winter Quinoa Salad Recipe with Squash, Pears and Almonds

katerina — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:38:54 +0000

There is a set of common wisdom that claims that from an evolutionary standpoint we should be eating foods which are native and in season to our climates. Now, for me that would exclude all citrus, avocados, and certainly kiwi fruit. That just isn’t going to happen. However, that doesn’t mean that sometimes, just sometimes, a wonderful recipe can be made in the dead of winter with locally available and seasonal produce.

This warm quinoa recipe screams colder weather. The rusty specks of almond and squash with the crunchy pieces of sage looks a bit like the yard at the end of November with fallen leaves dotted on sleeping plants.

But seriously, couldn’t we all use a nice warm quinoa salad in these colder months? One that is chock full of vegetables and contrasted with lovely chewy dots of quinoa? Try this recipe, it doesn’t disappoint and it reheats quite well.

Winter Quinoa Recipe with Squash, Pears and Almonds
(serves 4)

1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup almonds
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small kabocha squash (about 2 cups when peeled and cut)
2 tablespoons butter (to make this vegan, substitute olive oil)
6 small sage leaves
1 pear
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon

Heat your oven to 400F. Peel the squash, cut it in half and remove seeds. Chop squash into approximately 1cm cubes. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Spread onto a cookie sheet and put in the oven, this should take about 20 minutes to roast the squash, set a timer and toss halfway through. While the oven is on put your almonds on a tray and toast in the oven. You want to toast them until they are fragrant but not burnt. Try putting them in for at most 3 minutes at a time. After each interval check them and toss them, they should be done in 6-8 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the quinoa. Combine quinoa and water along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a small pot, bring to a boil, cover and turn to low for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for another 5 before fluffing.

Peel your pear. Cut it in half and remove the core and fibrous stem. Slice thinly (about 1/4″). In a medium skillet melt butter over medium heat and fry sage leaves until browned. Do not let the butter burn. Adjust the heat accordingly. Remove sage leaves to a paper towel and then add pears along with a pinch of salt. Toss pears over medium heat to sauté them until they soften, about 5 minutes.

Juice the lemon and whisk together with the Dijon as well as the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Taste and add salt and pepper as necessary. Fold dressing into warm quinoa along with pears, squash, and almonds. Serve topped with squash leaves.

Fresh Chili Oil Recipe

katerina — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 13:09:09 +0000

Chili oil not only adds a dramatic red colour to any dish but it also adds a punch of spice. This chili oil recipe is not a traditional sichuan oil as this is blenderized and made with fresh, rather than dried chilies. However, I love the colour of the oil when it becomes more uniform and it has a fabulous texture with all that pulp in there. To make it less spicy remove the seeds from your chilies before you dice them.

As a hot sauce lover, this is my new favorite condiment. It has a pure chili flavour and is a great addition to many dishes, from pastas to soups, or just to dip a grilled cheese in. Once made do keep it in your fridge, it should store well for about two weeks.

Grilled Corn and Summer Vegetable Salad Recipe

katerina — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:46:53 +0000

When it is hot in the summer, why not enjoy an easy grilled corn salad which can be prepared without the need of the stove top? This salad is endlessly flexible; just pick vegetables which are in season and they will naturally complement the corn and bring a vibrant range of colour to your salad bowl.

Go to your local market, pick out cobs of peaches and cream as close to the stalk as possible and then select a handful of other freshly available vegetables. Char the vegetables until crisp tender and toss together with your corn. Delicious served warm or cold, this grilled corn salad will wait until you are ready.

Grilled Corn and Summer Vegetable Salad
(serves 2)

1 lime
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 heaping tablespoon honey

4 cobs of corn
1 zucchini
1 summer squash
1 red pepper
1 hot fresh pepper such as a jalapeno or banana pepper
4 fresh roma tomatoes, large dice
1/4 cup cilantro, minced

Zest the lime into a small bowl and add half the juice. Whisk in honey, cumin and a big pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Slowly whisk in oil.
Remove the husks from the corn. Slice zucchini and summer squash into 1cm wide diagonal slices. Cut squash peppers in half and remove seeds.
Heat grill to high and clean. Brush all vegetables with the dressing and place on grill. Grill, rotating until lightly charred all over, you want them all still to have crunch.
Remove from grill and chop pepper, and squash into large bite sized pieces and add to a salad bowl. Remove corn from it’s husk and also add to bowl. Toss in tomatoes and cilantro and an extra tablespoon of the remaining dressing. Taste and correct for seasoning. Can be served warm or cold.

Grilled Radicchio with Balsamic Vinegar, Walnuts and Gorgonzola Cheese

katerina — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:52:03 +0000

Radicchio is a small bitter lettuce the size of a softball whose vibrant purple colour looks speculator on a plate. Grilling it or cooking it actually softens the flavour and makes it warmer to the palate.

For this grilled radicchio recipe, the radicchio is marinated quickly in sweet balsamic vinegar and then charred. The radicchio will wilt slightly while on the grill but still retain a satisfying crunch. Carefully flip it and then quickly scatter toasted walnuts and crumbled Gorgonzola cheese over top. This is a radicchio salad to please every vegetable hater, serve with a big juicy steak and a nice bottle of red wine.

Grilled Radicchio with Balsamic Vinegar, Walnuts and Gorgonzola Cheese
(serves 2)

2 heads of radicchio
3 tablespoons + drizzle balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt
freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup walnuts
3 tablespoons Gorgonzola Cheese

Heat your grill to high. Trim the stems of the radicchio and quarter it. Whisk together vinegar, oil and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Toss with the radicchio. Grill radicchio over medium high heat for ~ 5 minutes per side. It will very possibly flare up as the balsamic burns off. Meanwhile toast the walnuts over medium low heat until just fragrant, shaking the pan occasionally – about 5 minutes.

Remove radicchio from heat and plate 4 pieces on each plate, garnish with walnuts, cheese and a drizzle of balsamic.