Category: Salads

Quick Tomato Aspic

A recipe is just a suggestion!  Vary the seasonings and chopped things, serve with mayonnaise or sour cream.  Or it’s good just the way it is.

Ingredients:

  • 1 3 oz package lemon gelatin
  • 1 c water, boiling (or for a little more kick use V8 juice)
  • 8 oz tomato sauce (or tomato soup)
  • 1 Tab vinegar
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 dash Tabasco
  • 1 tsp garlic salt
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 avocado
  • 2 eggs, hard boiled
  • 1/2 c celery, chopped
  • 1/4 c green olives, sliced
  • 1/4 lb bay shrimp

Directions:

  1. Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.
  2. Add tomato sauce , Tabasco, vinegar, garlic salt, oregano.
  3. Cool slightly.
  4. Add rest of ingredients.
  5. Pour into molds.
  6. Chill until firm.

Serves:  6

Source: Ginger Kleerup

Chicken Salad Oriental

A variations of this salad is at every restaurant, but this is the original.

Ingredients:

  • 2 chicken breast (or 3# turkey
  • 2 small slices fresh ginger (or 1/4 tsp dried ginger)
  • 1 head lettuce, chopped
  • 3 green onions, slivered into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/2 lb bean sprouts
  • 1/2 lb mushrooms sliced
  • 6-8 water chestnuts, sliced ( 1/2 can)
  • 1/2 c slivered almonds – toasted
  • 1/4 c sesame seeds, toasted
  • 1 pkg Mai-fun noodles (Rice threads)
  • oil

Dressing:

  • 1/2 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 Tab sugar
  • 1 Tab  soy sauce
  • 1 Tab sesame oil
  • 1/4 c oil
  • 3 Tab Marukan rice vinegar

Directions:

  1. Cook chicken in small about of water with ginger.
  2. Cut into bite size pieces.
  3. Fry Mai-fun noodles, a few at a time,in about 2 inches of hot oil (400°) in a deep pot. Watch out – they explode!
  4. Mix dressing ingredients in a jar.
  5. Shake vigorously.
  6. Toss everything together at the last minute.

Serves: 4 – 6

Source:  Mai-fun noodle package

Notes:  Noodles can be done ahead and stored in an airtight container.

Broccoli Salad

A pretty salad for a holiday buffet. And it is one more “variations on a theme”.

Ingredients:

  • 8 lbs broccoli
  • 1 lb bacon
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 basket cherry tomatoes
  • 1 c garlic dressing (Store bought or try Dominico’s Garlic Dressing)

Directions: 

  1. Blanch broccoli flowers for 1 minute. (If using stems also, slice them thin and blanch for about 5 minutes, until tender.)
  2. Drain, rinse with cold water.
  3. Cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces.
  4. Cook until crisp.
  5. Drain on paper towels.
  6. Slice onion into quarters and then into thin slices.
  7. Mix everything with dressing at last minute.

Serves: 20 – 25 on a buffet.

Source:  VAK

Notes: You can add grated cheddar cheese, slices mushrooms, anything else left in the frig.  Mayo can be substituted for the garlic dressing (but it won’t be nearly as good.)

Fire and Ice Tomatoes

This is a spicy salad to take to the barbecue.

Ingredients:

  • 6 large tomatoes, really ripe, peeled and quartered (or 1/8th if really large)
  • 1 large green pepper, sliced thinly
  • 1 red onion, sliced into rings
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and thin sliced into rings.

Sauce:

  • 1/4 c vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp celery salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp mustard seed
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/8 tsp red pepper
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 c cold water

Directions:

  1. Place sauce mixture over high and boil furiously, but only for one minute.
  2. While still hot, pour over tomatoes, green pepper and onions.
  3. Cool.
  4. Just before serving add cucumbers.

Serves:  10 – 12 on a buffet

Source:  Gerrie Hastings

Cantaloupe Salad

This is a really nice summer salad when cantaloupe are at their best.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb bacon
  • 1/2 cantaloupe cubed
  • 1 avocado, cubed
  • 1 orange, cubed
  • 1 head lettuce, red or romaine

Dressing:

  • 1/2 tsp grated orange peel
  • 1/2 c oil
  • 1/4 c orange juice
  • 1 Tab sugar
  • 2 Tab red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tab lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 t dry mustard

Directions: 

  1. Wash lettuce, break into bite size pieces.
  2. Mix Dressing ingredients in a jar.
  3. Shake.
  4. At serving time mix all ingredients and toss with dressing.

Serves:  4-6

Source: Gerrie Hastings

Blueberry Fruit Salad with Tequila-Lime Syrup

A real winner at the next “Just bring a salad” dinner.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 lb fresh blueberries (2 cups)
  • 4 medium kiwi, peeled, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
  • 1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 c granulated sugar
  • 1/4 c tequila
  • 2 Tab lime juice
  • 2 tsp. finely grated lime zest

Directions:

  1. Put the blueberries, kiwi, and mango in a medium serving bowl.
  2. Combine the sugar, tequila, and lime zest in a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice.
  4. Pour the warm syrup over the fruit and gently toss.
  5. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.
  6. Gently toss before serving.

Serves: 10

Source: by Shelley Wiseman from Fine Cooking Issue 124

Pear and Spinach Salad

Instructions:

  1. Place onion in a small bowl of ice water and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, place mustard, vinegar, water, oil, honey, salt, and pepper in a medium nonreactive bowl and whisk until combined.
  3. Strain onion from ice water.
  4. Pat dry, and place in a large nonreactive bowl.
  5. Add spinach, pear, and 3 tablespoons of the dressing.
  6. Toss until evenly coated.
  7. Taste, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and add more dressing as desired.

Serves: 6
Source:  Chow submitted by Ali LaRaia

 

Balsamic Strawberries with Arugula

Unlike most salads with strawberries, this is a savory, not sweet,dressing.

Ingredients:

  • 2 # strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered
  • ¼ c balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 10 c arugula leaves or mixed spring lettuce
  • Salt
  • ½ c extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 c crumbled goat cheese (10 oz)

Directions:

  1. Toss the strawberries with the vinegar and black pepper in a large salad bowl and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Add the arugula.
  3. Sprinkle with salt, and toss again.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil and toss gently one last time.
  5. Taste, adjust the seasoning
  6. Serve on salad plates
  7. Top with crumbled got cheese.

Serves: 10

Source: How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bitten

Watermelon Shrimp Salad

Very refreshing.  Also good for a summer lunch with some great bread.

Ingredients:

  • 10 c mixed greens
  • 3 Tab chives, chopped
  • 30 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • ¾ c English cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced (½ cucumber)
  • 2 c watermelon, diced in ¾ inch cubes (1/2 a baby watermelon)
  • ¾ lb shrimp, cooked, peeled and tails off – 50 – 70 size
  • Poppy Seed vinaigrette

Directions:

  1. Marinate the shrimp in the dressing for 1 hr.
  2. Toss everything together.

Serves: 10 as salad, 5 for lunch

Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

  • ¼ c white sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 Tab white wine vinegar
  • ½ c olive oil
  • 1 ½ tsp poppy seeds

Directions:

  1. Place the sugar, salt, vinegar, and oil in a blender.
  2. Blend until smooth.
  3. Stir in the poppy seeds.

Serves: Makes ¾ cup

Source: nowthingsarecookin.blogspot.com

Caprese Antipasticks

This is a fun and pretty variation for a salad.   

Ingredients:

  • 10 c mixed salad greens
  • 10 8-inch bamboo skewers
  • 20 cherry or grape tomatoes
  • 20 pieces fresh mozzarella ½ inch cubes
  • 20 leaves fresh basil
  • 10 large black olives, pitted
  • 10 large green Sicilian olives
  • 10 marinated artichoke hearts, cut in half if necessary
  • 10 pieces red or yellow bell peppers
  • 10 lemon wedges
  • ¾ c Extra-virgin olive oil,
  • ¼ c Balsamic vinegar
  • Salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. For caprese sticks, skewer tomatoes, mozzarella, olives, artichoke hearts, peppers, and basil leaves between them.
  2. Toss lettuce with oil and vinegar.
  3. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Place skewers on bed of lettuce.
  5. Place lemon wedge on plate.

Serves: 10

Source: Better Recipes, Rachael Ray, and The Kitchen