Category: Salads

Swedish Shrimp Salad – Joppes Rakssallad

A traditional salad on a smorgasbord.  Nice for summer luncheons or barbecues. No mayonnaise to give you food poisoning if left out too long.

Ingredients:

  • 1# shrimp – (I used bay shrimp)
  • 2 ½ c sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 2 medium tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 cup peas, cooked (I used frozen, defrosted)
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 teaspoons vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dill
  • 2 eggs, hard cooked, cut in wedges

Directions:

  1. Arrange shrimp, mushrooms, tomatoes and cold peas in salad bowl.
  2. Combine oil, vinegar, salt, dill,
  3. Pour over salad mixture.
  4. Garnish with egg wedges.

Serves:  4

Source:   The Swedish relatives.

 

 

 

Spinach, Brie and Walnut Salad

I am always looking for different salads.  This one with brie is a winner!  Works well with romaine lettuce too.

Ingredients: 

  • ¼ C. olive oil
  • 1½ Tbs. red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tab sugar
  • 1 Tab Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp diced garlic
  • 8 c. spinach leaves (about 6 oz.), torn to bite size pieces
  • ½ c  thinly sliced red onions
  • 6 ounces of Brie cheese, diced in 1/2 inch cubes, room temperature
  • ½ C. toasted walnut pieces

Directions:

  1. Shake oil, vinegar, sugar Dijon, garlic to blend in small jar.
  2. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
  3. Combine spinach, onion and half of cheese in large bowl.
  4. Toss salad with enough dressing to coat well.
  5. Divide salad between 2 plates.
  6. Sprinkle with walnuts.
Serves:  2
Source:  Bon Appétit June 1992

Cheater Coleslaw

So it’s a party.  Old friends.  No one cares about the food – it will be good.  They are there for the company.  Quick, easy, foolproof and amazingly good.  Don’t tell your grandmother with her 17 ingredient cole slaw recipe/10 ingredient dressing recipe.

Ingredients: 

1 bag of shredded cabbage

1 jar prepared coleslaw dressing

1 can crushed pineapple – drained.  If you insist!

Direction: 

Mix cabbage (and pineapple)

Add enough dressing to make it justt way YOU like it – dry or sloppy -just right.

Serves:  25 – 50  What else are you serving?

Source:  Lazy me

 

Broccoli Coleslaw

Chef Timothy Hollingsworth swaps thinly sliced broccoli florets for cabbage in this crunchy sweet-savory coleslaw.  Sometimes we substitute dried apricots or cranberries, or cherries for the raisins.

Ingredients:

  • 6 slices of bacon (4 ounces), cooked (or store bought bacon bits)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Kosher salt
  • Pepper
  • 1 large head of broccoli (1 1/4 pounds), cut into bite-size florets and thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the vinegar and sugar; season with salt and pepper.
  2. Add the broccoli, raisins, onion, sunflower seeds and bacon;
  3. Toss to coat evenly.
  4. Transfer the coleslaw to a serving bowl.

Make Ahead:

The slaw (without the bacon and sunflower seeds) can be refrigerated for 1 day. Bring to room temperature and add the bacon and sunflower seeds right before serving.

Serves:  6

Source:  Food and Wine, Timothy Hollingsworth, June 2015

Spinach Salad

This is that old fashioned spinach salad from the 60’s.  Still one of the best!  It should be noted that certain family members sometimes left out ingredients they did not like, ie. mushrooms, or bean sprouts, or even Mandarin oranges.)

Salad Ingredients:

  • 2 bunches of salad (Nowadays we use the bagged stuff – about 4 cups should do it.)
  • 2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
  • 6 slices of bacon, cooked, crumbled (You can cheat and use processed bacon bits but they are not as good.)
  • 5 oz water chestnuts, diced in good size pieces
  • 1 can Mandarin oranges
  • 4 mushrooms, raw, sliced
  • bean sprouts to taste – a hand-full or two

Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1 c oil
  • 1/4 c vinegar
  • 1/3 c ketchup
  • 1/2 c sugar
  • 1/2 onion, grated (or dried onions)
  • dash of salt
  • shake of Worcestershire Sauce

Directions:

  1. Mix dressing ingredients, chill.
  2. Mix salad ingredients and toss with dressing.

Serves:   6

Source:   Pat Negus

 

Tomato Broccoli Salad

This is a very different broccoli salad – no one at the potluck will be bringing the same thing.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb broccoli, cut into flowerlettes, stems sliced thin
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/4 c butter
  • 1 Tab  vegetable oil
  • 4 tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 c mayonnaise
  • cherry tomatoes

Directions:

  1. Place the broccoli in boiling, salted water.
  2. Simmer until barely cooked, about 5 minutes.
  3. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  4. Saute onions and garlic in butter and oil until onions are transparent,  about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, basil, and oregano.
  6. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are soft,  about 15 minutes.
  7. Cool slightly.
  8. Stir in mayonnaise.
  9. Combine broccoli and tomato mixtures.
  10. Refrigerate covered 3 – 4 hours.
  11. Garnish with cherry tomatoes.

Serves:  12

Source:  Donna Barasch, served at Connoisseur Caper

Donna’s Potato Salad

Really good because the potatoes “marinate” in the dressing before mixing with the mayonnaise.  Also keeps well.

Salad Ingredients:

  • 3 1/2 lb large red potatoes, unpealed, halved
  • 3/4 c mayonnaise
  • 3/4 c sour cream
  • 1/4 c milk
  • 1 Tab Dijon mustard
  • 2 c chopped celery
  • 1/2 c sweet pickle relish
  • 1/2 c chopped green/red onions
  • 1 lb bacon, cooked, crumbled
  • 1/4 c fresh parsley

Dressing Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c cider vinegar
  • 1/c vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp celery seed
  • 1 c dry mustard

Dressing Directions:

  1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Whisk until well blended.

Salad Directions:

  1. In a large saucepan, cover potatoes with water.
  2. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat.
  3. Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.
  4. Drain.
  5. When potatoes are just cool enough to handle, remove skin with a paring knife. (Really???)
  6. While potatoes are still warm, cut into 1 inch chunks.
  7. Add to the bowl with he salad dressing.
  8. Toss gently to coat.
  9. Let stand stirring occasionally until the potatoes have absorbed most of the dressing.
  10. In another large  bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, mustard until blended.
  11. Add potatoes, celery, pickle relish, onion and 2 Tab parsley.
  12. Toss gently to mix.
  13. Cover with plastic wrap.
  14. Refrigerate 2 hours, up to 2 days.
  15. To serve, sprinkle with remaining parsley.

Serves:  16

Source:   Donna Barasch – some magazine.

 

 

 

Isabel’s Zucchini Salad

Another use for the abundance of zucchini each summer.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs zucchini, small, sliced thin
  • 1/4 c vinegar
  • 1/2 c oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 3 Tab green peppers chopped
  • 3 Tab sweet pickle relish
  • 4 Tab green onion minced
  • 2 Tab parsley, chopped
  • 2 Tab pimento

Directions:

  1. Drop zucchini in boiling salted water.
  2. Cook 2 minutes.
  3. Drain.
  4. Combine rest of ingredients in a jar.
  5. Shake until well blended.
  6. Pour over zucchini.
  7. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours.
  8. Stir gently once or twice.

Serves:  6 – 8

Source:   Isabel Prucha

Namasu

The fourth grade at Taft School, Orange, CA did a unit on Japan – including making kimonos and a Japanese feast.  This was part of it.  Great for a different salad.  A must if you are making tempura. 

Ingredients:

  • 2 large cucumbers (skin and seeds removed (now you can get English and Persian cucumbers – almost no seeds)
  • 3 stalks celery
  • crab, shrimp or abalone (oh, sure – just send money!)
  • 1 Tab sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 c vinegar (rice or cider)
  • 1/2 tsp MSG (not anymore!)

Directions:

  1. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise.
  2. Slice cucumbers and celery in thin diagonal pieces.
  3. Sprinkle with salt.
  4. Set aside for about 10 minutes.
  5. Squeeze out the water and add sugar and vinegar.

Serves: 2-3

Source:  4th grade, Taft School 1971

New Potato Salad

NO Mayo!  Fresh and different.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb bacon cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces
  • 3 lbs new potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 1 lb green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces

Dressing:

  • 1/2 oil
  • 1/4 c tarragon vinegar
  • 1/4 c beef consomme, undiluted
  • 1/2 c green onions, chopped
  • 1/4 c parsley, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp mustard, dry
  • 1/2 tsp sweet basil
  • 1/2 tsp tarragon
  • pepper

Directions:

  1. Cook bacon, drain.
  2. Place sliced potatoes in boiling salted water to cover.
  3. Cover and cook 8 minutes until barely fork tender.
  4. Drain.
  5. Place green beans in pan with about 1/2 inch boiling water.
  6. Cover and cook until tender crisp, about 8 – 10 minutes.
  7. Drain.
  8. Mix everything else in a jar and shake, shake, shake.
  9. Combine everything in  a large bowl and mix gently.
  10. Serve at room temperature.

Serves: 8 – 10

Source:  Ladies Home Journal