Month: March 2018

March 19, 2018 Butternut Squash, Golden Beet. Carrot and Apple Salad

With three nor’easters bringing snow, rain and high winds over the last week or so and two more anticipated this week, it’s hard to believe that the first day of spring is tomorrow. We are months away from the heart of the summer produce season but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a delicious fresh salad. Using this formula for a roasted vegetable salad from Fine Cooking magazine is just what you need to stimulate your cooking creativity and beat the winter blahs.

Hearty greens like spinach, arugula and radicchio form the base of this salad. Other choices could include baby greens like kale, collards and chard. I must emphasize baby (immature), because the mature greens are quite toothsome and should be used in recipes where they are cooked. This is a good time to experiment with bitter greens like escarole, endive and radicchio. They contrast nicely with sweetness of the roasted vegetables.

Roasted vegetables give the salad substance and a lot of deep rich flavor. Root vegetables, potatoes and winter squash are great for roasting, you can even add apple and pear wedges. Cut the vegetables into fairly even sized pieces so they cook evenly. Toss the vegetables with olive oil and some kosher salt. If you are using red beets, toss and roast on a separate pan. Otherwise the beets will discolor the other vegetables on the baking sheet. Roast about 20 minutes, tossing veggies halfway and rotating the baking sheet. The amount of vegetables may seem like a lot but roasting condenses them in size and concentrates their sweet flavor. I used golden beets, rainbow carrots, butternut squash and apple, all items I had in my pantry. So for me it was a “clean out your fridge” recipe.

The salad is accented with cheese and nuts that add contrasting flavors and textures. Aged Gouda brings a sharp, sweet flavor reminiscent of butterscotch and toasted slivered almonds add a wonderful aroma and crunch. An optional sprinkling of dried fruit, raisins, dried cranberries, figs give a nice touch as well.

A slightly tart white balsamic lime vinaigrette is a pleasing contrast to the sweetness of the roasted vegetables. I chose this recipe because Joe picked a large yellow, very fragrant lime from our Persian lime tree. This vinaigrette calls for an oil you may not be familiar with. High in polyunsaturated fats and vitamin E, grape seed oil is extracted from the seeds of grapes. Its flavor is neutral allowing the infused flavors of shallots and ginger to shine through.

White balsamic vinegar is made from the same variety of white grapes as dark balsamic . While the dark balsamic is simmered for hours and aged in barrels for years, white balsamic is slow cooked to avoid caramelization and is not aged. White balsamic vinegar is a good choice when you don’t want to darken the appearance of your final dish.

Toss the greens in a large bowl with a drizzle of the warm vinaigrette. Distribute the greens on two plates. Next, gently toss the roasted vegetables with some of the remaining vinaigrette. Distribute the vegetables over the plates, along with the nuts, cheese and optional fruit.

This would be a nice vegetarian lunch or dinner. Add chicken or thinly sliced flank steak if you need to include meat. The formula gives you the chance to be creative and make your own unique and delicious salad.

Butternut Squash, Golden Beet, Carrot and Apple Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients for the roasted vegetables

  • 6-7  c mixed vegetables and fruit, I used butternut squash, rainbow carrots, golden beets and apple, trimmed and peeled.
  • 2 T extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt

Directions for the roasted vegetables

  1. Position oven rack in the center and preheat oven to 450°F.
  2. Trim vegetables into 1-inch dice or wedges.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables and fruits with the oil and 1 t salt.
  4. Toss well and transfer to a large rimmed heavy-duty baking sheet.
  5. Spread the vegetables evenly on the baking sheet.
  6. Roast. flipping the vegetables halfway through the baking time and rotating the baking sheet.
  7. Cook until the vegetables are browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.
  8. Let cool and transfer to a large bowl.
Toss the vegetables with olive oil and salt.
Spread out evenly on a baking sheet.

Ingredients for the white balsamic lime vinaigrette

  • ¼ c grape seed oil
  • 1/3 c thinly sliced shallots
  • kosher salt
  • 1 t chopped fresh ginger
  • 2 T white balsamic vinegar
  • 1 T maple syrup or honey
  • 1 T fresh lime juice (more to taste)
  • 1 t grated lime zest
  • 1 t fine minced parsley
  • 1 t Dijon mustard
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Despite the color, this is a lime, very fragrant and juicy from Joe’s citrus trees.
Infusing grape seed oil with shallots and ginger.

Directions for the white balsamic lime vinaigrette

  1. Heat the oil in an 8-inch skillet, over medium heat. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook for 2-4 minutes, shallots should be softened and slightly browned.
  2. Add chopped ginger and cook until fragrant until softened and fragrant, 15 seconds. Take infused oil off the heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
  3. While the oil is cooling, to a heat proof metal bowl add the vinegar, maple syrup, juice, zest, mustard, ¼ t salt and a few grinds of pepper.
  4. Whisk the warm oil into the vinegar mixture until emulsified. Taste vinaigrette and season to taste with additional salt, pepper or citrus juice.

Ingredients for assembling the salad

  • 5-6 cups of sturdy greens, torn into bite sized pieces if needed
  • Kosher salt
  • Roasted vegetables from step one
  • ¼ c toasted slivered almonds
  • ½ c cubed aged Gouda

 

Directions for assembling the salad

  1. In a large bowl, lightly salt greens and toss with a drizzle of the warm vinaigrette. Taste a green and add a little more dressing if necessary. Arrange the greens on a platter or two plates.
  2. Season the vegetables with a pinch of salt and dress them lightly with 1-2 T of the remaining vinaigrette.
  3. Spread the vegetables evenly over the greens, then top with the almonds and Gouda. Serve immediately, passing the remaining dressing at the table.

March 10, 2018 Market 17 Green Salad

A few weeks ago we took a much needed vacation to visit close friends in south Florida. When traveling we enjoy seeking out the most interesting (at least to us) restaurants a city has to offer. I have learned that you won’t necessarily find what you are looking for by Googling for the results, any restaurant can tout itself as “the best”. Checking Trip Advisor or Open Table may not produce the results you are looking for either.The Trip Advisor number one restaurant in Fort Lauderdale is a hoagie place! I have found the most reliable results come from our destination’s city or regional magazine. They supply the most critical (good and bad) reviews, plus information about restaurants that have just opened and are not under the culinary radar yet.

Over the years, one of our favorite finds in Fort Lauderdale is, or should I say was, Market 17. Located at the Portside Yachting Center, Market 17 served delicious and creative food and was one of the first true farm to table restaurants we experienced. We have enjoyed dining there many times during our visits to Florida. Sadly, we learned that the building that houses the restaurant is going to be demolished due to the expansion of the convention center. So for one last time we “ate the menu”, appetizers, tasting portions of the entrées and dessert split between six of us, with wine to accompany the meal.

According to their website Market 17 will have a new concept in early 2019, so in tribute to this fine restaurant I have reinterpreted their local farm green salad. The menu describes it as a salad of greens, rainbow carrots, apples, cucumber, radish, candied pecans topped with a white balsamic vinaigrette.

Start with the freshest greens you can find. We are not in season for our own garden produce so our salad greens come from our local supermarkets. The greens I buy for the most part are in a plastic clamshell container. Even though they are labeled “triple washed” there are always some spoiled leaves that are never missed by the disdainful eye of Joe. So I still soak them in a sink filled with cold water with an eye to remove any bad or discolored leaves. It is important to spin the greens dry, excess water will dilute your dressing. For this salad I chose baby spinach and bibb leaves, the leaves are bite sized so there is no need to tear them. I store washed greens in gallon twist tie bags with a paper towel inside to absorb any excess moisture.

Rainbow carrots add color and crunch to everyday salads. They can range in color from deep purple, crimson red, white and bright yellow. Originally carrots were mostly purple and white. Orange carrots are a strain developed by 17th century Dutch farmers and contain more beta Carotene than other varieties. I cut my carrots into matchstick julienne, if this is too fussy for you, cut into thin slices.

Radishes bring color, crunch and a little spiciness. Cucumbers and apples give a crisp and juicy element. I like to peel the cucumbers, just leaving strips of green peel for color. I used a mandolin to slice the radishes and cucumber very thinly. Choose a sweet tart apple variety like Granny Smith or Sweet Tango.

Place your greens in a large bowl, this gives you space to dress the salad without compressing the ingredients. A white balsamic dressing adds flavor but not the dark color that can muddy an otherwise bright, colorful salad plate. The finishing touch, candied pecans that are quick and easy to make. A delicious salad that brings back great memories.

Market 17 Green Salad

Serves two

Ingredients

  • 4-5 generous handfuls of baby romaine, spring mix etc
  • 1 Persian cucumber
  • 2 radishes
  • 3 rainbow carrots-yellow, purple and orange
  • 1 small apple (I used Sweet Tango)
  • candied pecans (recipe follows)
  • white balsamic vinaigrette (recipe follows)
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Rainbow carrots are readily available in most supermarkets.

Directions

  1. Rinse lettuce and spin dry, removing any spoiled leaves. Place in a large bowl.
  2. Peel cucumber, leaving only thin strips of skin. Slice thinly with a mandoline or a knife
  3. Trim root ends off radishes, slice thinly.
  4. Peel carrots and cut into matchstick pieces, you will need about two cups.
  5. Cut the apple into thin slices, peel if desired (I didn’t)
  6. Shake vinaigrette to combine ingredients, taste and adjust for balance and drizzle some over the salad greens. Toss lightly.
  7. Add the cucumber, radishes, carrots and apple to the bowl. Toss with additional dressing and add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Use tongs to plate individual salads and top with candied pecans.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients

  • ¾ c extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ c white balsamic vinegar
  • 2-3 T honey
  • ½ t kosher salt
  • ¼ t fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ t dried oregano

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well blended.

Candied Pecans

Ingredients

  • ½ c brown sugar
  • ½ t sea salt
  • ¼ t ground cumin
  • 2 T water
  • 1 c pecans

Directions

  1. In a medium non stick skillet, combine all the ingredients except the pecans. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes, until the sugar dissolves and mixture is bubbling.
  2. Add in the pecans, stirring to coat all surfaces in the glaze, 3-5 minutes.
  3. Remove pan from the heat and spread the pecan out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Let cool completely. Break apart into individual pieces. Store in an airtight container.