Cook's Catalyst - Chapter 22 - We All Need a Little Country Greenery

Chapter Twenty-Two We All Need a Little Country Greenery Salads like to make an appearance at dinner and picnic tables. Although they are not the favorite item to make, they are a refreshing prelude to dinner. And if you need a fast, on-the-run lunch, there is such a thing as a hearty salad! I like make-ahead salads, especially for company meals. It is nice to know that no matter what else happens, the salad is tasty and already prepared. It is also like finding a pot of gold when you are raiding the refrigerator. Marinated Everything Salad One small jar marinated artichoke hearts 16 ounces Mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes One can pitted, ripe, black olives drained 1 can green beans, drained 1 can yellow wax beans, drained 1 can red kidney beans, drained ½ cup olive oil ½ cup red wine vinegar ½ teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Salt to taste 1 small garlic clove, finely diced This seems like an endless list for a bowl of salad. The ease of preparation is it’s redeeming value (not to mention the great taste!). Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight to meld the flavors. Serves six to eight people. Makes a good buffet dish or potluck offering. Use your creative imagination here! Think about a cold plate of this salad along with a freshly baked baguette, still warm from the oven. When you are making a light dinner on a summer’s evening, it is sometimes hard to find something good yet different. I like salad plates with a generous dab of several different salads. Again, with some fresh bread, there will be something for everyone. Many salad ideas for your special mixed platter are old standbys. Here are some of my favorite ones. You can pick and choose and then be creative in your presentation. A crisp leaf of lettuce cupping a spoonful of potato salad is good. And the almost proverbial spray of parsley still brightens up a meal. Fresh Tomato & Avocado with Vinaigrette Four firm, ripe tomatoes (Romas are best but regular salad tomatoes work fine) Two ripe avocados ½ cup olive oil 2 tablespoons vinegar ½ teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper, if you have it ½ teaspoon dried dill ½ teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon brown sugar Cube the tomatoes and the avocados into bite-size chunks. In another bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients. Pour dressing over tomatoes and avocados and toss gently. Refrigerate until serving time. Marinated Green Beans 1 to 2 cans of green beans (remember to consider your needs!), drained Your favorite Italian salad dressing 1/4 to ½ cup slivered, toasted almonds Drain green beans and place in bowl. Toss in dressing. Just before serving, scatter the almonds over each portion. Cucumber Slices Two large cucumbers 1/4 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper Peel and slice the cucumbers. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Since this is part of a combination plate, you don’t want duplicate tastes so avoid using Italian dressing on everything. Pickled Beet Salad 1 to 2 cans sliced or julienne beets, drained Salt and pepper to taste 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 tablespoons vinegar A sprinkling of caraway seed Drain beets and place in bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, toss gently and refrigerate. Tomato/Feta Salad Four to six ripe, red tomatoes, preferably Roma 4 ounces Feta ½ teaspoon dried dill ½ teaspoon basil ½ teaspoon oregano 1 teaspoon ground pepper ½ teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons finely chopped, red onion, optional Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized chunks and place in bowl. Mix the olive oil, vinegar, onions, spices and herbs together in a small bowl. Pour over tomatoes, toss gently and let marinate for at least a half hour before serving. Just before using, crumble in the Feta. The room temperature tomatoes make a nice contrast to the chilled cheese. Accents for your salad Black or green olives. Sweet or dill pickles Pickled peppers (hot or mild) Slivers of carrots for crunch and color Spears of fresh pineapple Rounds of peeled Kiwi Radishes Green onion Croutons Fresh cauliflower or broccoli florets Stuffed eggs Potato Salad Now that you have some ideas and basic recipes, put your salad plates in the freezer to get cold and start preparing your sampler salads. Remember that eye-appeal is almost as important as taste. Don’t unbalance the plate with too much of one or the other salad. You are looking for tiny taste temptations that will leave your family wanting more. They probably won’t say anything, however, as before they can voice a demand, they will be sampling another part of the salad plate. Contrast the colors and textures and you will have a winner.