[HIME]

i just eaten great salad in a cafe near my apartment, which making me thinking to experiment to making salad of my own , but actually i never making a salad except a simple one just with a basic vinegarate or thousand island, could you help with some new salad recipes that i can try. thxs so much

[shel]

Originally Posted by HIME

i just eaten great salad in a cafe near my apartment, which making me thinking to experiment to making salad of my own , but actually i never making a salad except a simple one just with a basic vinegarate or thousand island, could you help with some new salad recipes that i can try. thxs so much

Here's one that was just posted recently: Green Goddess Dressing

And here's a simple, American salad that I worked up for a friend last year:

Shel’s Middle America Salad with Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing

Some crispy parts of hearts of romaine or iceberg lettuce wedges - Iceberg lettuce is more traditional for this type of salad, but CRISP parts of romaine will work
fresh tomato wedges
rinsed, drained, and dried red kidney beans (optional)
thin slices of red onion (optional)
a few thick sliced bacon slices (optional)
1 Tbs best quality mayonnaise
1 Tbs good quality sour cream
1 Tbs fresh lemon juice or about 1 Tbs lemon zest, or combinstion
About 1 cup or more rich buttermilk
4 ounces Maytag or similar blue cheese
½ tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher salt or to taste
dash or two of dry mustard (optional)

Divide the blue cheese into three pieces. Take one piece and chop it very fine. Take another piece and chop it medium fine, and chop or crumble the third piece in larger chunks.

If using bacon (recommended), lay the bacon strips on a roasting rack over a cookie sheet and bake in a 375-degree oven until crisp, about 20-25 minutes - pay attention to the cooking bacon so you get it to your desired doneness. Remove when cooked to your liking, and set on several layers of paper towels to compete draining and to cool further. Cover with a few more layers of paper towels, and pat bacon dry, letting the towels absorb as much grease as possibe. You can also put the bacon into a cold oven, and the slower heating will render a little more fat.

Put the mayo, sour cream, and the very fine pieces of blue cheese together, along with the salt (but be careful of the amount of salt - cheese is already salty), into an appropriately sized glass or stainless steel bowl (preferably one that comes with a tight fitting lid, but you can use plastic wrap to cover - try not to use plastic bowls as plastic can sometimes impart a taste to whatever is stored in it, especially if you’re storing the dressing overnight or for a couple of days). Using a fork or small whisk, mix together well. If you like you can put the mixture and about ½ cup of buttermilk in a blender or food processor for a few twirls or pulses to incorporate and smooth the mixture, but it’s not really necessary to do that, plus it makes more mess to clean up.
When all of the above is nicely combined (don’t overmix) add the rest of the blue cheese and optional dry mustard (start with just a pinch or two) and gently mix together very well by hand.

Add more buttermilk a little at a time, mixing well with each addition. When you get the taste and texture to your liking (you may want to add a little more salt, a pinch or two more of dry mustard) cover the bowl and refrigerate at least four hours or, better yet, over night or a couple of days to let the flavors meld. The mixture may thicken up a bit when refrigerated, especially over night, so don’t be afraid to make it a little thinner than you may ultimately prefer.

Before using, let the dressing warm a little, stir the mixture, adjust seasoning, maybe add more buttermilk, mayo, or sour cream to adjust taste/texture, and dollop on your salad, ideally the hearts of romaine (with any soft tips cut off) or wedges of iceberg lettuce with nicely sized wedges of fresh tomatoes and the optional drained and dried canned kidney beans and a few slices of red onion. If using, break up some bacon over the salad, leaving pieces that will afford a nice texture

When eating the salad, close your eyes and it will be easy to imagine that you’re in a diner in Omaha, Nebraska<LOL>

Notes: Ideally, you want the lettuce to be firm enough to stand up to the dressing, that’s why it’s suggested to cut off any soft tips. It’s your choice, of course. You might want to seed the tomato wedges depending on how moist and runny the tomatoes are. My preference is for thick sliced bacon. Niman Ranch bacon can be had in 1/8-inch or so slices. You can sometimes find slab bacon which you or the butcher can cut for you to whatever thickness you like. The Niman Ranch product is fine.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

There are well more than a hundred salad recipes plus ideas and techniques on my computer. If you tell me, and the rest of the forum, what kind of salads you prefer (Greens and lettuce, tuna, egg, fish and seafood, vegetable, chicken, potato, bean, etc.) we can provide more specific recipes and ideas.

Yesterday I found a variation on a more typical El Salvadoran curtido that I want to try, made with tomatoes and red onion instead of the more commonly used cabbage.

shel

[HIME]

thxs shel for your reply,
i acctually like everykind of salad but my favorite is salad with oriental dressing or have somr fresh fruit in it, but everything basically ok for me

any other recipes will be great fully appreciated, thxs

[HIME]

thxs shel for your reply,
i actually like every kind of salad but my favorite is salad with oriental dressing or have some fresh fruit in it, but everything basically ok for me

any other recipes will be great fully appreciated, thxs

[boar_d_laze]

Originally Posted by HIME

i just eaten great salad in a cafe near my apartment, which making me thinking to experiment to making salad of my own , but actually i never making a salad except a simple one just with a basic vinegarate or thousand island, could you help with some new salad recipes that i can try. thxs so much

Hime,

Here are two to try.

Caesar Salad: Classic Caesar Salad This is a complete recipe.

Green Goddess: Green Goddess Dressing This recipe is for a very versatile dressing which used to be very popular but has been largely forgotten. It's goes well with any garden, vegetable or seafood salad. I especially like it with crab salad; and with a simple salad of lettuces, diced tomato, sliced red onion, sliced fresh mushroom, and croutons.

Bon appetit!
BDL

[shel]

Originally Posted by HIME

[...] my favorite is salad with oriental dressing or have some fresh fruit in it, but everything basically ok for me

This one was sent to me by my good friend and cooking pal Christine. If you love figs, try this one:

6 ripe figs
6 slices prosciutto or Parma ham
Healthy handful fresh basil, torn
6 small balls buffalo mozzarella, torn

Dressing:
1 tablespoon good honey (orange blossom is nice)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Sea/Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut a criss-cross in the figs, but not quite to the bottom; then, using your thumb and forefinger, squeeze the base of the fig to reveal the inside. Place the figs on a large plate and weave 1 piece of prosciutto or Parma ham around each fig. Add the torn basil leaves and the buffalo mozzarella. Drizzle over the honey, making sure each fig has some in the middle, then drizzle the olive oil, lemon juice and add salt and pepper, or mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl and season to tase, and then drizzle everything with the dressing.

And, while on the subject of figs:

Fresh Figs with Orange, Ginger Sauce: You'll need about a dozen fresh figs, a cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice (organic valencias are nice and juicy), a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh ginger, and one star anise.

Cut the figs open lengthwise. Simmer OJ, ginger, and star anise together on med-high heat for about 20 minutes, or until volume is reduced by half. Strain sauce, discarding all but liquid. Drizzle sauce over figs. The sauce can be chilled before serving with the figs.

shel

You want the sauce to be the consistency of light syrup when done. Check the taste as it reduces. If it does not reduce long enough it will taste weak and flat, and it won't coat the figs. It will get thicker as it cools if you decide to serve it cold.

[shel]

Here's recipe I've been using for years. It was passed along to me by a friend who said she got it from a co-worker. This is the original recipe as I received it although I tend to play with it a bit.

KIWI AND AVOCADO SALAD

2 large, ripe avocados (preferably Haas)
1 large orange
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp walnut oil
2 tbsp light vegetable oil or almond oil
1 tsp honey (when I use honey I use a mild flavor)
4 kiwi fruits, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise

Pit and quarter the avocados lengthwise, remove the skin. Slice each quarter thinly on the bias, slip a spatula under the slices and place on a serving platter. Fan out the slices into a nice pattern.

Peel the orange and remove all the white pith. Holding the orange over a bowl to catch the juice, cut between the membranes and section the fruit. Arrange the orange slices nicely around the avocado.

Combine the lime juice, salt, oil and orange juice and pour evenly over the avocado and orange slices to cover each piece thoroughly. Arrange the Kiwi slices over the avocado and chill, covered until serving time, but no longer than an hour. Before serving tip the platter to collect the dressing and spoon some over all.

scb

[shel]

Originally Posted by HIME

[...] i actually like every kind of salad but my favorite is salad with oriental dressing or have some fresh fruit in it, but everything basically ok for me

any other recipes will be great fully appreciated, thxs

The freshest, best quality ingredients are important for this simple salad. Insalata Caprese

scb

[HIME]

Originally Posted by boar_d_laze

Hime,

Here are two to try.

Caesar Salad: Classic Caesar Salad This is a complete recipe.

Green Goddess: Green Goddess Dressing This recipe is for a very versatile dressing which used to be very popular but has been largely forgotten. It's goes well with any garden, vegetable or seafood salad. I especially like it with crab salad; and with a simple salad of lettuces, diced tomato, sliced red onion, sliced fresh mushroom, and croutons.

Bon appetit!
BDL

thxs boar_d_laze, i love cesar salad and i will try your recipes

[HIME]

Originally Posted by shel

This one was sent to me by my good friend and cooking pal Christine. If you love figs, try this one:

6 ripe figs
6 slices prosciutto or Parma ham
Healthy handful fresh basil, torn
6 small balls buffalo mozzarella, torn

Dressing:
1 tablespoon good honey (orange blossom is nice)
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Sea/Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut a criss-cross in the figs, but not quite to the bottom; then, using your thumb and forefinger, squeeze the base of the fig to reveal the inside. Place the figs on a large plate and weave 1 piece of prosciutto or Parma ham around each fig. Add the torn basil leaves and the buffalo mozzarella. Drizzle over the honey, making sure each fig has some in the middle, then drizzle the olive oil, lemon juice and add salt and pepper, or mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl and season to tase, and then drizzle everything with the dressing.

And, while on the subject of figs:

Fresh Figs with Orange, Ginger Sauce: You'll need about a dozen fresh figs, a cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice (organic valencias are nice and juicy), a tablespoon of finely chopped fresh ginger, and one star anise.

Cut the figs open lengthwise. Simmer OJ, ginger, and star anise together on med-high heat for about 20 minutes, or until volume is reduced by half. Strain sauce, discarding all but liquid. Drizzle sauce over figs. The sauce can be chilled before serving with the figs.

shel

You want the sauce to be the consistency of light syrup when done. Check the taste as it reduces. If it does not reduce long enough it will taste weak and flat, and it won't coat the figs. It will get thicker as it cools if you decide to serve it cold.

thx so much for the recipes and i really looking froward to try it this weekend , also can i change the fresh figs with dried figs or other fruits?????

unfortunately this time fresh figs are not in the season but avocado and kiwi are so i probably will making the kiwi and avocado salad first

and thxs shel

[shel]

Originally Posted by HIME

thx so much for the recipes and i really looking froward to try it this weekend , also can i change the fresh figs with dried figs or other fruits?????

unfortunately this time fresh figs are not in the season but avocado and kiwi are so i probably will making the kiwi and avocado salad first

and thxs shel

I've never made the salads with dried figs, but it may be worth a try - never thought about it. Here's a little something for dried figs:

Quick & Easy Fruit & Cheese Salad

This one offers a quick and easy way to enjoy the combination of flavors of the fruit, cheese and salad greens - and it's pretty healthy as well.

3/4 cup green seedless grapes
3 - 4 fresh apricots, depending on size, cut into eighths
3 dried figs sliced medium thick
½ lb mixed salad greens
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil to taste
3oz or so goat or gorgonzola cheese
Turkey breast cut into small pieces - optional but nice


Directions:


Toss all ingredients together and serve. Top with goat or gorgonzola cheese. If you can get Cypress Grove herbed goat cheese, it would be perfect for this salad. Comes in a 4-oz pkg, so the size is just about right as well. I think gorgonzola dolce would be a better choice than the mountain, or picante, gorgonzola.

This makes enough for two nice sized servings.

[HIME]

thxs shel for your recipes i reaally looking foward to making all you recipes.
by the way do you know other site that have good recipes ???
thxs

[shel]

Originally Posted by HIME

thxs shel for your recipes i reaally looking foward to making all you recipes.
by the way do you know other site that have good recipes ???
thxs

Here are a few that I sometimes visit:

Recipezaar: Where the World's Recipes Are
Epicurious.com: Recipes, Menus, Cooking Articles & Food Guides
Food Network : Healthy Recipe Collections, Party Ideas, Quick & Easy Recipes
All recipes ? complete resource for recipes and cooking tips
Recipes - Eating Well
Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen - recipes Page
Lidia’s Italy Welcome to Lidia?s Italy!
FronteraKitchens.com | Recipes
Albion Cooks

There are many others, but these should get you started.

shel

[HIME]

Originally Posted by shel

Here are a few that I sometimes visit:

Recipezaar: Where the World's Recipes Are
Epicurious.com: Recipes, Menus, Cooking Articles & Food Guides
Food Network : Healthy Recipe Collections, Party Ideas, Quick & Easy Recipes
All recipes ? complete resource for recipes and cooking tips
Recipes - Eating Well
Nick Stellino's Family Kitchen - recipes Page
Lidia’s Italy Welcome to Lidia?s Italy!
FronteraKitchens.com | Recipes
Albion Cooks

There are many others, but these should get you started.

shel

thank you so much shel for all your replies